In an attempt to pull Indian Telephone Industries out of red senior BJP leader Ajay Agrawal has urged Defence Minister Manohar Parikar to order defence requirements from the ailing public sector undertaking ITI. Agarwal, who is also a senior Supreme Court laywer, met Parikar in New Delhi and pleaded that if the defence ministry involves the ITIs in supplying its requirement then the crisis of the PSU can be solved.
ITI is the first PSU established in 1948 and presently it has in total six units in the country out of which three – Raebareli, Naini, and Mankapur are in Uttar Pradesh. Parikar is also elected to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. Agrawal in a memorandum submitted to the defence minister say that ITI is a premier undertaking for making all communication equipments and components. ITI has fulfilled the need of the basic telephony and exchanges of the Country. It is still supplying the components of GSM network to BSNl.
Agrawal submitted that now since the demand of basic telephony is stalled due to mobile phones this PSU has gone into rough weather and is not able to pay the salaries to its existing employees in time. There is no pay revision for several years and no fresh recruitment has bene made here. BJP leader further submitted that this national asset could be well utilized if it will come under Defence Ministry and get orders for the Defence communication equipments which are at present being imported.
“The ITI is fully capable of meeting the demands of the defence and this step will also boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India‘ program a success in Defence Sector,” Agarwal said. BJP leader claimed that Parikar has assured of full cooperation and sought a report on giving early orders to ITI from the concerned Defence Ministry officials. Agrawal had unsuccessfully contested last lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli seat on BJP ticket against UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.