DRDO reforms cleared,to report to panel

In The first-ever shake-up in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) since it was set up over 50 years ago...

In The first-ever shake-up in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) since it was set up over 50 years ago,the government has decided to restructure the research body and make it more accountable by setting up a key technology commission that will govern the organisation and hold it accountable for delays and slips.

The move comes more than two years after the P Rama Rao Committee submitted recommendations for a complete revamp of the DRDO. The Defence Ministry has,however,approved only some of the measures that also include decentralisation of laboratories and moving out those that are not involved in direct military research.

The most significant measure that has been cleared is the institution of the key Defence Technology Commission that will be an overarching authority on the development of new products and induction of new weapon systems. As reported by The Indian Express earlier,the commission,which will be headed by the Defence Minister,will monitor ongoing projects and set targets and deadlines for the DRDO.

In effect,the commission will clip the wings of the DRDO chief who till now was empowered to take these decisions. The commission will include the three armed forces chiefs,National Security Advisor (NSA),the Cabinet Secretary and senior bureaucrats from other ministries concerned.

The inclusion of service chiefs in the commission would mean that the armed forces will now have a say on development projects being carried out by the DRDO an issue that has been strongly raised by the forces in the past. The Rama Rao Committee had observed that one of the main reasons why the research body failed to deliver on time was the lack of dialogue with the Army and Air Force.

While the Rama Rao report had strongly suggested to move out 11 of the 51 DRDO labs to other civilian bodies,the Ministry has decided to shift only three labs. While one lab will be moved to the Indian Council for Agricultural Research,two will come under the control of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). This goes against the committees recommendation that 11 labs,mainly from the life sciences stream,be moved out so that DRDO can concentrate its energies on core military areas.

The Ministry has also ordered more autonomy for individual laboratories,which will now be divided into seven centres or clusters of particular technology. These will include clusters for naval systems,aero systems,electronic warfare systems and weapon systems.

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While empowering the directors of the laboratories,DRDO will put a mechanism in place to ensure accountability of laboratory directors, the Ministry spokesperson announced. DRDO will have to create at least four more posts at the top with the Ministry deciding to appoint seven Director General-rank officials as well as four Chief Controllers (Research and Development).