A total ₹11,096 crore has been spent till date on the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and the Kaveri jet engine development programmes, the government informed Parliament on Wednesday.
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“The LCA programme has run for 36 years and Keveri engine development for 30 years. The time taken for these developments is due to the complex technological challenges and the gradual development of the necessary eco-system,” Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
The technical challenges were faced in areas such as advanced avionics, digital fly-by-wire, composites, weapon simulation, testing and integration facilities and non-availability of raw materials, Mr. Naik said. Of the specified amount, ₹9063.96 crore was spent on LCA and ₹2032 crore on the Kaveri Engine.
Shortage of engineers in BRO
In another written reply, the government acknowledged that about 33% of the sanctioned posts of various grades of civil engineers including Assistant Executive Engineer in the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are vacant.
A proposal to amend rules of the posts of some engineers to improve the promotional avenue to Group-B civil engineers is under examination, he said.
