The Union Home Ministry has decided to de-attach all combatised personnel from the paramilitary forces who have been attached with the ministry for eight years or more from April 1 this year.

“Police II Division, MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) has been providing CAPFs personnel of various ranks on attachment basis to Officers/Divisions/Desks/Sections in MHA as well as in offices under the administrative control of MHA. As per the attachment policy, CAPFs personnel are being attached in MHA for a specific purpose or as a stop gap arrangement in the exigencies of work,” reads a recent letter of Ministry titled “Attachment of CAPFs personnel in MHA-review thereof.”

While reviewing the attachment of CAPFs personnel in MHA, the ministry noted that some personnel of CAPFs are continuing on attachment basis for a very long period and in certain cases for more than 7/8 years.

“Long absence of such combatised personnel from their parent Forces is not a desirable proposition. CAPFs have also expressed their reservations regarding undue long attachment of their personnel in MHA. It has, therefore, been decided in the first instance to de-attach CAPFs personnel, who have put in 8 years or more of attachment duty in MHA,” said the letter, a copy of which is with The Pioneer.

A division wise list of the personnel, who have put in eight years or more of attachment duty in the Union Home Ministry and who are proposed to be de-attached from such duty with effect from April 1, 2021, has been prepared to send such personnel to their respective parent paramilitary (CAPF) forces.

Such attachments in the Defence Ministry are limited strictly for a period of a maximum of three years and such personnel cannot avail attachment beyond that limit, sources said. 

Paramilitary insiders said attachment of combatised paramilitary personnel, mostly jawans engaged as orderlies for top bureaucrats, for a long duration of eight years is counter-productive when such personnel are de-attached and put to regular field duties. The paramilitary forces like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are stretched to the maximum in terms of continuous deployment in operational roles without any reserve component, affecting routine training and even grant of leave, they added.

The personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) or the paramilitary forces like the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and CISF are deputed to the Home Ministry and its attached offices as also officers on deputation basis where the combatised personnel work essentially in civilian style.