Life in India comes cheap. Despite a lapse of several years, a major chunk of Army soldiers are yet to get something as basic as proper bullet-proof jackets. Noting that the authorised holding of bullet-proof jackets for the Army was 3,53,765, the parliamentary standing committee on defence on Wednesday expressed anguish that MoD was yet to make up the shortfall of as many as 1,86,138 of them.
"This is risking the life of as many soldiers. The committee desires that such important life-saving items should be purchased through fast-track procedures. Quality control should be strictly observed so that precious lives of trained soldiers may not be lost,'' it said.
The latest GSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements) for the jackets show their weight ranges from 10.5 kg to 11.5 kg. "This seems to be very heavy as the soldier has to carry this weight in addition to regular items, which will affect his agility and mobility in war as well as counter-insurgency operations,'' it said. Consequently, the committee asked the government to procure light-weight jackets from the domestic or the international market.
Times Of India.
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