Diwali Gift to the Soldiers of the Country

Diwali Gift to the Soldiers of the Country

Soldiers and officers of various army and para-military units like CRPF, BSF, BRO, ITBP, etc. are deployed in remote and far flung areas to protect Borders of India. The soldiers and officers are working day and night without bothering about difficult weather conditions and as they are posted away from their homes and headquarters, there is a constant requirement for them to speak to their family and also to their Headquarters. They use only DSPT service provided by BSNL because there is no other means of communications available in those areas.

Briefing the media here, the Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha said that in order to use the facility of DSPT, the soldiers & officers at present are required to pay monthly fee of Rs.500/- and call charges of Rs.5/- per minute. But, looking at the requirement of Soldiers & Officers and also the heavy cost they have to incur for talking to their family members, government has taken an important decision on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. Shri Sinha said, from Diwali day (19th October, 2017), no monthly fee will be taken for using DSPT service, that is, the current monthly fee of Rs.500/- will be ‘Zero’ from tomorrow. And also, the present telephone charges of Rs.5/- per minute is being reduced to Re.1/- per minute.

With this special Diwali Gift from Government of India, Defence personnel can now talk without worrying for more expenses to their home and their Headquarter. The Minister also wished the jawans and officers and their family members A Very Happy Diwali.

Rajnath Singh orders all Directors General to ensure good food for paramilitary jawans

Rajnath Singh orders all Directors General to ensure good food for paramilitary jawans

Amidst complaints of poor quality food being served to jawans, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today directed all paramilitary forces to ensure that quality food is served to all personnel under their rolls.

At a high-level meeting, attended by Directors General of CRPF, BSF, CISF, SSB, ITBP etc., the Home Minister said that the food served to the jawans and others should be good and there should be no room for any complaint, according to official sources.

Singh said paramilitary personnel are deployed in hostile and difficult terrain and if bad food is served they would be demoralised.

The paramilitary personnel should always be served with quality food and the chiefs of the organisations must ensure that, he said.

The Home Minister is also learnt to have expressed his unhappiness over more than 160 CRPF jawans falling ill in Kerala due to food poisoning recently.

There have been several complaints in the past regarding poor quality food being served to paramilitary jawans, leading to the Home Ministry ordering an inquiry.
PTI

Making para military forces as organised services

Making para military forces as organised services

Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju said in the Parliament as in a written reply to a question on 23.12.2015 about the Para Military Forces as given below…

Question : Whether Government is aware of a judgement passed by Delhi High Court observing that Centre must consider all para-military forces-CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB as organized services to extend them not just financial benefits but better promotional and deputation avenues in Government, including Non-functional Financial Upgradation (NFU) from 2006 in terms of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Answer : The Hon’ble High Court of Delhi has given a judgement on 03.09.2015 to grant the benefit of Non Functional Upgradation (NFU) as recommended by the 6th Central Pay Commission to Group ‘A’ officers of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). However, the same has been challenged by filing Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, which is sub-judice.

Construction of residential houses of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

Construction of residential houses of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

Construction of Houses and barracks at various establishments of CISF, CRPF and ITBP

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today has given its approval for construction of 13072 houses and 113 barracks of various types at 68 locations of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) during 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017). This will be at an estimated cost of Rs.3090.98 crore. The main components include construction of 13072 residential houses (Type-ll, III, IV, V & VI) and 113 barracks (Type- Men Barrack-120, 150,180, 240, 252, 264, 360) at 68 locations of CISF, CRPF and ITBP.

The existing housing satisfaction level in the CISF, CRPF and ITBP is about 12.06 percent, and after the completion of the proposed project, the satisfaction level will reach to 15.13 percent. This project will meet the urgent need to improve the efficiency of the Forces with increasing housing satisfaction level. The improved housing satisfaction level will boost the morale of CAPF, improving the efficiency to deal with law and order, Counter Insurgency (Operation), Anti-Naxal Operations and guarding India’s international border.

Armed forces want higher allowances for ‘hardship’ postings

Armed forces want higher allowances for ‘hardship’ postings

NEW DELHI: The armed forces are seeking an enhancement of allowances for their personnel posted in “hardship” areas on the pattern of high-altitude Siachen in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Many of the areas where the armed forces operate are hardship areas. So what one is looking at is an enhancement in allowances,” a defence official said.

While officials agree that allowances for other areas cannot be matched with that of the Siachen, they are looking at an increase in the 7th Pay Commission which is currently assessing the situation.
At present, a soldier posted in Siachen gets around Rs 8,000 per month as hardship allowance, which is the highest.

At present the allowances vary from area to area. Those involved in counter insurgency operations in northeast and Kashmir get an ‘insurgency’ allowance while those posted in higher altitude get other allowances.

The official said the Joint Services Memorandum, submitted about two months ago, has raised a number of expectations before the 7th Central Pay Commission.

Incidentally, the Pay Commission is on a four-day visit to Ladakh region, particularly world’s highest battlefield at Siachen glacier to meet soldiers performing their duties in challenging operational conditions.
The Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur and comprising former IAS officer Vivek Rae, full-time member Meena Agarwal, Secretary and 14 other members are vising Ladakh from October 12 to 15.

They were briefed on the peculiarities of difficult terrain, inclement weather and challenging operational conditions under which our soldiers are performing duties in various parts of Ladakh, including Siachen glacier.

The Commission members also visited remote posts in Eastern Ladakh and Kargil. They also landed at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), the scene of last year’s face-off between Indian and Chinese troops.

They interacted with soldiers from the Air Force, ITBP, BRO, and representatives of the DRDO.

Source: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/