Lok Sabha Question No. 175 (STARRED), answered on 2015-07-31
Subject: Defective Equipment
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: R.K. BHARATHI MOHAN

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF DEFENCE**

**DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE PRODUCTION**

**LOK  SABHA**

**STARRED QUESTION NO.175**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 31** **ST** **JULY, 2015**

**DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT**

*175.	SHRI  BHARATHI MOHAN R.K.:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE    j{kk ea=h

be pleased to state:

(a)	whether the Defence Research and Development Organisation has recently found defence equipment manufactured in the Ordnance factories being defective and of inferior quality;

(b)	if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereon;

(c)	whether all defence equipment manufactured in Ordnance factories are subjected to quality test, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(d)	the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

#### A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF DEFENCE                              	        (SHRI MANOHAR PARRIKAR)

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**(a) to (d):** **A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.**

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**STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 175 FOR ANSWER ON 31.7.2015**

**(a)	No, Madam.**

**(b)	Does not arise.**

**(c)	Yes, Madam.  Products manufactured by Ordnance Factories (OFs) are inspected for specified quality parameters by the concerned factory and thereafter sample inspection is done by Director General of Quality Assurance (DGQA).  Only those products which conform to the laid down specifications and quality standards are issued to the Users.**

**(d)	Several steps have been taken to ensure quality of products being supplied to various indenters; which include the following:-**

| **•**   | **Creation of Test Facilities for input material inspection and NABL  Accreditation of Labs**  **:- All the Ordnance Factories (OFs) are ISO 9000 certified and 35 OFs have NABL accredited lab as per their specific requirements.**                                                                                                                                                                          |
|---------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **•**   | **Creation of Quality Audit Group (QAG)**  **:–  Ordnance Factory Board has set up an Independent authority in the form of 10 QAG centers, headed by an SAG level officer to carry out the Audit of existing Quality Control System in respect of input material, manufacturing process, adherence to specified acceptance criterion etc.**                                                                    |
| **•**   | **Audit of manufacturing process**  **:-  At factory level, to check any deviation from the standards, process audits are carried out on a regular basis.  Also each Quality Audit Group (QAG) has been instructed to carry out process audit of at least one major product / sub assembly every month.**                                                                                                      |
| **•**   | **Introduction of NQDBMS (Networked Quality Data base Management System)**  **:– For better communication and transparency on quality issues, NQDBMS has already been implemented in all OFs.**                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **•**   | **Formation of Failure Review Board (FRB) in each factory**  **:- FRBs have been formed to analyze the defects observed during manufacturing and final acceptance inspection.  The issues are analyzed in the monthly FRB meetings and probable causes are identified for rectification and corrective measures are incorporated in the process to eliminate recurrence of same defect in future production.** |

......2/-

:  2  :

| **•**   | **Formation of Quality Council**  **:–  Quality Council is formed as an advisory body with senior officers at OFB level to discuss policy issues related to Quality Management System, to frame policy guidelines and to review and monitor the Quality Management System (QMS) in OFs and other establishments of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB).**                         |
|---------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **•**   | **System of Customer feedback:**  **- Representatives from Factories visit the field units to get first hand feedback about the products supplied by OFB and users of all ranks from Field Units are also invited to visit the Factories.  Corrective actions / feedback / improvement suggested by the representatives are taken into consideration for implementation.** |

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