New Delhi: A Home Ministry report shows more than 8% posts lying vacant in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) that guard the international borders and helps the state governments in maintaining law and order.
The ministry officials, however, say this is not unusual since the vacancy occurs due to different reasons like retirements, resignation and deaths.
The total sanctioned strength of the six CAPFs is 9,99,795, of which 84,037 were lying vacant at the end of the last month. The worst hit among the border-guarding forces is the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) with a shortfall of over 18%. With authorised strength of 99,221, the SSB is responsible for policing the Nepal and Bhutan borders.
The Border Security Force (BSF) that is tasked with the peace-time management of borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, is short of 8.1% while the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) that guards border with China is short of 7.4%. Their sanctioned strength is 2,63,905 and 89,438 respectively while their vacant posts are 21,376 and 6,618.
The Assam Rifles, having a dual role of internal security duties in the North-East and manning the borders with Myanmar, has a sanctioned strength of 66,408, but at present short by 6.6% as 4382 posts are lying vacant.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has the highest sanctioned posts of 3,24,810 but its 22,980 posts are lying vacant. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that provides security to the central industrial establishments and airports has 10,415 vacancies as against the sanctioned strength of 1,56,013.
