Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Defence Production: separate allocations sought

The Standing Committee on Defence Production recommended to the federal government that separate budget allocations should be made to Ministry of Defence Production, de-linking it from the Ministry of Defence. The government has allocated Rs 2.260 billion for Ministry of Defence for 2014-15 as compared to Ministry of Defence Production which has been earmarked Rs 937 million under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
The committee met at the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, MNA and received a briefing on Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT). The Committee was briefed by the Lieutenant General Syed Wajid Hussain, Chairman HIT, regarding infrastructure and functioning of the HIT. He informed the Committee that HIT played a vital role in strengthening the defence and security institutions. He said that presently HIT made the entire requirement of tanks, Armoured Recovery Vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carriers, Tank Gun Barrels and Bullet Proof Jackets for Enforcement Agencies. The Committee visited different factories in HIT and appreciated the efforts made by the management of HIT and Ministry of Defence Production.
The Committee was told by the Chairman HIT that presently six different factories were working under the HIT umbrella. The committee recommended that HIT boards should be empowered. Separate budget allocations should be provided to MoDP from MoD by the Ministry of Finance and Revenue; and first right of refusal should be accorded to HIT.
The Committee recommended that the Interior Minister of Sindh, Chief Secretary, Sindh and Inspector General of Sindh Police should be invited to the next meeting of the Committee. Muhammad Khan Daha, Dr Ramosh Kumar Vankwani, Chaudhry Hamid Hameed, Sajid Hussain Turi, Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah, Asyia Nasir and MNAs along with senior officers of HIT and Ministry of Defence Production attended the meeting.