Women constitute just 3.68% in central police organisations, says Parliamentary panel

A Parliamentary committee has expressed disappointment that women constitute only 3.68 per cent of the total strength of Central Armed Police Forces like the CRPF and BSF, and asked the Union home ministry to take concrete steps to increase the representation of women in the central police organisations.

The Parliamentary standing committee on home affairs, headed by Congress leader Anand Sharma, observed that in 2016, it was decided by the central government to reserve 33 per cent posts at constable level for women in the CRPF and CISF and 14-15 per cent posts at constable level in border forces—the BSF, SSB and ITBP.

"The committee is disappointed to note that women constitute only 3.68 per cent of the total strength of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The committee recommends that MHA should take concrete steps to increase the representation of women in CAPFs," the committee said in its report submitted to Rajya Sabha on Monday.

The panel said the phase-wise recruitment drives for women may be conducted on the fast track, particularly in the CISF and CRPF.

The committee further recommended that steps be taken to create a conducive environment in border outposts by putting in place separate arrangements, so that women are motivated to join the security forces.

Also Read — More women joining security forces since Modi government took up reins: Defence Minister

The committee noted that Rs 1,85,776.55 crore, covering all eleven demands, has been allocated to the MHA in Budget Estimate 2022-23 which is an increase of 11.54 per cent as compared to the allocation of Rs 1,66,546.94 crore made in BE 2021-22.

The panel said the Union Territories without legislature have utilised approximately 66.83 per cent of the total allocation made to them in BE 2021-22 till January 2022. "The committee is disappointed to note the persistent under-utilisation of funds by the UT of Ladakh. The committee recommends that the MHA should closely monitor the fund utilisation by Ladakh in the ensuing year and take necessary corrective steps for enhanced utilisation of funds in the UT," the report said.

Referring to the now deferred work of Census 2021, the committee noted that it is of the view that the census being a pan-India decadal exercise should present the culture, traditions and diversity of the different regions of the country along with the numerical data.

The committee noted that the number of questions in the census has increased but the annual reports have not been written by the registrars or officers for a few censuses. "Therefore, the Committee recommends that the MHA may take up with RGI to restart the publication of annual reports from the upcoming census onwards," the report said.

"The committee also recommends that a separate expert group should be constituted by RGI to examine the census pattern since its commencement and suggest measures to bring qualitative change in the census exercise so that the socio-cultural diversity of the country is truly represented in the census," the report said.

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