The Central government Wednesday accorded the Organised Group A Service status to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) that will ensure better service benefits for them.
The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi also approved extension of benefit under Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) and Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG) to them.
Earlier this month, these benefits was extended to the five primary CAPFs or paramilitary forces -- the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
The cadre officers of the RPF will now get better deputation chances as they will be eligible to get empanelled under the central staffing scheme, get enhanced facilities for transportation, house rent allowance, travelling and dearness allowance.
"Grant of status of Organised Group A service to RPF will end stagnation, improve career progression of the officers and keep up their motivational level," the government said.
In an order this February, the Supreme Court had held that Group A officers of CAPFs should be given all benefits, including NFFU from 2006 in terms of the 6th Pay Commission recommendation. The top court, during this hearing, had upheld the Delhi HC's two verdicts by which it had granted "organised service" status to these forces and also to the officers of the RPF.
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NFFU is a concept introduced in the 6th pay commission and was granted to what the government termed as Group A organised services. Under this, if all the officers of a particular batch cannot move up the ladder owing to lack of vacancies and only one does, the others will automatically get financial upgradation as the one promoted.
Also, after this, more command-level posts are expected to be reserved for the cadre officers of RPF as compared to those coming on deputation from the IPS.