New Delhi, Feb. 24 (IANS): After a suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF troopers in Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre has hiked the "risk and hardship" allowance of all paramilitary forces deployed in highly sensitive areas in Jammu and Kashmir and Maoist bastions.
A Home Ministry order accessed by IANS was sent out on February 22 to all six paramilitary forces -- Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Sashastra Seema Bal and Assam Rifles -- regarding the step taken by the government with "immediate effect".
The order, which came a week after the terror attack in Pulwama, speaks about "substantial enhancement" of the Risk and Hardship allowance.
The Home Ministry order reclassified 10 districts of Jammu and Kashmir -- Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama, Badgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kuwara, Bandipora and Srinagar -- in "R1H1 matrix" category.
"Around 55,000 CRPF personnel posted in the region and other CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) will directly benefit from this move," a CRPF officer who sought anonymity told IANS.
The allowance has been substantially enhanced from INR 9,700 to INR 17,300 per month for troops up to the rank of Inspector and from INR 16,900 to INR 25,000 for officers, the order said.
The order has also benefited paramilitary personnel deployed in eight most Maoist-affected districts across four states. These are Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, Sukma and Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh; Latehar in Jharkhand, Gadchiroli in Maharastra and Malkangiri in Odisha.
Around 33,000 personnel of CRPF -- the lead paramilitary force mandated for internal security and anti-Maoist operations -- will be the main beneficiary, said the CRPF official, adding other paramilitary personnel posted in these districts also stand to gain.
The decision was taken by a committee constituted under the chairmanship of Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba for classification of field areas for grant of the allowance.
As per the order, the personnel of CRPF's CoBRA Battallion -- a specialized unit proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare and originally established to counter Maoists -- will continue to get the allowance at the existing "RH matrix" and "R1H1".
This is the second major move taken by the Centre for the welfare of paramilitary troopers after it authorized air travel to those deployed in the Kashmir Valley from Jammu and Delhi to Srinagar when they go on tour, leave and official duty.
The order after the car bomber struck a CRPF bus in a 78-vehicle CRPF convoy on February 14, killing 40 personnel. The attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed group.
The convoy, carrying 2,547 security personnel, was moving on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. It was the worst terror attacks at one go on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir since militancy erupted in 1989.
40 personnel dead, 5 injured in Pulwama attack, confirms CRPF
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Sunday again confirmed that a total of 40 personnel of the paramilitary force were killed and five suffered injuries in the suicide terror attack in Pulwama district 10 days ago.
"A total of 40 CRPF personnel were killed and five injured in the terror attack. Four of the injured CRPF personnel have been discharged from the hospital," CRPF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) M. Dinakaran told IANS.
Dinakaran's clarification came when asked about varying death toll figures being quoted by some media outlets.
In the worst-ever terror attack at one go in Jammu and Kashmir since militancy erupted in 1989, a suicide bomber on February 14 rammed his vehicle packed with around 200 kg explosives into a CRPF bus on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Pulwama district, leaving 40 personnel dead.
The bus was part of a 78-vehicle convoy carrying 2,547 CRPF personnel and was going from the transit camp in Jammu to Srinagar. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for the horror.
