New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved air transport service of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel to terror-infested Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast regions for a month's time and sanctioned Rs 19,47,95,926 towards the month long service.
The service which lapsed on March 31 was renewed according to an internal communication issued on Friday night and will be (deemed to have been) in force between April 1 to 30, an internal communication accessed by ETV Bharat suggests.
The MHA has been providing for the air transport of CAPFs, ARs, NSG, IB and NDRF personnel following the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. The temporary suspension of the air service was reported by ETV Bharat on April 5, 2022.
Quoting an MHA spokesperson, Ranbir Singh, general secretary, Confederation of Ex Paramilitary Forces Welfare Association said the delay in finalisation of tender by the BSF was due to the divestment of Air India. He said: "I was informed by BSF which is the nodal agency for the service that transfer of Air India to Tata had led to the delay."
The government should preempt such circumstances and should have had systems in place for continuity. The air service has a bearing on the safety and security of the soldiers. The decision to provide air service was taken keeping that in mind after the Pulwama attack, Singh said.
The association had dubbed it as laxity on the part of the MHA in not renewing the much needed mode of transport and deployment of the CAPF personnel. Along with other veterans, the association had demanded for immediate clearance from the government to continue the service. The MHA had said that it was already working on it.
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