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Top IPS officer wants to stop risk allowance for CRPF personnel with medical conditions

CRPF IG also suggests forces with medical conditions be removed from Naxalism-hit areas. CRPF personnel say it’s a classic case of IPS imposition.

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New Delhi: A top Central Reserve Police Force officer has launched a campaign to bar personnel who have medical conditions from being paid a special monthly allowance that is given to all forces deployed in conflict areas such as Jammu and Kashmir and Naxalism-hit regions.

The idea comes close on the heels of a controversial decision by the Modi government to tax the disability pension given to armed forces personnel who are disabled in the line of duty but manage to complete service.

The reasoning behind the idea floated by G.H.P. Raju, an IPS officer who is serving as the CRPF inspector-general in Chhattisgarh, is to “avoid audit objection in future”.

Pushing his idea, Raju has written to all IGs of the CRPF, the special director-general and an additional director-general that personnel categorised as “low medical cases” or LMCs be stripped off the monthly risk allowance.

LMCs in the force are personnel who are categorised for having a SHAPE condition – Psychological, Hearing, Appendages, Physical or Eye. “Basically, it includes anyone with a hearing impairment, asthma, diabetes, psychological problems, etc.,” a senior CRPF officer said.

All CRPF personnel posted in J&K and Naxalism-hit areas are eligible to draw Rs 17,300/month up to the rank of inspector, and Rs 25,000/month for officers, as ‘risk and hardship allowance’.

The allowance was increased in February after 40 CRPF personnel were killed in the suicide bomb attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pulwama.

ThePrint reached Raju, a 1993-batch IPS officer, for comment on his letter but he did not respond.

A senior CRPF officer, however, said that Raju’s logic to deny high-risk allowance to LMC personnel is probably because they anyway do not have high-risk jobs even if they are posted in sensitive areas. “Therefore, he may have thought that giving them the risk allowance is a wasteful expenditure, which is a very unfair thing to do.”

Deputy Inspector General and chief spokesperson of the CRPF M. Dinakaran told ThePrint that the letter is being reviewed by Director-General R.R. Bhatnagar.

‘Stop allowance forthwith’

In his letter, Raju also suggested that personnel categorised as LMC should be removed from Naxalism-hit areas altogether.

“Allowing them to draw R1H1 (risk and hardship) risk allowance amounts to extending undue favour to these case (sic) at the cost of government exchequer which must be stopped forthwith to avoid audit objection in future,” the letter, dated 21 August, said.

“It is also requested that necessary instructions may kindly be issued to respective DDOs (drawing and disbursing officers) not to draw R1H1 risk allowance to the LMC cases posted in SOZ (special operation zone) units of your sector,” it added.

Raju’s letter also said that LMC troops should be recalled from SOZ areas “for the larger interest of the counter Naxal operations”.

“SOZ is a high conflict zone where every CRPF person is expected to maintain highest level of physical fitness and remain battle ready to be inducted into intense counter Naxal operations at a very short notice.”


Also read: ‘U-turn’ by CRPF on parity with IPS officers leaves paramilitary forces shocked, worried


‘Deeply unfair’

Raju’s letter has caused much consternation in the force, with a senior CRPF officer saying this is a “classic case of IPS officers not empathising with the conditions in which these troops work and imposing their own ideas”.

“The letter has already created a lot of resentment in the force because troops who have developed health issues cannot be discriminated against, especially since a lot of their problems are a consequence of tough postings and stress,” the CRPF officer, who did not wish to be named, added.

S.S. Sandhu, a retired CRPF officer, echoed the view, saying the suggestion was “deeply unfair” since a lot of troops become LMC cases in the line of duty. “Troops can become asthmatic, develop a frostbite, lose a limb, etc. in the line of their duty…How can they not give them the risk allowance?” he said.

Sandhu also said the letter was “illegal” since an IG has no authority to request other IGs to withdraw an allowance given to personnel. “At most, he can give a suggestion to the DG or the ministry (of Home Affairs), but he has no authority to write such a letter,” he added.


