In light of the ongoing military tensions between India and Pakistan, the Central government has directed all states and Union territories to grant emergency procurement powers to the heads of their civil defence authorities. This move is aimed at enabling swift purchases of essential equipment and materials in the event of a crisis.
In an official communication addressed to the chief secretaries of all states and Union territories, Director General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, Vivek Srivastava, highlighted the need for urgent preparedness against hostile attacks. He cited the Civil Defence Act and Rules, 1968, which govern civil administration responses during such emergencies.
Srivastava specifically referenced Section 11 of the Civil Defence Rules, 1968, which empowers state governments to implement necessary measures to protect lives, property, and maintain essential services during hostile threats or attacks. The section allows local authorities to prioritise such measures over all other duties, using their existing funds for associated expenses.
The directive emphasised that invoking this provision would provide state-level directors of civil defence with the necessary emergency procurement powers.
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“I shall be grateful if Section 11 of the CD (Civil Defence) Rules, 1968, can be invoked and necessary emergency procurement powers to the director civil defence of your state/UT may be granted so that efficient implementation of the necessary precautionary measures can be implemented,” the letter stated.
This advisory comes amidst escalating cross-border hostilities, following India's recent precision strikes on terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7.
These strikes were a response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, most of whom were tourists. Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target multiple Indian military installations on May 8, but the Indian armed forces successfully intercepted and neutralised those attacks.
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