Ex-paramilitary officials meet Rajnath, demand facilities

The veterans, as part of the Confederation of Ex-Paramilitary Forces' Welfare Association, also urged the minister to allow a 50-per cent rebate under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for the central police canteens (CPCs) that serve lakhs of serving and retired personnel of these forces, which work under the command of the home ministry.

"The minister assured us that the government will look into the matter and take appropriate action as regards the genuine demands as early as possible," general secretary of the association Ranbir Singh said.

"Our demands like granting One Rank One Pension (OROP), restoration of the old pension scheme instead of the current NPS, granting the status of martyr and constituting an ex-paramilitary board in each state were presented to the minister in the form of a memorandum," he added.

There are about nine lakh jawans and officers in the paramilitary forces such as the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB -- also called the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). In addition to conducting internal security operations, these forces also secure the country's borders.