RPF DG writes to poll bound states seeking facilities for troops

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) The Railway Protection Force (RPF) Director General has written to the Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police (DGP) of the five poll bound states to provide better accommodation and transport facilities to the Force's troops deployed in these states, as per their ranks and keeping Covid-19 protocol.

RPF DG Sanjay Chandar, in a letter to CSs and DGPs of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur, informed that 70 companies have been deployed in these five states and they should be given accommodation and transport facility as per the other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

"In this regard, your attention is invited towards the structure of RPF which is different from the structure of CAPFs. In RPF, Inspector is in charge of a Post/Company unlike CAPFs where Assistant Commandants are in charge of a Coy or company. At the same time, the Assistant Security Commissioners/Assistant Commandants in RPF are Group-A officers who are assigned supervision of Post/Coys like Deputy Commandants in CAPFs," the RPF DG said.

Therefore, Inspectors of RPF should not be compared with Inspectors of CAPFs and should be provided with facilities of accommodation, transportation etc at par with Assistant Commandants of CAPFs as in charge of Company while the RPF Assistant Security Commissioners should be treated at par with Supervising Officer of CAPFs and accorded facilities of accommodation, transportation etc at par with Deputy Commandants, the letter read further.

The para- military forces when deployed for election duty in state, their accommodation and transport facility is taken care of by the concerned state government and the civil administration is bound to provide them facilities according to their ranks, the officials in the CAPFs said.

In case of RPF, their organizational structure and designation is slightly different from the other para- military forces, therefore, it was essential to make the states' civil administration informed in time, the officials in RPF said.

The Union Home Ministry has already issued instructions to the five poll bound states to provide accommodations and other facilities according to the Covid-19 protocol and especially asked the CRPF which is the nodal agency for all CAPFs in this election, to inform the Ministry in case the requisite facility is not rendered to any Company during their election duty.

The poll bound states have been asked to set up polling booths specious areas so that the social distancing and other precautions for Covid can be taken. Similarly, the companies of CAPFs have been allotted specious and airy premises so that the protocol can be followed.