CRPF to pay health premium for kin of 2.2K troops killed in action

New Delhi: In a first-of-its kind initiative, the CRPF has decided to provide a comprehensive health cover and pay full premium for family members of its about 2,200 personnel who were killed in the line of duty since its raising.

The country's largest paramilitary force, with 3.25 lakh personnel in various ranks, has launched a theme of 'proud of our martyrs, we celebrate their valour' as part of its 81st anniversary on March 19.

The healthcare cover and other measures are being launched as part of this theme.

"We have decided to provide a comprehensive health care cover to family members of all our martyrs. The force will pay the full premium for these services and it will be drawn from the welfare fund," CRPF Director General (DG) A P Maheshwari told PTI. This will benefit the families of our 2,200 martyrs and will also fill the existing gap in ensuring better healthcare to those whose loving family member laid down their life for the nation, the DG said.

Till now, the family of a slain trooper used to make self-payment of premium to avail government health care benefits.

For the lowest rank of constable or jawan, the premium amount is Rs 30,000 for lifetime and it goes up with the rank to Rs 1.20 lakh for officers.

A senior official said the DG was informed about the issue when he met troops in various 'sainik sammelan' meetings in the country. Families of 40 personnel who were killed in the Pulwama terror attack last year were extended this full premium paid facility and hence a special sanction was accorded by the DG to bring all martyr families under this healthcare umbrella, the official said.

Special health cards will also be issued to these families in due course, the official said.

The force, as part of its new welfare initiatives to help its troops incapacitated in combat operations, has also inked MoUs with disability support and information technology training organisations.

"We want to re-skill our soldiers who have had to undergo amputation or some sort of disability during operations. We do not want that their self-esteem is affected by these

developments.

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