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Ordnance factories to step up production

The ordnance factories in the country have been directed to step up their production in the wake of the Kargil crisis, according to Defence Minister George Fernandes.

Talking to the media at the Nagpur airport before leaving for Delhi last night after visiting the three ordnance factories in the region, he said the directive for increasing the production was issued in the last week of May itself.

Accompanied by Director General of Ordnance Factories Rajagopalan, the defence minister visited the units at Nagpur, Jawaharnagar in Bhandara district and Bhadrawati in Chandrapur district. Fernandes said he was satisfied with the pace of work in the three factories he had visited.

He declined to comment on the outcome of the talks between United States President Bill Clinton and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief. ''I am not aware of the details of the talks,'' he remarked.

Fernandes hailed the recapture of Tiger Hills by the Indian forces, saying that the jawans and the officers did a splendid job and deserved full praise for it.

To a question, Fernandes said the finance minister had already made it clear that there would no financial constraints in maintaining the territorial integrity of the country.

UNI

The Kargil Crisis

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