Also read: Army HQ wants to tax disability pension, except for those injured in battle


 

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24 COMMENTS

  1. IG SAHAB AAP KITNA DIN OPERATION ME GAYE..KITNI BAAR RIFAL HATH MNE LE K DUTY KIE….OR CRP MEN KB AAYE KITNE DIN RAHOGE….RISK ALLOWENCE TO PURA LE RAHE HOGE….GHAR ME 10 JAWAN KO KAAM PE RAKHE HOGE….BO GOVT PROPERTY KA MISUSE NEHI HE…BHARTI TO SABHI FIT ME HOTE HE……OR AAP KA SAHI TARHA SE MEDICAL HO TO AAP SAPE 100 NIKLOGE

  2. The main issue is LMC. How can LMC cases tobe reduced it should be workout. IPS officers inducted in CRPF through Deputation Basis for few years and one day they will return to their cadre posting whereas all knows they are not actively participating in any Operation against ANO in Naxal Belts in the rank of IG because of their age factor which is not permit. On the other hand they only supervising to the sub ordinate officers under their Ops jurisdiction sitting in Capitals of States then how can suggest such rubbish issue with others. Moreover LMC personnel also giving their best performance in SOZ and J&K State whereas minimum maintain of Ops strength to participate has been defined in CRPF hand book. Expect ops strength remaining personnel who are placed on LMC Permanent or Temporary can be easilly posted in SOZ and J&K for remaining tasks. Viz. Camp security, Cooking, Office Runner, Canteen Maintenance, Mess commander, Kote Comdr. Bn Store Comdr. etc and other available assigned tasks fit to them as these tasks have to keep Ops strength personnel welnes. Medical Officers have to take inisiative steps for reducing LMC cases in force. Offices of OPs IG should have placed in OPs Areas instead of State Capitals where as no connectivity of road. mobile network. medical, banking . Education and other basic facililities available in SOZ Areas and j&k.

  3. First stop their pensions by introducing them to New Pension Scheme where as the armed forces of Union are exempted from NPS and these Paramilitary forces are armed forces of the union of India.

    Then rename them to Central police organisations

    Then rename them to Central Armed police force..

    They are still armed forces anyways

    Now stop their RHA for some Audit objections..

    What next??

  4. First of all stop allowances of IPS because they have no risk of life they never work in field only sitting in AC office second how many IPS officers have loose life in operation it should be count. A cook has same importance as a general duty soldier because he ready the troops for their duty

  5. If there is really want to avoid audit in future , Raise a letters to decrease in salaries of higher officials and political leaders and pension scheme for the same . Stop the allowance like maintenance ,house rent, decrease escort of those people

  6. The idea of Raju IPS is completely rubbish.. I say this because when a constable or an officer Assistant commandant (highest rank for direct entry ) .when they get commissioned they have very good fitness but most of them losses it at line of duty.
    country like USA is spending billions of dollars on injured soldier but here he is asking to cut off the risk allowance .
    His idea will lead to bifurcation between soldiers,morale down and to lead more stress life.
    My request from MHA is that let an officer from the same force to lead the entire force. it will enhance the result and personnel will be motivated.
    JAI HIND

  7. IG sahb se request h ki agar iss force kelye kuch Acha nahi kar sakte h to bura idea bhi Na de plz. Kyunki ghar se LMC koi nahi aya h.

  8. The point emphasised by the IG is that LMC people should not be posted in Anti nasal ops which is intended to save their life and to maintain the operational effectiveness.Keeping such people’s in highly dangerous operational area will be bad for Govt as well as such LMC people.It appears that since suggestion comes from an IPS officer, negative comments are passed where as no one can show how the suggestion is illogical.

    • There is policy that after peace posting one has to go for hard posting irrespective of medical categorisation, except if there is a major problem. If all fit are deployed in hard areas ..and lmcs in soft ..then who will want to come for hard posting ..everyone will simoly gain weight and will be declared under lmc…Risk and hardship allowance is given for the posting in hard areas..where road connectivity, telephone, internet is unavailable or very not upto the mark for leading a normal life ..and every men are not to go only in operation s …many have to guard the camp, for cooking , for vehicle maintenance, office work etc etc ..they are will get risk allowance but one doing general duty will not ..this is nonsense decision of the ips who is frm north east cadre ….what abt the physical fitness of ips officers 90 percent of them will be in lmc

  9. This IPS Officer has no business of being in the CRPF, he is here only on deputation and should go back to his own corruption ridden state police force.
    This IPS cadre has made police work a sh**it in their own states, after thirty years of independence we still have a third rate police force, amongst the lowest ranked in the world for crime solving.
    The state police forces still use beatings as the primary method of investigation, as used by the British to a subject people. This is how the IPS cadre have managed their own police forces for seventy years since Independence.
    The IPS cadre has tried to monopolise all senior positions in the CRPF. The come as inexperienced officers who lord it out and never involve themselves in any danger or field operations.
    GHP Raju has got accelerated promotion but judging from the State IPS cadre management of police, in their own states, he and none of his colleagues have distinguished themselves.

