Tailors, cooks, water carriers, barbers, gardeners, cobblers, sweepers and washermen, lowest rung personnel in the constabulary of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will be promoted for the first time in their careers.
The move comes after the Centre approved a much-awaited cadre review of the constabulary comprising these ranks.
Last week, the Union finance ministry approved the cadre review proposal for the group ‘C’ Tradesmen cadre of the ITBP, with the creation of 984 new head constable posts for these ranks by re-calibrating the existing strength, sources said.
There are eight tradesmen cadre categories in the ITBP - tailor, cobbler, gardener, cook, water carrier, barber, washerman and sweeper (safaikarmi). The ITBP secures the Indo-China frontier.
The total number of such tradesmen was 7,097 in the 90,000 personnel strong force and their strength will remain the same after this cadre restructuring, they said.
The final proposal that has been approved by the government has abolished some existing posts and used them to create promotion posts in the rank of head constable for five cadres.
The tradesmen cadre is considered the backbone of any operational or administrative unit of the paramilitary forces including the ITBP as they ensure that the combat troops are battle or task ready all the time and in any security theatre, officials said.
They move and remain with the combat units at both forward and rear locations. These personnel are also combatised to meet any exigency.