DRDO to come out with Road Map for next 20 years

Bangalore, Oct 31 (UNI) Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will come out with a road map for 'Managing Defence in the next 20 years', DRDO Chief Controller Prahlada said today.

Talking to newsmen here, he said the road map would be drawn at a three day international seminar scheduled to be held in New Delhi from December 3 to 5 to mark the validicatory of the Golden Jubilee year of DRDO.

Delegates, including those of defence organisations and institutions from more than 15 countries, with whom we have close contact in exchange of inputs will attend seminar in which latest developents in Aeronautical Engineering would be discussed, he said.

Replying to a question he said the attrition rate has drastically come down in DRDO following implementation of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and also due to strides made in Engineering and Science and Technology sector by the country.

He said five years back, the attrition rate was 17 per cent and last year it was 10 per cent. But this year the rate may be in single digit. ''Attrition in DRDO has not affected. However, in the fields of Signal Proving, Microwaves, Aeronautical we are finding shortage of hands,'' he added.

Asked whether many scientists and engineers had left DRDO as they were deprived of share in the royalty on Patents obtained by DRDO, Dr Prahlada said ''suitable amendment to the IPR Act has been made and submitted to the ministry and it has to be passed in Parliament. Once it is through the issue would be solved.'' UNI MSP VV RL HT1925