Ops Sectors, 36 Adm Ranges, 7 Ops Ranges, 228 Bns, 41 group centres, 15 training institutions
and 4 composite hospitals. It is the only Central Armed Police Force in the country which has 3
Mahila Battalions. The bulk of the force is deployed in Jammu and Kashmir; left wing
extremism affected states and in north-eastern states to tackle terrorist and insurgent activities. It
presently has 10 Cobra units, a specially trained force to fight the naxal means. The Cobra
battalions have been deployed strategically in the naxal affected areas. CRPF has always been
playing a significant role in times of natural disasters. When the destructive Tsunami had caused
an unprecedented damage to lives and property or when the J and K earthquake had devastated
large areas disrupting life on a massive scale, CRPF played a significant role in the relief, rescue
and rehabilitation efforts. We now have two battalions of CRPF designated as Disaster
Management battalions and they have been located in Pune and Ahmedabad.
Relevant Website: www.crpf.nic.in
Rapid Action Force
In 1992, 10 Battalions of CRPF were reorganized and converted into 10 battalions of 4 coys
each of Rapid Action Force (RAF). The personnel in RAF are trained and equipped to be an
effective strike Force in communal riots and similar situations. These Battalions are located at 10
communally sensitive locations across the country to facilitate quick response in case of any such
incident. All these Battalions are organized on an unattached pattern and are working under the
supervision of an Inspector General.
RAF was raised to deal with communal problems and continues to deal with militancy in J
and K and Punjab, insurgency in north-east, overseas deployment for UN Peace Keeping in
Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo, rescue and relief (Odisha super cyclone, Gujarat and JandK
earthquake). RAF dealt with mammoth human congregations (Amarnath Yatra, Jagannath Yatra,
etc.) combating naxalism in LWE affected states guarding of vital shrines in Ayodhya, Kashi,
Mathura, Vaishno Devi and Raghunath Temple, Jammu law and order situation on the issue of
revocation of transfer of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, dealt with serious law and order
problem due to Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan, dealt effectively with serious stone pelting menace
in J and K, and monitored successful completion of elections in various states.
Central Industrial Security Force
Raised in 1969, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is providing security cover to 303
units including 59 domestic and international airports and fire protection cover to 87 industrial
undertakings. With globalization and liberalization of the economy, CISF is no longer a PSU-
centric organization. Instead, it has become a premier multi-skilled security agency of the
country, mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure installations of the country
in diverse regions including terrorist and naxal affected areas. CISF is currently providing
security cover to 308 units which include atomic power plants, space installations, defence
production units, mines, oil fields and refineries, major sea ports, heavy engineering steel plants,
fertilizer units, airports, hydro electric/thermal power plants, sensitive government buildings and
even heritage monuments (including the Taj Mahal and Red Fort) and also iconic private sector
units. The Force is also one of the largest fire protection service providers in the country. It
provides fire protection cover to 86 industrial undertakings. CISF has been inducted into
Ratnagiri Gas and Thermal Power Station Ltd., Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Project, Hissar,
Haryana. The specialized task of airport security was assigned to CISF in the wake of hijacking
of Indian Airlines plane to Kandhar.