Training of first batch of 100 women personnel in military police to start later this year
The training of the first batch of 100 women in the Corps of Military Police will start by year-end and four women instructors have been deployed for it, a senior Army official has said.
Lt. Gen. Ashwani Kumar, the adjutant general in the Indian Army, said on Wednesday that the training will be conducted at the Corps of Military Police Centre in Bengaluru and the trained personnel are expected to be posted in the field by the end of 2021.
He said the Army has written to the Defence Ministry to cap Income-Tax exemptions on disability pension. Armed forces personnel get separate pension if they suffer any kind of disability in the line of duty. The amount depends on their rank and the kind of disability.
In July, the Army said broad-banding and compensation awarded for disability with income-tax exemption had over the years led to a rise in personnel seeking disability pension, even for lifestyle diseases and the trend is worrisome.
In the backdrop of several senior officers claiming disability pension towards the end of their superannuation, Kumar said now all officers of the rank of Brigadier should get their medical tests done at the command hospitals.
Speaking on the women personnel in CMP, Kumar said, "We have identified 10 units where the first batch of women personnel can be posted. Although they will be posted two years later, the units have been identified so that provisions can be made for the women personnel."
Earlier this year, the Defence Ministry issued directions to start the process of recruiting 100 women personnel in the CMP. Their task will be mainly to control women, especially in the Valley, and also undertake frisking activities. Over the next 17 years, 1700 women personnel will be recruited.
Kumar said four women instructors, of which one is a doctor while another has an experience of training female personnel of the Assam Rifles, too have been chosen for the task.
"We have also extensively studied the Assam Rifles and Karnataka Police which have women personnel," he added.
