New Delhi: The government has decided to award special duty medals to CRPF personnel and other security personnel undertaking operations in Naxal-hit regions of the country.
The medals will come with cash incentives and are aimed at encouraging and bolstering the morale of CRPF men and officers deployed in these areas. At present, CRPF personnel get such awards for performing daring operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast.
"At all-India level, we have a scheme under CRPF rules (for awarding such personnel). We have asked the Home Ministry to provide those powers to enable us to grant promotions. The Home Minister has consented and the matter is under consideration," CRPF chief K Vijay Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of a sport felicitation ceremony of the force.
The medals, according to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General, will be given to those personnel who have been outstanding in sports activities and have done well in operations.
The medals will boost the moral of the troops deployed in the operations, Kumar said.
Kumar had last year also written to the Cabinet Secretary asking for a special Left-wing extremism medal as the situation in the Naxal affected areas was far more challenging than in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 23:12