India Joins UN Honour Roll, Pays $35 Million Dues Promptly Amid Crisis

India sent in on Tuesday (local time) its share of 1.016 per cent of the total 2016 regular budget of $3.45 billion for its operations except peacekeeping.

The UN, which is facing a financial crisis because its biggest contributor, the US, has not paid its share for last year, has appealed to members to send their dues early to keep it solvent.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned in a letter to member countries that the UN is in "imminent financial collapse", and officials say that it could run out of money for its operations by July if the US does not pay its arrears.

The honour roll is for countries that pay their dues within 30 days of getting the payment notice.

So far, 47 countries have made the roll.

India has consistently figured on it.

At his daily briefings, Dujarric announces the contributions with a quiz for reporters to guess the country.

On Wednesday, he gave this poser: "This country is the home of The Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres".

After a reporter's correct guess, Dujarric confirmed that India had paid its due in full.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the statue, which is in the image of Sardar Vallabhai Patel, who integrated the country when the British quit India, leaving behind a patchwork of princely states.

India's total contribution to the UN's regular budget comes to $38.223 million, but $3.091 million of that is offset by the amount that the organisation withholds in lieu of income taxes from the salaries of Indian employees.

The UN has a separate budget for peacekeeping, which falls due in July.

India's share of the $5.38 billion budget is 0.2212 per cent.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

- IANS