Good News For Paramilitary Forces: 100 Days’ Paid Leave For All CAPF Personnel, MHA’s Announcement Likely Soon

The officials in the Ministry said that once this policy is implemented it would be reviewed periodically and could prove to be a game-changer' in respect of the welfare of the CAPF personnel.

New Delhi: Here’s a piece of good news for security personnel of the nation. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is considering 100 days’ annual leave for all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), reported news agency IANS quoting sources in the government. They said the MHA has been mulling all aspects of a policy that will provide 100 days’ paid leave in a year to each security personnel of the CAPFs to spend time with their families.

The policy was announced in October 2019 by Union Home Minister Amit Shah with the aim to reduce work-related stress and enhance the happiness level of about 10 lakh jawans who are deployed on arduous duties in some of the most challenging areas and at remote places. As of now, CAPF personnel on an average get nearly 75 days’ leave every year which may be increased or reduced as per the operational requirements of the Force.

Announcement likely by next month

A senior official in the Ministry said that to ensure fast and smooth implementation of the leave policy, several rounds of meetings were held in the MHA and the latest was held early this month. He said that the Ministry has taken suggestions from all CAPFs with their opinions and it is expected to take a final call very soon. It may be announced by the next month or so.

Every soldier can spend 100 days in a year with family: Amit Shah

In December 2021, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing Border Security Force (BSF) jawans in Jaisalmer, said that the jawans are deployed for the security of the country in 50-degree heat and minus temperatures in the cold seasons. “The Central government is making efforts so that every soldier who gives his golden time to the country can spend about 100 days in a year with his family. This is a big responsibility of the government, which will be fulfilled soon,” Shah had said.

To be extended to other forces too

Once this policy is effectively implemented in the BSF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal, it will also be implemented in other CAPFs like the Assam Rifles, National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The officials in the Ministry said that once this policy is implemented it would be reviewed periodically and could prove to be a game-changer’ in respect of the welfare of the CAPF personnel.

Will help curb cases of suicides, fratricide

• The senior security personnel deployed in the field formations have also admitted that after the implementation of 100 days annual leave policy, the cases of suicides and fratricide will be reduced to a great extent.
• This will also reduce the number of VRS (voluntary retirement scheme) cases in the CAPFs, they added.
• According to a rough estimate, over 80,000 security personnel have taken VRS in the last one decade and this is also the main reason for the overstretched duty hours of the force personnel.

(With inputs from IANS)