Question : SCHOOLS OCCUPIED BY SECURITY FORCES

(a) whether the Para-military Forces/ Security Forces are using schools in many States for residential purpose and have occupied them, particularly in naxal hit areas;

(b) if so, the number of schools occupied by the Para-military Forces, State-wise;

(c) whether the Union Government has given compensation to each State for using the school premises;

(d) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;

(e) the measures taken by the Union Government to vacate the school premises occupied by the Para- military Forces/Security Forces in the said States; and

(f) the time by which all the occupied schools are likely to be vacated?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) to (f): Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are deployed in the States on the request of the State Government concerned in aid to Civil Authorities. As per the “Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on deployment of CAPFs”, accommodation and other logistic arrangements for the CAPFs deployed in the States are the responsibility of the State Governments concerned and are provided by the State Government. Due to lack of availability of requisite accommodation and on certain occasions due to immediate need for deployment, some State Governments had accommodated some CAPFs, so deployed in those States, in school buildings, in the past. Since the accommodation for the CAPFs is the responsibility of the State Governments concerned, the question of compensation by Union Government does not arise.

Pursuant to the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India dated 01.09.2010 in the matter of Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 102/2007 and constant persuasion of the Ministry of Home Affairs, all the State Governments were directed to provide suitable accommodation to CAPFs so deployed and not house them in school buildings. Accordingly, as on date, all the State Governments have provided suitable accommodations and all school buildings have been vacated except for one building at Gaya in the State of Bihar.

Even at Gaya, Bihar, only a part of one educational institution (ITI Complex, Gaya) has been provided by the Government of Bihar for locating a part of one Battalion of CRPF.

It has been further reported by CRPF that the State Government of Bihar has already identified alternate accommodation in Jail Complex, Gaya for shifting the CRPF located at ITI Complex, Gaya. The shifting shall take place as soon as the requisite infrastructure at the Jail complex is complete, which is already in progress.