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Army jawans and JCOs to be given quality sport shoes to save their feet

By Vinod
|
Google Oneindia News

New Delhi: Very soon Indian Army personnel too will appear sporting quality shoes replacing cliched canvass shoes that they have been using since ages. They have been unable to save feet of jawans from even ordinary stumble causing medical issue for them. Order of around 1.70 lakh such shoes have been placed for advance approval test and if these shoes are cleared in these tests 11 lakh pair of shoes will be ordered for the Army personnel.

Image for representation only

As per the rule Army officers are supposed to buy costume and shoes for themselves while for soldiers it is provided by the Army. Sources said that these order were revenue-based expenditure which are used for the goods are services that the Army already using there is just some change in the quality and other things. It is not a new procurement.

Army sources told One India that this was not a matter of giving them swanky new pair of shoes rather it is an attempt to save our jawans from getting hurt without any reason. Canvass shoes have very thin sole, more wear and tear, without any cushion and all these factors cause strain during the physical activities and medical issue also crop up.

Sources said that replacement of canvass shoes with improved sports shoes was mooted by the government in 2009 and government sanction letter (GSL) was given in 2010. And in 2015, it was approved that 1.7 lakh shoes will be ordered for wider user trial by the ministry for Indian Army. In January 2017 shoes from two companies Standered Gramudyog Sansthan and Liberty Shoes have been finalised.

Sources further said that the wider used trial on 80 thousand shoes to be supplied by Liberty however for the other 90 thousands to be made available by Standered Gramudyog approval for which is still awaited and likely to be received by mid-June 2018.

Advance approval test on total 1.70 lakh shoes to start from July 1, 2018 and to be completed by August 15, 2018. Only after these tests shoes are able to pass the Advance order test, the bulk order will be placed that to the company offering the best prize.

When the first round of sample shoes were received by the Army they were opposed by one of the activist minister in the government for leather being used in it so they were rejected. Shoe making company were asked to provided with shoes with synthetic stuff. The quality of the shoes was also tested by Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) so that there is no compromise on quality.

Sources added that even during the advance approval test if there is any specification required catering to the need of Army personnel that could be suggested for improvement. They will be added to it.

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