New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday directed the defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to prepare contingency plans for resumption of operations after the lifting of lock down in an effort to compensate for the lost working time to the extent possible and ramp up production.
He directed them while reviewing the contribution of the DPSUs and OFB to fight Covid-19 and their operational plans through video conference here, on Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plans to revive the economy post-lock down, the minister Singh said that the DPSUs along with private defence industry could play a major role in the economic revival.
Mr Singh appreciated the innovative skills displayed by the DPSUs in devising manufacture of new products to fight Covid-19 and also their assistance rendered to the local administration in several forms.
He also appreciated the monetary contribution of about Rs 77 crore made by the Department of Defence Production (DDP), OFB and DPSUs to the PM CARES Fund, generated from corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds and one day salary contribution.
It was intimated that more contribution to PM CARES Fund from the DPSUs is expected during April 2020, it added.
During the conference, Ordinance Factory Board has reported that there was no Covid-19 positive case in any of its 41 manufacturing locations.
OFB’s contribution in fighting COVID 19 included repair of more than 100 ventilators, manufacture 12,800 Coveralls, development of specialized machines for testing of PPEs, supply of 6.35 lakh masks to local authorities, supply of 340 specialized tents to Arunachal Pradesh for Covid-19 patients, distribution of 1 lakh litres of hand sanitizer among others.
The OFB has earmarked 280 isolation beds at its hospitals in 10 locations.
In addition, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has also earmarked 93 isolation beds in Bangalore for Covid-19 patients.
Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has made arrangements to manufacture 12,000 ventilators in the month of May 2020 and another 18,000 in June 2020.
Around 3,000 engineers will also participate in training of the health professionals in operationalizing these ventilators.
The HAL has manufactured 300 aerosol cabinets and supplied them to various hospitals.
It has also distributed 56,000 masks and extended support to migrant labourers.
In addition, it has also earmarked 93 isolation beds in Bangalore for Covid-19 patients. “No positive Covid-19 case has been recorded among HAL employees,” it added.
Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) is also working with eminent scientists for finalization of design for ventilators and to make the prototype.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) provided PPE and medicines worth Rs 5 lakh to Mumbai-based Naval Quarantine Centre and distributed 4,000 litres of sanitiser.
Several Units of OFB and DPSUs which are located in non-red zones have already started operations.
“Almost all DPSUs have made contingency plans to ramp up production after the lockdown is lifted by drawing up plans to work in three shifts and extending the work days from five to six days a week,” the ministry said.
Defence Production Secretary Raj Kumar, senior officials of Department of Defence Production, senior officials of OFB, BEL, HAL, MDL, Bharat Earth Movers Ltd, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd, BDL, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Midhani Mishradhatu Nigam Ltd and Goa Shipyard Ltd participated in the videoconference.
