Defence production hit as Ordnance Factories face staff crunch

NAGPUR: Ordnance Factories, the workshops making defence hardware are finding it difficult to get fresh workers to replenish its aging personnel at the shop floor. An analysis of the recruitment scenario for the current year shows that the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), which governs 41 factories across the country, could fill up less than half of the sanctioned vacancies. As against the sanctioned posts of 12,500 semi-skilled workers, OFB had only 5000 joining for the year. The trend has been more or less similar in the recent past, say sources.

The matter has been raised at various quarters as it is hampering defence production. As against the demand worth Rs 15,000 crore put up by both army and paramilitary, OFB planned to supply goods worth only Rs 13,000 crore. For the Army it will supply equipment worth Rs 10,500 crore against a demand of over Rs 12,800 crore. The actual supply may be even less than the planned figure. It has been acknowledged often that increasing manpower can help raise productivity.

Ordnance factories are considered one of the best employers in manufacturing sector. However, despite the benefits, the response has been abysmally low, said a source. It is not because of a low number of applicants. A recent advertisement for 145 posts saw 8,000 applicants. Candidates apply for several jobs at a time, so even if they get selected at the factory, they prefer a job they get at their hometown itself, the source said.

Almost 60% of the personnel at ordnance factories are directly engaged in production. However, more than 20% are due for retirement in the next five years and double that will exit in ten years. Considering that, the factories should have begun recruiting at least 5,000 persons a year. The current vacancy of 12,500 is due to the posts not being filled up earlier.

Currently, all factories clubbed together have 1.10 lakh posts and the actual number of employees is around 99,000. The situation is okay now but may not be so in the years ahead if enough recruitment is not done, a source said.

Recruitment Board goes slow

To ensure better recruitment, OFB set up a centralized recruitment board at Nagpur. Earlier, each factory carried out independent recruitment and it led to controversies. Recently recruitment was stopped at Bhusawal factory on charges of irregularities.

However, just a couple of months after the board was set up in January 2012, there were questions from the defence ministry on why should the earlier method not be continued as it helped in generating employment in area where the factory was. Even as a final decision has not been taken yet, the board has been asked to go slow. In line with similar boards in government, there were plans to have a common entrance test and later allot the successful candidates posting in the regions they belonged to, said a source.
Source:Times of india