NEW DELHI: Aligning with the expansion plan of industrial units in areas of security concerns, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved a proposal of fresh induction 70, 000 personnel in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in next five years with an aim to recruit 14,000 of them each year, officials said on Monday. The officials said that once the recruitment process gets completed in the next five years, the CISF is set to become a force with a total strength of 2.20 lakh personnel.A senior official said, “The proposed expansion plan is aligned with the increasing demands of securing critical infrastructure across the nation, including Parliament House, metro networks, airports, industrial units, and strategic installations. Soon industrial units are expected to come up in areas of security concerns like naxal-affected zones and Jammu & Kashmir.Currently the total strength of the CISF is a little over 1.5 lakh, which was nearly one lakh in 2014, the officials said, adding that recently the MHA has given its formal approval to increase the sanctioned strength of the force to 2.20 lakh to meet evolving national security needs.One of the major catalysts for this expansion was the security breach involving coloured smoke bomb episodes inside the Parliament House. In response, the government had decided to assign the security task to the CISF. This was a shift from earlier multi-agency security to a more centralized, specialized model under CISF’s command.The role of CISF has expanded steadily with India’s economic growth, covering not just public sector undertakings but also private sector units that significantly contribute to the economy. The force now guards nuclear power stations, airports, metro networks, and major industrial hubs -making it one of the most critical arms of India’s internal security.Meanwhile, keeping in view the ever increasing demand for internal security duties with regard to combat roles, CISF personnel are also sent for war training in collaboration with the Indian Army, especially after the success of Operation Sindoor.Another senior official said, “The fresh recruitment drive and training expansion are part of a larger modernisation plan that includes upgrading equipment, adopting tech-based surveillance systems, and improving rapid response capabilities.”
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