BSF DG admits shortage of manpower, women to be inducted

Jalandhar, Dec 14 (UNI) Border Securty Force Director General A K Mitra today candidly admitted shortage of manpower in the force, both at the officer as well as constabulary level.

Talking to media persons after presiding over the Director General's Quarterly conference here at the Punjab Frontier Headquarters, Mr Mitra said, ''Women would also be recruited in the force from next year during the recruitment drive as the need arises during frisking of women at the border''.

The posts were sanctioned against the existing vacancies for men, he said adding that they would also demand induction of women at the officer level as well.

''There is a shortage of nearly 463 Assistant Commandant level officers in the border guarding force, out of which, 53 posts will soon be filled up as that number of officers are presently undergoing training,'' he said.

Besides, posts for class IV employees, there exists nearly 4300 vacancies for constabulary, for which he said, the force would start a massive recruitment drive from January 1 to March 31 next year.

For the backlog, he blamed non-induction of manpower in the force for nearly 10 years.

To further strengthen the force and to cope with the increasing workload, the BSF has demanded 69 more battalions from the Centre, he informed, adding that out of this, 157 already sanctioned companies would be converted into nearly 23 battalions and hence, the actual battalions needed would be nearly 26.

UNI