CRPF to hire more than 2,000 ex-armymen; offers Rs 55k monthly

New Delhi, Sep 13: The CRPF will for the first time induct more than 2,000 former army personnel in one go to bolster its anti-naxal operations, offering them a salary of upto Rs 55,000 per month.

A total of 2,012 retired Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and others are being hired by the paramilitary to enhance its capabilities to undertake counter-IED operations in the naxal affected zones of the country where the force has deployed more than 70,000 troops.

Interestingly, the retired armymen would earn salaries ranging from Rs 32,000-55,000 for rendering special training and assisting CRPF patrols to counter naxal ambushes and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) traps which have killed more than 150 personnel and maimed many others in the last year.

The salaries are slightly higher than what CRPF personnel earn on eqivalent ranks. The ex-armymen, being hired for the first time in CRPF's 71-year history, will also impart commando training to regular units during their tenure with the force.

"While the initial plan is to recruit 348 JCOs and 1,754 NCOs on a minimum contract of three years, the numbers could be increased if the force requires more personnel," CRPF sources said.

The ex-armymen, who would join the ranks of the world's largest paramilitary in the next six months, will be veterans from the Corps of Engineers, Infantry and are required to have trained themselves in specialised courses like ''Ghatak'' commando, bomb and IED detection and disposal, counter- insurgency operations among others.

PTI