New Delhi [India]: A proposal from the government of Karnataka to establish two new India Reserve Battalions is under consideration, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai made the statement in a written reply to a query of the Lok Sabha legislator GM Siddeshwar “whether the government proposes to establish two new Indian Reserve Battalions in Karnataka.”
“The Government of India has sanctioned two India Reserve Battalions in Karnataka previously. Further, the proposal from the Government of Karnataka to establish two new India Reserve Battalions is under consideration,” Rai responded to the query.
India Reserve Battalions is neither a police nor para-military force. It is a special armed force of a particular state. Introduced way back in 1971 by the then government at the centre to have an armed police force on the pattern of the Central Para Military Force of CMPF. The rising cost of this force is borne by the central government.
The India Reserve Battalions have been in demand ever since its introduction. There are now 153 battalions sanctioned to various states. The government introduced the scheme of Indian Reserve Battalions in 1971 and so far, 153 battalions have been sanctioned to various states. The job of India Reserve Battalions is to protect the state from terrorist and Maoist attacks.
The responsibilities of the India Reserve Battalions are to assist the district police in the maintenance of law and order, to perform elections, and law and order duties in the state as well as other states, to assist during disaster management, to provide force for duties such as celebrations of trade fairs, and to perform other duties assigned by the government time to time.
This force helps local police in performing its law and order duties and other important and sensitive duties like election duties within or outside of the state. India Reserve Battalion is bound to give its best in the maintenance of law and order whenever and whenever required.
