The Parliament consultative committee on defence asked the DRDO to be ??more comprehensive and up to date?? in the security research field. The panel, which met on Tuesday, also demanded the Centre to constitute a better leadership for the organisation so that more indigenous weaponry and other equipment for the security infrastructure could be produced for the country.
The Left members in the panel asked defence minister AK Antony, to convene a debate on the Rama Rao committee report on the restructuring of DRDO. The government was, however, non-committal on the demand, the sources said. Welcoming the Brahmos joint venture with Russia, the Left members asked more details on the JV with Israel on missile technology. They also raised their concern on the rise in ??drop-out?? rate of scientists from DRDO.
CPI leader and member of the committee Syed Aseez Pasha, in the background of government pushing through the Indo-US nuclear deal, asked the DRDO about its efforts in developing alternate energy sources. Intervening in the discussion Antony reportedly reiterated his position that focus on bio fuels are hampering the food security worldwide. ??Lot of projects are being dropped in the mid-way. I demanded the Centre to submit the loss incurred due to this,?? Pasha told FE. Apart from Pasha CPI(M) leaders Samik Lahiri and PR Rajan were also present.
Antony also told Congress MP Navin Jindal, who asked for corporatisation of the DRDO, to bring consensus on the matter. Jindal reminded the DRDO that most of the weaponry, especially guns used by the military, are out of date.