After taking decision to recruit 20,000 more armed women personnel in paramilitary forces in the next three years, the Union home ministry is now concentrating on further enhancing the operational efficiency of the Central security forces.
According to sources in order to meet the challenges of increased militancy and terrorist activities in the country, major focus of the government this year will be modernisation programme of the forces.
“Modernisation of the Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMFs) has always been a top priority of Union home minister P. Chidambaram. His multi-pronged approach and broad-based strategies to improve the command and control of security response systems are known to everybody. The ministry has now decided to enhance operational efficiency of the Central security forces and recruit 20,000 more armed women personnel in paramilitary forces,” sources said.
Earlier also, the Union home ministry had extended modernisation of CPMFs programme. An amount of `3,305 crores was spent under the scheme till December 2010. Since the scheme could not be fully implemented during the period, it has now been extended up to 2010-11, sources added.
“The equipment that has been or is being procured under the modernisation programme include assault rifles, carbines and pistols, BP jackets, mine-protected or bullet proof vehicles and armoured troop carriers, motorcycles, rescue boats and attack crafts and night vision equipment” sources said.
Mr Chidambaram holds regular meetings of directors-generals (DGs) of paramilitary forces over the issue regularly, sources added.