NEW DELHI: After a long wait, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) are set to become part of Organized Group-A services (OGAS), which will give them the financial benefits being enjoyed by officers in other government cadres.
The government will accord “top priority” in the grant of Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU), which will benefit lakhs of personnel belonging to paramilitary forces who spend most of their careers in combat zones fighting Naxals, terrorists and insurgents. Forces such as CRPF, BSF, ITBP, and CISF come under CAPFs
Sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will issue a notification in this context in view of the February 5 judgment of the Supreme Court which upheld a Delhi High Court judgment and directed the Centre to grant NFU to officers of these uniformed forces.
The decision was taken on Monday after talks between officials of MHA and the Department of Personnel and Training.
The NFU scheme, implemented in 2008, entitled IAS officers and designated OGAS officers to the pay scale of the highest promoted officer of their batch even if they were not promoted.
The non-promoted officers are given the higher grade two years after their batchmates’ elevation.