Special task force to curb militancy in Tripura

Appropriate and suitable Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel, aged below 40 years, would be drawn for the STF, he added.

There would be four units in the proposed force and the STF personnel would be equipped with modern weapons, wireless sets, bullet proof equipment and night vision devices, Sarkar said.

The Chief Minister said they would be trained in counter insurgency, jungle warfare, anti-hijacking, bomb detection and disposal and other anti-terrorist activities. The commando training for the TSR personnel had already started, he added.

The STF personnel would be given additional incentives with the objectivesof keeping their motivation level high. These incentives include extra-increments, insurance coverage of Rs 5.5 lakh, monthly allowance ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 1500, full pay to the dependent family members in case of death and permanent invalidation, free medical treatment, cash rewards, out of turn allotment of government quarters and relaxation of eligibility conditions for promotions.

The cabinet also reviewed and increased substantially the present scale of assistance being given to the state police, central forces, other state government employees and the members of the public in the event of death or injuries during extremist violence. For the security personnel and state government employees the financial assistance would be up from Rs one lakh to Rs three lakh.

If any civilian was killed by extremists, one of his or her family member would get a permanent government job or Rs 1.25 lakh, in case of non-suitability for government job, Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 would be given as immediate financialassistance to the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for total disability.

The facility for complete re-imbursement of medical expenditure due to extremist violence would be extended to all kinds of state government employees, including home guards.