NEW DELHI: In a historic move to boost the welfare of its personnel and their families, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will launch a specialised ‘Online Welfare Portal’ on Monday.
Financed with a fund size of over Rs 100 crore from the Contributory Welfare Fund, the initiative will provide quicker, transparent and convenient access to welfare schemes such as low-interest loans, scholarships, reimbursement for medical expenses, retirement benefits and unit-level expenditure.
The reforms, framed after wide consultations with troops in Sainik Sammelans, have redistributed internal funds to ease financial burdens. Interest rates on personal loans have been reduced from 6 percent to 3 percent, while medical treatment loans will bear only 2 percent. The loan limit for housing, marriage and other needs has been raised from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, with repayment duration stretched from three to five years.
Medical assistance has been expanded with complete reimbursement of out-of-pocket payments under Ayushman CAPF and CGHS, replacing the earlier Rs 50,000 cap. Financial aid will also be available during extraordinary medical leave.
The DG Scholarship Scheme has been widened to cover all wards of CISF personnel scoring above 80 percent in Class 10 or 12, with awards of Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000. For martyrs’ wards, assistance has been raised to Rs 10,000–Rs 20,000 without limit on beneficiaries.
Retiring staff will now receive Rs 1.25 lakh as lump-sum risk savings benefit, compared to Rs 75,000–Rs 80,000 earlier, and funeral allowance has been enhanced to Rs 35,000. Unit-level allowances for events and parades have also been increased.
Top CISF officials termed the reforms “a decisive step to protect the welfare of personnel and their families.”