BEL crosses Rs 3,500 Crore-turnover mark

New Delhi, Apr 3 (UNI) Premier defence Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has recorded its highest turnover, so far, of Rs 3,561 crore during 2005-06 -- an 11 per cent increase over last year's turnover of Rs 3,212 crore.

BEL also registered an estimated profit before tax of Rs 848 crore as against last year's Rs 686 crore. The company also achieved exports worth 13.58 million US dollars as compared to last year's figure of 12.50 million US dollars.

According to an official spokesman here, BEL's order book presently stood at around Rs 6,500 crore compared to Rs 6,100 crore last year.

More than 15 new products were rolled out this year and the turnover accruing from indigenously developed products stood at 73 per cent this year as against 63 per cent last year, the spokesman said.

A significant number of Battle Field Surveillance Radar (Short-Range) -- an indigenously-designed portable state-of-the art ground-based radar developed by LRDE; 'Flycatcher Radar', an all-weather anti-aircraft weapon control system; and Reporter Radar, a tactical control radar system -- were supplied to the Indian Army during 2005-06.

Surveillance Radar Element and Low Flying Detection Radar 'Indra' have also been supplied to the Indian Air Force.

Besides, a large number of night vision devices and HF communication sets have been supplied to the armed forces.

In the civilian sector, Satellite Communication Systems for distance education and solar products for rural electrification form the major supplies.

BEL is one of the select PSUs signing the MoU with the Department of Defence Production ever since the government introduced this performance measurement system in 1989-90. BEL has achieved MoU rating of 'excellent' for the past eight years, the spokesman said.

UNI DG PM RAI1837