CENTRE DISSOLVED ORDNANCE FACTORY BOARD FROM OCTOBER 1

CENTRE DISSOLVED ORDNANCE FACTORY BOARD FROM OCTOBER 1

Context:

In line with the decision of the Union Cabinet, the Ordinance Factory Board (OFB) will be suspended from 1 October and its assets, personnel and management will be transferred to seven newly established defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs).

About the decision:

• Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has already made it clear that there will be no change in the working conditions of the nearly 70,000 workers of the organization.

Seven New DPSUs:

• The seven PSU names for protection are Munition India Limited, Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited, Troop Comforts Limited, Yantra India Limited, Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited, India Optel Limited and Gliders India Limited.

Background:

• In a major overhaul, Cabinet on June 16 approved the long-awaited proposal to restructure the more than 200-year-old Ordnance Factory Board with 41 ammunition and military equipment production facilities into seven state-owned enterprises to improve its responsiveness, efficiency and competitiveness.

OFB:

• It is currently an organization of the Ministry of Defense and supplies critical arms and ammunition to the three armed forces and the paramilitary.
• It is engaged in research, development, production, testing, marketing and logistics of a product range in the areas of air, land and sea systems.
• It is headquartered in Kolkata.