Question : RECONSTITUTION OF PROCUREMENT BOARD

(a) whether the Government has reconstituted the procurement board to give representation to watchdog organisations to make procurement process faster and more transparent as reported in the Hindu dated September 8, 2004;

(b) if so, the facts thereof;

(c) the extent to which this new procurement policy is different to the previous one; and

(d) the extent to which the new procurement system will help to reduce the time taken to getting arms deals vetted?

MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE)

(a) No, Sir.

(b) Do not arise.

(c) & (d): The Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) – 2002 (Version June 2003) provides for review after two years. The DPP is being reviewed in the Ministry of Defence to streamline and make it more transparent in the light of experience gained in the implementation of the procedure.