  10. Home Ministry must shunt out this IPS immediately for demoralizing the force. lPS should also be banned for deputation in all paramilitary force because they’re not worth it.

  11. Raju is talking like Chidambaram. He should be show caused for demoralizing the great force. These IPS are not fit to remain in paramilitary forces and these people are destroyed and destroying the forces culture. They come here to enjoy postings only. When you take outsider he will not work properly but will give wrong advice to the govt. Shunt IPS officers from these paramilitary forces immediately otherwise the moral of our forces will go down. There’s lot of work for these stubborn IPS in their respective allotted states. These officers are only afraid of IAS only where they can’t speak a single word.

  12. Such kind of ideas by IG sir will not only dishearten the forces but also demotivate them, this is not an unnecessary expenditure, there are many other places where unnecessary expenditure can be deducted but this is not the right place, this is their right and they should be provided with it, they are the power of any nation

  13. HE IS BECAME IGs SO HE SAYS ALL THESE WORD. IF HE BECAME A CONSTABLE HE DOES NOT WRITE THESE THINGS. HE SAY THAT ALLOWANCE SHOULD BE STOPPED THOSE PERSONNEL WHO IS MEDICALLY NOT FIT. IF THESE THINGS APPLIED FOR ALL OFFICERS 90PERCENT OFFICER ARE UNFIT FOR THIS. MY SUGGESTION IS THAT HIS RANK ALL DOWN IF HE IS MEDICAALY NOT FIT.

  14. Force deployment in naxal area is a high risk to their life.. Neither basic facilities nor atleast a atmosphere to live a human life is available in that area,but IPS officer in same place facilited all around facilities like Delhi.so they think something different. Camp security duty also done by such LMC personnel.In case of camp attack the r not do their job .Is not that a risky job .

  15. There are many IPS officers with severe MEDICAL CONDITIONS, they should be removed from service forthwith. If the above applies to CRPF personnel then the same should apply to all IPS officers also.

    This is one reason some organisations, especially para military & police forces do not like IPS/IAS officers to be posted as the TOP BRASS OF THEIR ORGANISATION. THE ABOVE IS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF THUGALAQ RULE.

  16. One of the most Corrupt cader in India is IPS.They do not know the tough life of Para military forces. InModi government their Corruption has slightly decreased, hence they appears to be working on plan to defame Sri Modi ji .

  17. The suggestion of Raju IPS is totally foolish. You cannot discriminate between two persons on the same place. If you want to discontinue the risk allowance you allow all LMC personnel to post them , their place of choice. They became LMC by virtue of their posting earlier.

  18. This is a half baked decision. Majority of the LMC in forces are due to overweight by few kgs. For instance as per their heights, some are 1 kg above the normal, some two kgs etc. Similarly some personnel weight lesser than the normal. p
    Maintaining perfect weight is impossible. But All are given LMC if medical doc is very Strick. But that small differences does not deter or compromise with normal duty.

    Another LMC category is habitual drunkard. I agree they should be neither given allowances , nor post in ANO areas.

    But the first cases should be definitely considered.
    I promise and I dare bet and challenge that 98.99 percent of IPS officers, if not 99 percent will fall under LMC if their medical is been conducted in fair manner. However doctors are afraid and pressured in such a way that they gave them SHAPE-1 even when they are supposed to be shape_2
    Last but not the least, is it fair for someone injured in war not to be given a risk and hardship allowances? Should we stop allowances for someone who not out of his will, but injured or met accident while performing his active duties?

    We some are deibetic patients etc. Who performs normal duties. So it is practically not possible to post all of them to so called peace area. If this is done then tomorrow all the personnel will come out with one reason or the other, and no one will want to come to ANO for operation duty.
    Therefore I request that this decision should be revoke at the earliest.

  19. Very unfortunate. Possibly driven by fiscal stress. Over the next forty years, the United States will be spending a trillion dollars to provide medical facilities and other benefits to soldiers who have been injured in Afghanistan ( and possibly Iraq ). Security does not come on the cheap. As a dove and a pragmatist, one million people in the CAPF does not get my vote. Find political solutions to long running insurgents / problems. If you cannot, grim and bear the financial cost. Recall the poor Japan who was sacked for drawing attention to the poor quality of food served in the BSF.

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