NEW DELHI: Defence Minister AK Antony today issued a stern warning to defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) asking them to maintain transparency in their dealings with the armed forces.
Antony said he wanted DPSUs to speed up work and set benchmarks of standard and quality for private sector companies.
“There should be no compromise on transparency in dealings with clients and users,” he said while reviewing performance and functioning of eight defence PSUs, including Bharat Earth Mover Limited (BEML) which is in the eye of the storm over the deals of Tatra trucks supplied to the Army.
BEML chief VRS Natarajan was also present at the meeting along with his counterparts from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited and four defence shipyards – Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Mazagon Docks Limited, Goa Shipyard Limited and Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
CBI inquiries have been ordered to look into the procurement of Tatra trucks manufactured by BEML inIndia. Army chief Gen VK Singh had levelled allegations that he was offered a bribe of Rs14 crore by a defence lobbyist to clear a proposal for Tatra trucks.