New Delhi [India], December 3 : The Central government has set a target to recruit 5,171 women constables in the paramilitary forces during the current financial year as part of its policy to enhance female participation in these armed forces.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday that the government has set a target to increase women's participation in the paramilitary forces.
As part of its goal, Rai said 3,239 women constables were recruited last year, and a target of 5,171 is set for this year.
Sharing data, the MoS mentioned the Central government's plan to recruit a total of 1,192 women constables in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF); 2,513 in the Border Security Force (BSF); 1,375 in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP); and 91in the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
Providing a detailed breakdown of the 3,239 recruitments last year, Rai noted that 294 women constables were recruited in the CRPF, 1,680 in the BSF, 1,093 in the ITBP, and 172 in the SSB.
In January 2016, the MoS said it had decided to reserve 33 posts at the constable level for women in the CRPF, and 14-15 per cent of posts at the constable level in border guarding forces like the BSF, the SSB, and the ITBP.
He further stated in his reply that the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure safe working conditions, separate accommodation facilities, and gender-sensitive operational protocols for women CAPF personnel.
"They are being provided separate accommodation and barracks, rest room-cum-changing room and separate toilets. Creches and Day Care Centres have also been established to care for their children. There is also provision for women-centric medical support to address women-specific health issues, women help desks and confidential complaint mechanisms to address grievances related to sexual harassment."
To foster a conducive environment, Rai noted that regular gender sensitisation workshops are conducted.
As a part of operational protocol, he also stated, women personnel are deployed generally in not less than a section strength or in buddy pair, and that "flexible time and shift systems are being adopted wherever possible."