Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee on December 28, 1999. This historical occasion, not only marks a chronological milestone but also signifies an era of stunning successes and stupendous sacrifices. Both during Wars and Peace, CRPF has served the Nation with devotion, dedication and sincerity and has won praise from one and all in the Country. A grateful Nation gave it the sobriquet-'Country's Reliable Police Force.

Established in 1939 by the British to assist the Crown's Representatives in the Princely States in maintaining Public Order with a strength of one Battalion, today CRPF is over 137 Battalion strong. Much of this growth was necessitated by the Security needs of the Country and was unplanned and ad-hoc. Such piecemeal and unplanned accretion to the strength, brought in its wake organisational and administrative problems and resulted in avoidable hardships to the personnel. Internal Security management called for extensive deployment of CRPF all over the country. Even today, thousands of CRPF personnel are performing internal security duties in the High Mountains, Desert, Swamps and the Rann of Kutch. CRPF is battling the extremists in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar; insurgents in the Northeast and Pakistani infiltrators in J&K. As crisis situations developed one after another all over the country, CRPF personnel were moved from one hot spot to another constantly. Unlike Army and other Para Military Organisations, CRPF has no 'Peace Stations'. Constant moves from one crisis to another and changes in climate and food take its toll on the morale of the personnel. CRPF personnel derisively describe themselves as 'Chalte Raho Pyare Force' - keep on moving Buddy! Force.

CRPF's record of service is unmatched. Be it dealing with law and order situations in Princely States during British Rule; combating dreaded decoits and criminals in Central India; handling of the pre-partition communal conflagrations; dealing firmly with Communal, Caste, Linguistic and other sectarian strifes in Free India; assisting the country in dealing with natural calamities; providing peaceable conditions for Elections; meeting the threats to national security from Sikh Extremists, militants in J&K, insurgents in Northeast etc., CRPF has come out with flying colours. States of the Union constantly clamour for the deputation of CRPF from the Centre to deal with large-scale disturbances and Law and Order problems.

In wars too, be it, facing the Chinese intruders in the 'Hot Springs' in Ladakh; getting the better of a Pakistan Brigade in the Kutch in 1965 War; excellent support to the Army in 1971 War; active participation in the IPKF operations in Sri Lanka; participation in UN Peace Keeping Operations etc., CRPF has distinguished itself. Thousands of CRPF personnel have laid down their lives at the altar of duty. They have won many a Gallantry Award and Battle Honours. They have distinguished themselves in the National and International sports and athletic Meets.

CRPF is the only Central Police Organisation trained and equipped to deal with Civil Disorders. The Rapid Action Force, a specialist wing of the CRPF, is trained to deal with Communal Riots. Minorities are welcoming it all over the country for its impartiality and efficacy in handling riots and its capacity to bring relief and succour to the affected. During Natural Calamities like the recent one in Orissa, CRPF has rendered Yeoman Service. It is the only PMF to have exclusive Mahila Battalions. There is hardly any one in India who has not come across CRPF in action. Its personnel are known for their disciplined behaviour and excellent Human Rights record. They keep their cool under all provocations. CRPF represents the spirit of National Integration and each one of its Battalions is a Mini-India, with personnel hailing from different regions belonging to different religions, castes and speaking different languages.

While the past has been glorious, we have to consider the future. Recent developments in Pakistan and the social, political and economic problems in the neighbouring countries, presage that India should take adequate measures to safeguard her Borders. Kargil and the Punjab tunnels give a clear indication that we can not let down our Guard. Consequently, the Border Security Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police will not be available for internal security duties. Dissonance is endemic in a Democracy. Rising expectations of the people, economic problems and social tensions resulting out of the upward mobility of the downtrodden, will create many law and order problems in the coming decade. As CRPF is the only specialist order maintenance organisation in the country, there is urgent need to reorganise, reorient, retrain and reequip this Force.

The strength on paper may appear very impressive but the reality is that nearly 45 per cent of the personnel are not available for deployment due to reasons like annual and casual leaves, sickness, training and vacancies. It is therefore necessary to increase the strength of CRPF to 2.50 lakhs personnel so that we can have the full existing strength for deployment. To economise on expenditure involved in the movement of the personnel CRPF will have to be administratively decentralised.

Each of the five geographical zones of the country should be placed under a Special Director General and the personnel should be deployed only within the zone to which they are allotted. The entire Force should be divided into 25 Sectors under an Inspector General each and each zone Special D.G. should have five sectors under him. Mahilas will have to be integrated into the regular Battalions and the strength of Mahilas in the CRPF should be raised to one fifth of the total.

To be effective, CRPF should be organised into four Specialist Wings viz., Internal Security or Counter Terrorist Wing - to be equipped and trained on the same lines as that of a mechanised Infantry Battalion of the Army and provided with adequate transport to move quickly to the trouble spots; Law and Order Wing - trained and equipped to deal with civil disorder, carrying lathis, tear gas, water cannons etc.; Rapid Action Force - to deal with Communal Riots; and Civil Emergency and Relief Wing - trained and equipped to deal with Natural and man made calamities. Each Sector should have at least one each of these specialised Battalions. One Company of each Counter Terrorist Battalion should be trained and equipped to operate as an Air Borne Unit.

Welfare of personnel is a nagging problem being faced by the CRPF. With a little imagination and planning, it is possible to reduce the movement of personnel. The concept of rest and recreation for personnel once in two years of active duty should be built-in in the operations scheme of the organisation. To be a nomad is a psychologically debilitating factor. Headquarters of each of the Battalions should be declared and all welfare measures like family accommodation, educational and medical facilities are to be built around this. Personnel should be provided with liberal house building loans and encouraged to build their Homes around the Battalion headquarters. No lady, can for physiological and biological reasons, perform active field duty after attaining 35/40 years of age. It is necessary to devise special schemes to absorb CRPF Mahilas in static jobs after 15 years of active field service. They should be retrained to serve as Signalers, Computer Operators, Ministerial hands and Paramedics.

As a welfare measure, 20 per cent of the vacancies in the direct recruitment of Constables and Sub-Inspectors should be reserved for the Children of CRPF personnel, if they fulfil all the stipulated qualifications. Within this quota preference should be given to the children of personnel retiring within the next five years. Grievances Redressal machinery in CRPF is outdated. Protocol and Procedures choke the lines of communication. Personnel are denied the basic human right of dignified existence and livelihood. There is need to have an independent Ombudsman to deal with the grievances of the personnel.

While serving in disturbed and operational areas side by side with the Army, CRPF personnel should also be given the same perks and privileges that their Army brethren get. The discrimination practiced today in the field between personnel of two fighting Forces performing same duties in the same area, is unethical, illegal and unconstitutional. This should be removed at once.

Peace and tranquillity are essential for a Nation to develop and for its citizens to realise their full potential for growth. A professionally competent and conteted, happy and vibrant CRPF will ensure that peaceable conditions exist in society to achieve this goal. Any attention paid to the needs of the CRPF will give handsome dividends to the Nation.

On the occasion of its Diamond Jubilee, we wish CRPF a glorious future. May it serve the Nation in the new Millennium with greater devotion, dedication and success.