MoD Seeks Report on DRDO Contract Staff

NEW DELHI: Taking cognisance of Express report, which highlighted that a huge number of contractual employees in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) were posing a threat to the defence secrets in the wake of a few espionage cases coming to light, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has sought a detailed report from the premier defence research agency.

The April 27 report had said the agency had a strength of more than 50,000 temporary or casual employees, who had complete access to all its classified and research activities.

Alarmed over the issue raised by Express, Defence Secretary R K Mathur, who is holding additional charge of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, has sought a detailed report through an internal note issued on May 8 to Director Generals of all the Defence Research and Development Organisation establishments.

“It is therefore requested that requisite inputs in respect of all hired/ contractual employees in your cluster/laboratories and departments along with duration of employment, payment details, functional justification and copy of the relevant authority letter be furnished to the department by June 5 for further necessary action,” Major General Ajay Gupta, Director Vigilance and Security, said in the internal missive on the directions of the Defence Secretary.

These contractual employees are not only involved in every step of design and development of projects, but also in trials. Over 55 laboratories of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, mandated to develop products and technologies to modernise Armed Forces ranging from missiles to combat aircraft, have roped in over these casual employees to assist scientists.

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The New Indian Express
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