Ordnance factories launch e-procurement in Pune

The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) on Monday formally launched an all-India e-procurement system for all its defence-related manufacturing units in the country.

The e-procurement system was launched formally at the Ammunition Factory, Khadki, in Pune, by the secretary for defence
production in the ministry of defence, RK Singh.

Speaking to media persons, Singh said the system  introduced for all purchases in excess of Rs10 lakhs was explicitly to bring in transparency, cut out cartel formation and establish an audit trail.

The e-procurement system enables suppliers to respond to tender announcements from anywhere in the country.

Singh said, “The e-procurement system was part of the ongoing modernisation plans of the OFBs and was aimed at greater transparency and efficiency in our working.”

In the first phase, the ordnance factories in Khadki (Pune), Kashipur (Kolkata), Dum-Dum (Kolkata), Medak (AP), Awadi (Chennai) and Ambazari (Nagpur) had adopted the e-procurement system.

The remaining 39 ordnance factories across the country would implement it by June 1.

DM Gupta, chairman of the OFB, highlighted the fact that the Rs11, 238-crore turnover  recorded by the 39 ordnance factories for fiscal 2010-11 was the highest ever.

He said that the target for next year is Rs 30,000crore. Gupta said that Rs6,800 crore had been earmarked for modernisation of the 39 factories over the next five years. Two new ordnance factories were on the anvil in Nalanda (Orissa) and Korwa (UP).