India Ordnance Factories staff shortages

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NAGPUR, India, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Indian defense production suffers as Ordnance Factories face staff shortages.

The India Ordnance Factories, producing defense items, said it is finding it difficult to recruit news workers to replenish its aging shop floor personnel.

Analyzing 2012 recruitment data reveals that the Ordnance Factory Board, which manages 41 factories across India, was only able to fill 5,000 of 12,500 semi-skilled worker vacancies.

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, familiar with OFB hiring practices said it is a trend that has persisted for several years.

The government is expressing concern that should such trends continue, it could negatively affect armaments production and has provided more money to fill the vacancies, The Times of India reported.

The Indian Ordnance Factories is an industrial conglomerate operating under India's Ministry of Defense's Department of Defense Production and Supplies, producing arms, ammunition and other equipment for military and civilian applications.

The Indian Ordnance Factories is based at Ayudh Bhawan, Kolkata, and consists of 41 factories, nine training institutes, three regional marketing centers and four regional safety controllers.