MHA clears cadre review of CRPF, will benefit 2.37 lakh troops

The over 3-lakh personnel force is thickly deployed in anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorist offensives in the Kashmir Valley and responding to law and order duties across the country.

In a boost for the Jawans and subordinates officers of world’s largest paramilitary force - CRPF - the ministry of home affairs on Tuesday approved the cadre restructuring of troops which will benefit 2.37 lakh troops of the CRPF as it will ensure faster promotion and monetary benefits.

The move would also ensure faster career growth and better remuneration for these personnel who form the bulk of an operational team that is led by officers of the CRPF cadre and those from the Indian Police Service (IPS. (Photo @crpfindia)

According to an order issued by the MHA, the government has sanctioned fresh posts to the CRPF, the lead internal security force of the country, in its fighting or combat ranks. It is for the first time since 1939 that such a major cadre review at lower ranks has been done.

The over 3-lakh personnel force is thickly deployed in anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorist offensives in the Kashmir Valley and responding to law and order duties across the country.

As per the latest order, the CRPF said in a statement, while it will be a 100 per cent jump in sanction for the rank of sub-inspector (SI), the same figure will be 91 per cent for inspector ranks, 40 per cent for head constable and 34 per cent for assistant sub inspector (ASI) ranks.

Henceforth, the total sanctioned posts in the subedar major or inspector ranks will rise up to 6,271 (91 pc) while it will be doubled to 17,403 in the rank of SI.

“The maiden cadre review for general duty personnel of the force will bring cheer to about 2.37-lakh personnel of Group B and C, from constable to inspector ranks, who were facing stagnation. This review has been undertaken for the first time in its about eight decades’ long history,” the force said.

This would provide opportunity for honing junior leadership and improve operational efficacy with a younger age profile, it said.

The move would also ensure faster career growth and better remuneration for these personnel who form the bulk of an operational team that is led by officers of the CRPF cadre and those from the Indian Police Service (IPS).

“The cadre review of these officials will add more responsibilities on their shoulders, improve their motivational level and increase their job satisfaction.

“This anti-stagnation drive would also motivate them to be fitter, a criteria vital for the promotion of those in uniformed services,” CRPF spokesperson Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Moses Dhinakaran said.

Due to the cadre review, the waiting time for promotion to the next higher level for personnel in the ranks of constable to inspector will get reduced by three-five years, the DIG said.

The latest move, another senior official said, is expected to compensate for the stagnation that is now expected because of the recent decision of the government to raise the retirement age for personnel up to the rank of commandant from 57 to 60 years, leading to no promotions as no personnel would retire in the next three years.

The force was raised in 1939 as the Crown Representative’s Police under the British. It was re-named as CRPF in 1949.