New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) A younger person should replace the DRDO chief, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said Wednesday, adding that it was on his recommendation that DRDO chief Avinash Chander's term was ended.
A day after termination of Chander's services was approved, the minister also said there was no "controversy" in the removal.
"I recommended that a person on contract should not be occupying such a senior position. This senior position should be filled by other eligible senior persons. There is no controversy here," Parrikar said.
"I believe DRDO should be headed by a younger man... I had proposed for his removal and they have agreed to it."
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the termination of Chander's contract with effect from January 31.
A notification was put up on the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) website, but removed later.
DRDO officials said they did not receive any official information.
Chander, widely known as the man behind the Agni series of missiles, retired Nov 30, 2014, at the age of 64. The government, however, approved that he continue on contract thereafter and the contractual term was to end May 31, 2016.
Chander was the Secretary, Defence Research and Development cum Director General, DRDO, and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister.
Asked if the sudden termination of the DRDO chief without informing him was right, Parrikar said, "I also got the information from you, from paper and TV."
"The tenure of DRDO chief would normally have ended in November but the previous cabinet had approved a three-year extension to his term, with the additional years being on contract," Parrikar told reporters.
The minister added that the post would be filled by someone for now till a permanent replacement was found.
"As of now the person to replace him has not been decided. We will fill the post temporarily by someone who has the urge for development."
President, PM greet nation on Ram Navami
New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee and
Bill Gates continues to work as technical advisor with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
Gates
The debate is going on in the Bombay High Court regarding the removal of the phrase Jai Shri Ram
Mukhtar Ansari handed over to UP Police, UP Police team leaves from Rupnagar Jail
Rupnagar,Uttar Pradesh's Bahubali leader Mukhtar Ansari has been handed over to the UP Police tea
US President Joe Biden addressed the NATO summit in the Belgian capital Brussels on Thursday. Bid
Kanpur Violence Update: Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena said on the matter of yester
Two Militants killed in Kashmir Gunfight
Srinagar, Feb 25 (IANS) Two separatist guerrillas of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed W
Indian firm delivers aero-structures to Bell Helicopter
Bengaluru, Feb 20 (IANS) Leading high-tech engineering firm Dynamatic Technologies Ltd has deli
North Korea begins to collapse? Kim Jong Un said - the country undergoing the worst
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un addressed thousands of grassroots activists of his ruling party
Bigg Boss 19: 'Baklava' is just an excuse Is this the reason why Tanya Mittal visits Dubai?
'You can love her, you can hate her, but you can't ignore her...', this is the condition of Tanya
