Women Battalion for Sashastra Seema Bal okayed on Raising Day

New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) The government has agreed, in principle to the setting up of a separate women's batallion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in pursuance of its policy to recruit ten per cent women in all police forces.

Addressing mediapersons after the 43rd Raising Day celebrations of the SSB, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the demand of the force to raise a women's battalion was very much in line with the government's policy of reserving ten per cent of all police forces for women.

''There is no problem with raising a women's battalion. The government is OK with the proposal.'' The minister also said women would also be recruited to the vacant posts in the SSB.

''Along with the 13 battalions already raised recently, the force would be raising seven new battalions this year.'' he said.

More could be raised in future if needed, he added.

Mr Patil, while granting Rs two crore for the SSB from the Police Assistance Fund, as demanded by its DG, also okayed Rs five crore for setting up of schools for children of force personnel while assuring that each battalion would have a separate school, playground for children and hospital of its own.

''There would be no problem of funding.'' Earlier, speaking at the 43rd Raising Day parade, SSB Director General Tilak Kak requested for a separate women's battalion because of growing needs of the force and giving it a young face.

Stating that merely 303 women were presently employed with the SSB, he said further inductions were necessary in view of the growing needs of the force.

At the function, the Home minister gave away the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service to Area Organisor Braja Shome (posthumously) along with 12 other Police Medals for Meritorius Service on the accosion.

UNI AN VD BST1519