For First Time, Sweepers, Peons In Paramilitary Force CRPF Get Promotion

In a first, a total of 217 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel serving in the lowest rung of the paramilitary force as sweepers and peons were given promotions and piped with their new ranks.

A 'rank piping' ceremony was held at various offices of the force including for a dozen personnel at the headquarters in Delhi on Monday.

The move came about after the Union government earlier this year had given a green signal to promote 2,600 personnel working in the ministerial cadre of sweepers, cooks and water carriers -- the lowest rung of the constabulary that constitutes an essential backbone of the CRPF -- in the 85-year-old history of the country's largest paramilitary force.

CRPF Director General (DG) A D Singh along with senior officers piped the ranks on the uniforms of the personnel and congratulated them in the presence of their family members at the force headquarters, a senior officer said.

"Every member of the CRPF, regardless of their position, plays a vital role in our mission to ensure the safety and security of our nation. This initiative recognises that dedication and service can come from every corner of our force," the DG said.

The 217 personnel have been promoted from the rank of constable to the next higher rank of head constable, he said.

These personnel were never promoted and they retired in the same rank in which they were recruited after serving for an average of about 30-35 years, as per officials.

The about 3.25-lakh personnel strength CRPF, designated as the lead internal security force of the country, is primarily deployed in three combat theatres of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) combat, counterterrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and anti-insurgency operations in the northeast. 

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