MHA Sends Rs 275 Crore Proposal to Finance Ministry to Setup RAF Battalion in Assam

The Cabinet Committee on Security has recently approved the MHA’s proposal to convert a General Duty (GD) battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) into RAF. The RAF will be stationed in Assam and it will be assigned whenever any violent situation arises.

New Delhi:TheMinistry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sent a Rs 275 crore proposal to the Finance Ministry to set up a permanent battalion of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) in Assam. The development took place after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had recently approved MHA’s proposal to convert a General Duty (GD) battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) into RAF.

Confirming this to ETV Bharat, a senior official from CRPF said that initiatives have already been taken to set up an RAF battalion in Assam. “Yes, a GD battalion of CRPF will be converted into RAF,” the official said. The decision to have a permanent RAF battalion in Assam, according to the official, was taken following the fact that Assam shares its border with four neighbouring states, which always witness border clashes with each other. “With the presence of the RAF, such a situation could be averted,” the official said.

On many occasions, Assam witnessed border clashes with Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland. States like Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur and West Bengal also share their border with Assam. “Looking into the sensitivity of the place, the government has decided to set up a permanent RAF battalion in Assam. In case of emergency this battalion can be rushed to any other places,” the official added.

As the formation of a new battalion needs a huge money for making its arsenal, arms and ammunition, safety and anti-riot gadgets among other things, the Home Ministry has sent a proposal of Rs 275 crore to the Finance Ministry for its approval. “Once the funding is approved, a decision will be taken on the number of posts in the RAF,” the official said.

Generally, there is a position of 1,284 personnel in one battalion of RAF whereas a general duty battalion consists of 1,150 personnel. The RAF is a specialised unit of the CRPF that was raised in October 1992 to deal with riots and other public disturbances. It is a zero-response force that can be deployed to crises within a minimal time, building confidence and security among the masses.