MHA approves 20 new CRPF battalions, over 20,000 personnel to be deployed in JK: Report

New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) India has granted in-principle approval to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to raise 20 new battalions. This move will add over 20,000 personnel for deployment in the Union Territory, according to The New Indian Express.

Originally, the CRPF had requested the creation of 35 additional battalions, but the Ministry has given clearance for 20 at this stage. The proposal had been under consideration since October last year but was expedited in the aftermath of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and the subsequent counter-operation, the report said quoting sources.

A source familiar with the development told The New Indian Express that while the demand for 35 battalions remains under review, immediate clearance has been given for 20 battalions. The Union finance ministry has already given its nod, and the proposal is now likely to receive Cabinet approval.

The new battalions will reportedly be more specialised, designed to meet the operational demands of Jammu and Kashmir’s unique terrain and security challenges, as the CRPF’s role continues to evolve in the face of cross-border threats, said a report by News18.

With the Naxal threat believed to be on the decline, the government’s internal security strategy is expected to shift more sharply towards tackling militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. The plan includes raising new General Duty Battalions, the report said quoting the sources further.

In the short term, additional CRPF companies may be deployed in Jammu and Kashmir as part of immediate security arrangements. Senior officials told the news orgnisation that the region is set for major strategic and security adjustments, with the CRPF expected to assist the JK Police in maintaining law and order and conducting counter-terror operations in sensitive areas.

The CRPF, as reported by The New Indian Express, is now a vast force with administrative and operational divisions, medical infrastructure, and specialised units. Its current structure includes 201 General Duty Battalions, 6 VIP Security Battalions, 6 Mahila Battalions, 16 Rapid Action Force units, 10 CoBRA units, 7 Signal Battalions, and separate groups for Parliament and Special Duties.

Additionally, the force operates administrative and operational sectors, dozens of ranges and group centres, multiple hospitals including field units, and workshops nationwide.

The CRPF’s key responsibilities include managing crowds and riots, conducting counter-insurgency and anti-militancy operations, handling election security in sensitive regions, VIP protection, safeguarding critical infrastructure, participating in UN peacekeeping missions, and providing rescue and relief during natural disasters, the report added.