CRPF History and CRPF Uniform
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has 3.25 lakh members and is the largest central armed police force in India, is one of the biggest armed police forces in the world.
The officers donning CRPF uniform handle everything, including terrorism and Naxalism. The CRPF has a wing to protect VVIPs like Home Minister Amit Shah, the Gandhi family, and other dignitaries in addition to its role in combatting these threats.
The force, which is exceptional in many ways, also has a specialised anti-terror wing called QAT and anti-Naxals unit called CoBRA. Additionally, it protects Parliament and has the most recently enlisted "Mahila" (women) battalions to combat Naxals. The Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised anti-riot unit of the CRPF, is frequently regarded as a nightmare by rioters.
The CRPF, one of the most decorated troops, continues to lead in the collection of medals for valour. The most awards have been given to its jawans, and some of its officers have won the Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) – one of the highest honours — more than a dozen times. The force, which began in the British era with only two battalions, has expanded to become the largest paramilitary force with 246 battalions at this time.
HISTORY
One of the earliest central paramilitary groups, the CRPF was first established in 1939 as the Crown Representative Police (now termed the Central Armed Police Force). After ten years, the CRPF's primary duty was altered from protecting British citizens living in various states during its early years.
A law issued by Parliament on December 28, 1949, gave the force a new name after Independence: Central Reserve Police Force. The CRPF was established under the Act as an armed force of the Union, and on March 25, 1955, VG Kanetkar was named the organisation's first director general.
During the first few years following Independence, CRPF contingents were dispatched to the frontiers of Kutch, Rajasthan, and Sindh to monitor infiltration and other trans-border crimes. Following attacks by Pakistani infiltrators, the CRPF was sent to the Jammu and Kashmir border with Pakistan in 1959.
On October 21, 1959, the force engaged in combat with Chinese forces when a small CRPF patrol was attacked by the Chinese in Hot Springs, and 10 of its members gave their lives in defence of the nation. Every year on October 21, the nation honours policemen and women in memory of their martyrdom.
The unit aided the Indian Army in Arunachal Pradesh during the Chinese invasion a few years after the incident, in 1962. Eight CRPF members were slain in the line of duty. The CRPF and Indian Army fought side by side on the Western and Eastern frontiers during the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971. The force was assigned to deal with extremist organisations in North-eastern states following battles with Pakistan in the late 1970s.
STRENGTH AND STRUCTURE
An IPS officer at the Director General level oversees the force. Special Director Generals and Additional Director Generals are the next step up after the DG. They oversee zones in the J&K, North-east, Central, and Southern regions. Four additional ADG or SDG-level commanders who directly answer to the DG oversee operations, training, headquarters, and the academy. These executives oversee approximately 40 IGs, as well as sectors and specialised organisations like CoBRA and VVIP.
The police force has a special VIP wing to protect the nation's dignitaries, while the PDG, or Parliament Duty Group, is responsible for securing the Parliament campus. It also boasts of having a dedicated task force to protect the prime minister's mansion.
There are currently 246 battalions, of which 203 are executive, 5 are VIP security, 6 are Mahila, 15 are RAF, 10 are CoBRA, 5 are signal, 1 is a special duty group, and 1 is a Parliament duty group. The military also possesses 6 Field Hospitals, 18 Composite Hospitals with 50 beds, 43 Group Centers, 22 Training Institutions, and 4 Composite Hospitals with 100 beds.
BUDGET
In the current budget for the fiscal year 2022–2023, the CRPF has been given the largest sum of Rs 29,324.92 crore. The CRPF receives the biggest financial allocation for all plans because it is the largest of the central armed police agencies.
CRPF UNIFORM
The CRPF task force's field outfit is cosy, climate-friendly, and camouflage-patterned. The design of the uniform, which includes a range of colours like brown, olive, and white, was finished while taking into account aspects like the personnel's operational settings and deployment places. In addition to their combat gear, CRPF officers occasionally don ceremonial olive uniforms.
The CRPF uniform has a number of climatic components because CRPF jawaans work in a variety of climatic situations. In order to provide them with more warmth without jeopardising their safety owing to the camouflage print, their combat jacket, for instance, has the same disruptive pattern as their battle clothing.
According to the uniform criteria that must be followed by CRPF soldiers, all CRPF officers in India can acquire the combat dress, khaki uniform, or CRPF jackets online from the CRPF uniform collection of www.uniformer.in. The brand uniformer has established itself as a resource for the highest-quality uniforms for police and paramilitary forces in India, offering free shipping and a straightforward return policy.
You can also read about ITBP History and ITBP Uniform.