Manpower boost for CISF's SSG wing

New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is all set to get 1,500 additional personnel in its SSG wing after the home ministry approved its request to increase its manpower, said sources.

The paramilitary force has earlier requested the ministry for the induction of 1,500 more personnel in the SSG wing, which is a specialised force that provides security cover to highly protected VIPs like Union ministers, the National Security Adviser (NSA), chief ministers etc.

The force currently has 1,200 personnel in the wing. With this approval, CISF can increase its force size to 125 per cent.

The approval was pending with the home ministry’s Border Manag-ement Division for more than a month.

The SSG commandos, currently provide security to 70 VIPs under Z plus, Z, Y Plus, Y and X categories across India.

At present, CISF has 70 protectees under the SSG/ CISF security cover. Among them, 9 persons get “Z Plus” category security; 9 persons get “Z” category security; 29 get “Y Plus” category security, 2 get “Y” category security ; and 23 get “X” category security.

Earlier, the SSG was raised by the CISF on November 23, 2006, for providing personal security to the VIPs as ordered by the MHA from time to time.

Till last year, SSG was providing security cover to 43 protectees of different categories.

CISF officers said the enhanced manpower wou-ld come as a relief for the SSG, which by the end of 2018, will take over the security responsibilities of all VIPs, who are currently being protected by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The home ministry has asked the CISF on November 23 last year to take over the VIP security responsibilities from the ITBP and the CRPF. As per the order, the security of 92 VIPs so far is under the CRPF and ITBP will be given in a phased manner to the SSG, which was established in 2006 for the same purpose.