In a boost to troops and officers of CRPF and other forces engaged in anti-Naxal operations, the government has approved a 30 per cent hike in their allowances on par with the special ‘risk' pay drawn by army personnel.

The Home Ministry has approved the new ‘counter-insurgency operations in field area allowance' to personnel of CRPF, BSF and ITBP in 35 focus districts hit by left-wing extremism.

The maximum number of districts where these troops will draw the risk/hardship allowance are in Jharkhand (11), followed by Chhattisgarh (7), Bihar (6), Orissa (5), Maharashtra (2), and Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal – one each.

While a Commanding Officer (CO) of a battalion will draw Rs 7,800 as risk/hardship allowance against Rs 6,000 earlier, a constable of a Central force will earn Rs 3,000 compared to the earlier Rs 2,300, after the approval of the new allowance.

“The Home Ministry in consultation with the commanders of the anti-Naxal forces has decided to grant the new allowance in 35 districts initially. This will ensure them a special payment for serving in these high-risk and hard areas on par with army personnel deployed in counter-insurgency operations under similar conditions,” a senior official said.

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