Funds doubled for forces’ modernisation

In a move to put the modernisation of central police forces including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on the fast track, the government on Wednesday cleared a Rs 11,000-crore modernisation plan for the 9 lakh-plus strong forces.

In a move to put the modernisation of central police forces including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on the fast track, the government on Wednesday cleared a Rs 11,000-crore modernisation plan for the 9 lakh-plus strong forces.

HT Image

The approval of the cabinet committee on security came in the backdrop of the stand-off in Ladakh over the ongoing border issue with China.

“The army wants the ITBP to be placed under its control for quite some time. But the home ministry has made it clear this was not desirable,” a government source said.

The allocation for modernisation for the next four years is more than twice the money spent on modernising the central forces over the last decade. The home ministry had earmarked about Rs 4,500 crore for modernising the central forces in 2001-02. It took about a decade to spend the money on upgrading its skills.

Besides the ITBP that guards the Sino-India border, the new plan will benefit 7 other central police forces such as the BSF, Assam Rifles, NSG and the CRPF.