BSF, CRPF in dire straits: Study

The two important units of the Central armed police forces – the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) – are working in poor condition, reveals a study report commissioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The report, based on field investigations at various locations of the BSF and the CRPF, suggests that cases of suicides among para-military personnel are higher than the national average.

It is also resulting in increasing number of incidences of resignation and voluntary retirement.

In the last 5 years, 1,483 CRPF personnel and 997 of the BSF resigned from service.

The report, a copy of which is in the possession of Express, reveals that paramilitary personnel fighting insurgency across the country are also required to struggle with bureaucratic system to avail the welfare schemes run by the government for their families and dependents.

The study, conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmadabad, at 12 locations of the BSF and 13 locations of the CRPF, also found the heavy stress among personnel as a reason for rising suicide cases in the force.

The two largest and strongest para-military forces (CRPF 2, 52,000 & BSF 2, 40,000 personnel - approximate figure) also failed to address the grievances of personnel.

Lack of sleep and leave and high level of salary discrepancy are crushing the morale of force, says the report.

“Many force personnel have raised their voice against the existing system in which there is no fixed working time for them. Fatigued personnel have very little time to rest and recuperate.

The situation is further aggravated due to shortage of manpower.

Even when troops return from duties on the frontline to headquarters and group-centres the dwelling is neither comfortable nor sufficient resulting in personnel keeping families in their home-towns,” report said.

 With minimal assistance offered to address their grievances, the force personnel are found to be under tremendous stress in performing their duties.

They also complained of performing duties that did not come under their responsibility.

Sometimes, they were made to perform tasks of lower grade and at other time, they were also required to do menial tasks like watering plants and working in the staff mass.

The report also suggested outsourcing of non-core activities on the lines of forces in the US, Australia and Canada.

The data collected from 100 BSF and 106 CRPF officers in the report also present a dismal picture at the top.

“Many officers who joined the force as Assistant Commandant and completed more than 16 years of service have not yet been granted PB-4 scale ( Lt Colonels in the Army are entitled).

There is no fixed yearwise promotion system in place and officers are unsure of their career enhancement opportunities.