32 people killed since 2014 in accidents involving use of ammunition produced by OFB: Govt

Thirty-two people have been killed and 201 injured since 2014 in accidents involving the use of ammunition manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), according to the government.

''A number of accidents have taken place while using the ammunition manufactured by OFB from 2014 till date,'' Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said, adding a total of 201 injuries and 32 deaths have been reported from 2014 till date.

He was replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

In a major reform initiative, the government last month approved a long-pending proposal to restructure the OFB which operates 41 ammunition and military equipment production facilities across the country to improve its accountability, efficiency and competitiveness.

The decision to corporatise the OFB on the lines of defence public sector undertakings was taken nearly two decades after the reform measure was first mooted to bring professionalism and significantly enhance its productivity.

The government has already said that steps have been taken to safeguard the interests of the employees of the OFB after it is split into seven state-owned corporate entities.