Rediff

New Delhi, May 13: The Centre was mulling more incentives for paramilitary personnel, especially those deployed in the border areas, and bring parity among all the forces in terms of pay and other perks, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said in Shillong today.

The Centre was mulling steps to grant more incentives to jawans with respect to lodging, education for children and other facilities, Patil told a gathering of Assam Rifles jawans.

Seeking to allay misgivings that the Sixth Pay Commission had little to offer for the security forces, Patil said the officers and jawans would get a hike in their pay and perks through the Commission.

The Pay Commission has sought to maintain the equation of status among all the government officials as well as security forces. There is no question of the security forces being sidelined by the Pay Commission, he said.

However, the home minister admitted that there were some disparities in the proposals of the Pay Commission regarding the pay packages of some government officials.

These disparities are being looked into by a committee constituted by the Union Cabinet. The anomalies would be addressed before the Commission's proposals are enforced, he added.

The Centre was making efforts to arrange residential facilities for all jawans in their battalion headquarters.

The new Assam Rifles Act, he said, would change the face of the force and make it more efficient.

Earlier, Patil inaugurated the new administrative building of the Assam Rifles at Laitkor in Meghalaya and interacted with commanders of Assam Rifles.