Question : VAISAKHA SAKA PEACE POSTING OF BSF PERSONNEL

(a) whether Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are perpetually posted at international borders and they never get a peace posting like the Indian Army;

(b) if so, whether the BSF personnel has requested the Government to depute them for such posting;

(c) whether the BSF personnel have also raised the issue of new pension scheme and requested to raise their annual casual leave, quota citing the distances they have to travel from the border to get home and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to address their problems?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) & (b): As per BSF (Posting/Transfer/ Deputation) Tenure Rules 2000, there is no such provision to get a peace posting after international border duty, like Indian Army. Being a Border Guarding Force, BSF has most of the posting locations at international borders. However, there are limited locations for peace postings like at Static Headquarters and Training Institutions. Request cases of BSF personnel for posting in peace areas are being considered on case to case basis.

(c) & (d): A proposal regarding exemption of CAPFs & ARs personnel from the purview of New Contributory Pension Scheme was considered by the Government in 2007. It was not found feasible to exempt CAPFs & ARs personnel from the purview of New Pension Scheme. However, additional relief/ compensation on death or disability of CAPFs personnel as per the Old Pension Scheme were extended on provisional basis till further orders vide DoP&PW O.M. dated 05.05.2009.

Further, a proposal for grant of 20 days Casual Leave to Officers and 30 Days for other ranks of BSF, CRPF, ITBP and Assam Rifles, who are performing duties in Battalions/Field formations, at par with Army in a calendar year has been referred to 7th Central Pay Commission on 17.10.2014 for consideration.