Uniforms and ordnance factories (English version) Rakshak News 20 Jun 18
Recently, based on a report in a newspaper stating that the army has decided to drastically cut down its procurements from ordnance factories by 50% and use the funds to procure ammunition and other essential stores, press reports conveyed that the soldier would need to use his own funds to buy his uniform as the same was now not being provided under army funding.
This led to senior leaders in the Congress charging the government on failing to provide for the soldier. Rahul Gandhi tweeted, ‘MAKE (empty slogans and useless acronyms) IN INDIA, meanwhile our soldiers buy their own clothes and shoes’. Digvijay Singh tweeted, ‘Shame on you Mr Modi, you have enough money to roam around the world but paucity of funds to buy uniform for army soldiers’. The truth is just the opposite.
For decades the army was provided uniforms produced by the ordnance factories, a government of India enterprise. Apart from being ill-fitting and of low quality, there were multiple occasions when the colour of the shirt and trouser were different, making them unfit for use. Soldiers, always seeking to be smartly turned out, purchased their own from the civil street.
Thus, based on suggestions made by the armed forces, the seventh pay commission changed the rules for supply of uniform. According to the recommendations of the commission and accepted by the government, the system of providing uniform and various kinds of allowances regarding dress and its maintenance were merged into one consolidated ‘Dress Allowance’.
Under this a soldier is to be paid Rs 10,000 annually, which would be credited into his account. The same would increase by 25%, whenever the DA increases by 50%.
Ordnance factories were established decades ago, when the national technical and industrial base was low. With a growing economy and industrial base, depending on ordnance factories for what is readily available in the open market and at costs far above market rates is wasting valuable budgetary allocations. Over the years, governments realized that ordnance factories were a white elephant, but refused to close them, fearing political pressure from unions. Thus, they continued, producing low grade equipment, which none desired, but were forced to accept, as there were no alternatives.
The decision to move away from them has already angered factory unions, which has threatened to move the courts as pending orders remain. They fear closure or even worse, sale to private vendors. Most factories have outlived their utility, remain stuck with poor technology and quality. In Jul last year, the vice chief of the army, General Sarath Chand had stated that these factories had not been able to keep pace with technology as they had no competition whatsoever.
The defence ministry announced in Jan this year that it will not make any further investments in ordnance factories. It made this decision as it had to regularly face questions in parliament on low quality of their products. Based on the assessment on the working of the ordnance factories the government took the extreme step of sacking 13 senior ordnance factory officers in Aug last year.
Even the CAG report of last year blamed ordnance factories for delayed delivery of crucial items as also on its quality. In 2015 a CAG report stated, ‘Our audit in 10 factories showed a persistent trend of overstatement of performance in the form of advance issue of vouchers. Factories raise these to demand payment without physical issue’.
In the overall context, the decision taken by the government to sanction money to the soldier to purchase his own uniform, rather than depend on ordnance factories is a welcome decision and would be a benefit rather than a burden.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army