New Delhi: After more than two decades, the Ministry of Home Affairs has revised the financial powers of Director Generals of paramilitary forces and other intelligence agencies for rewards to informers in operational areas.
The financial power of the Director Generals of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Assam Riffles, the National Security Guards (NSG), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Police Academy (NPA), has been enhanced under various categories.
In an order that was issued in June, the order states that Director Generals have a financial power of Rs. 50 at a time, subject to an overall limit of Rs. 500 per year to reward guides, interpreters, and informers in operational areas.
This limit has been increased to Rs. 3,000 at a time per person, subject to an overall limit of Rs. 30, 000 per annum per person.As per the order copy, it was last revised in 2002.
In the order, expenditure on maintenance of Pakistan and Bangladesh nationals has also been revised from Rs. 15 per head per day to expenditure not exceeding Rs, 51.43 per head per day (breakfast, lunch & dinner).
For the entertainment of distinguished visitors, foreign or Indian, with whom contacts have to be established for discussions on important matters, the financial cap has been increased from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 50,000 per annum, subject to restrictions imposed by the government from time to time.
Similarly, for printing and binding, the financial cap has been increased to Rs. 2 lakh from Rs. 50,000. On July 24, the Governor of Punjab, Banwari Lal Purohit, visited BSF's Border Outpost (BOP) in the Amritsar sector.
He interacted with senior BSF officers and commended the BSF's efforts in curbing all types of cross-border crimes.
Purohit praised the BSF's endeavours to empower and strengthen Village Development Committees (VDCs), encouraging its members to actively participate in the BSF's initiatives to combat smuggling and other cross-border crimes.
In the year 2021, the Union government amended the BSF Act to authorise the force to undertake search, seizure, and arrest within a larger 50 km stretch, instead of the existing 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam. (with Agency inputs)
