Hyderabad, Sep 9 (PTI): Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday announced 33 per cent reservations would be provided for women in all paramilitary forces, including Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

"In all paramilitary forces, women will be recruited by providing 33 per cent reservations," he said at the passing-out parade here at National Industrial Security Academy (NISA), a premier training centre of the CISF.

Noting that women share in the force stood at just 5.04 per cent, he stressed on the need to increase the number of women personnel up to one-third of the overall strength of the force.

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Rajnath Singh asked the CISF, which is actively involved in the developmental activities at the areas affected by left-wing extremism, to also improve its core competence in newer areas of crime such as dealing with cyber crimes.

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He also said that initiatives had been launched to take the head count of the force from the present 1.36 lakh to an estimated two lakh.

CISF director general Surender Singh wanted the officers to be geared up and ever-ready to combat different types of challenges. He said there were constant efforts to make NISA a world-class training provider.