[image: CRPF file]

SRINAGAR – In order to better equip the CRPF for operations in the KashmirValley, the Indian government for the first-time has allowed the force todirectly utilise Centrally-sponsored SRE funds for building infrastructurefacilities for its troops, officials said.

Faced with tardy pace of creation of camps, barracks and other livingfacilities in its main operations theatres, the Union Home Ministry hasallowed the paramilitary force to directly draw from the Security RelatedExpenditure (SRE) funds after seeking approval from respective states towhom this money is made available by the Centre.

The SRE scheme is granted by the Union government to Left Wing Extremism(LWE) hit and insurgency affected states of the country for the purpose ofreimbursement of security-related expenditure like transportation,communication, hiring of vehicles, stipend to surrendered Maoists,construction of infrastructure for forces among others.

Creating good living facilities and providing modern weapons and gadgets toforces is the most important measure when it comes to keeping high themorale of these men deployed in some of the toughest areas of operations, asenior official said.

There was a considerable delay in getting work infrastrucutre done by wayof getting the funds from states for accomplishing these tasks and hence itwas devised that the SRE amount could be directly utilised by forces likethe CRPF to get their job done, he said.

The official added that the CRPF, designated as the lead anti-Naxaloperations force of the country, recently got constructed camps in Bijapurdistrict of Chhattisgarh from these funds while work is on to create thesefacilities in Sukma and Dantewada districts located in the worst-hit Bastarregion of the state.

Similarly, a good number of CRPF camps are being refurbished and fortifiedin Kashmir valley by directly utilising SRE funds, he said.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has deployed about a lakh of itspersonnel for LWE operations and given the remote and interior locations oftheir camps, the jawans have to render their duties by availing less numberof facilities as compared to any other location.A good number of camps ofthe force in the Kashmir valley require upgradation and enhancement ofsecurity features like creating tall perimeter walls and multi-layeredphysical obstacles to keep them secure and prepared against terrorist raids.

The force has deployed about 60 battalions (about 60,000 personnel) in thevalley for counter-terrorist and law and order tasks. While getting goodand adequate number of weapons, vehicles and gadgets has not been a problemfor the force, the official said, acute shortage of good living conditionshas been a big challenge for the paramilitary to ensure.

“A number of infrastructure creation works are expected to be accomplishedby the end of this financial year in March next year with the help of thisfirst-time measure,” the official said.

The CRPF is the country’s largest internal security force with over 3 lakhpersonnel in its ranks.