Government approves 40% risk allowance for NDRF rescuers, says Amit Shah

Union government approves 40% hardship allowance for NDRF rescuers, boosting morale and capabilities for disaster operations.

The Union government has approved a 40% hardship and risk allowance for NDRF rescuers, keeping in mind the tough operations undertaken by them, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on June 29.

He said this while welcoming a 35-member expedition team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that recently scaled the 21,625-foot-high Mt Manirang in Himachal Pradesh.

"The government has approved a 40% risk and hardship allowance for NDRF personnel only yesterday. This has been a long pending demand... All the 16,000 personnel of the force will benefit from this," Mr. Shah said after welcoming the expedition named 'Vijay'.

Officials said this allowance would be granted over and above salaries. Special forces like the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) get a 25% hardship allowance owing to the special charter of their duties.

This is the second mountaineering expedition undertaken by the federal contingency force. The team was flagged off on June 1 from here. Mt Manirang is located along the border of Kinnaur and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Mr. Shah said the government has also decided to make sports a "culture" for the various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and special organisations like the NDRF. It has been decided that at least one team from these forces will mandatorily participate in international and national tournaments, he added.

"A committee under the chairmanship of the director of the Intelligence Bureau has been constituted and a roadmap has been prepared. We will soon present a new model," the Home Minister said.