16-31 JULY, 2019 I KAMAL SANDESH I 25ndia won a non-permanent seat at the
powerful UN Security Council for a two-year
term (2021-2022) has been unanimously
endorsed by 55-member of the Asia-Pacific group
at the world body. It is a major diplomatic win
for india. The Indias win became so important as Pakistan and China, both have been at loggerhead with India in UN, supported the Indias
move for permanent candidature. Each year the
193-member General Assembly elects five non-
permanent members for a two-year term at the UN
high-table.
The five permanent members of the Council are
China, France, Russia, UK and the US.
The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed
on a regional basis : five for African and Asian
States; one for Eastern European States; two for
the Latin American and Caribbean States; and two
for Western European and other States.
(With inputs from PTI)‘1.86 laKH bUllet-proof JacKets to be
procUred by aprIl next year’
IndIa won a non-permanent
seat at Unsc for 2021-22
GoveRnment’s achievement
he shortage of bullet-proof jackets for armed
forces is being met through procurement of
1.86 lakh such jackets by April 2020 for nearly
Rs 639 crore, Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh
informed Rajya Sabha on 08 July, 2019.
Replying to questions, the minister said there
was no embargo on the import of raw material from
China for making such bullet-proof jackets, and any
supplier violating the tender norms would face action
and could be disqualified.
The minister also assured the House that the
government has no plans to reduce the justified
benefits provided to armed personnel with disabilities.
“In 2009, there was a shortage of 3,53,755 bullet
proof jackets in the country, but procurement was
not done for a long time. An RFP for procurement of
1,86,138 bullet proof jackets has been issued in April
2016 and the tender in this regard was allotted on
April 9, 2018 to an Indian buyer.
“The total value of the contract is for Rs 638.97
crore, for procurement of 1,86,138 bullet proof
jackets, which will be supplied within 36 months and
it has to be completed by April 8, 2020,” the minister
told the house.