Amid Rise In Terrorism, Home Minister Gives This Power To Intel Agencies, Forces

The reward amount for guides, interpreters, and informers in operational areas.has now been raised to Rs. 3,000 at a time per individual, with an annual ceiling of Rs. 30,000 per person.

After over two decades, the Ministry of Home Affairs has updated the financial authority of Director Generals of paramilitary forces and other intelligence agencies regarding rewards for informers in operational zones, news agency ANI reported. The financial powers of the Director Generals of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Assam Rifles, the National Security Guards (NSG), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the National Police Academy (NPA) have been increased across various categories.

According to an order issued in June, Director Generals previously had the financial authority to reward guides, interpreters, and informers in operational areas with Rs. 50 at a time, up to a total of Rs. 500 per year. This amount has now been raised to Rs. 3,000 at a time per individual, with an annual ceiling of Rs. 30,000 per person, the ANI report said. The previous revision of this order was in 2002.

The order also revises the daily maintenance expenditure for Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals from Rs. 15 per person to a maximum of Rs. 51.43 per person per day, covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The financial limit for entertaining distinguished visitors, both foreign and Indian, for important discussions has been increased from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 50,000 annually, subject to government-imposed restrictions. Likewise, the cap for printing and binding expenses has been raised from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 2 lakh.

On July 24, Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit visited the Border Security Force's (BSF) Border Outpost (BOP) in the Amritsar sector. He met with senior BSF officers, acknowledging their efforts in combating cross-border crime. Purohit lauded the BSF's initiatives to empower and reinforce Village Development Committees (VDCs), urging members to actively engage in the BSF's anti-smuggling campaigns and other