Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that border-guarding troops deployed on posts above 9 thousand feet will now be decorated with a new high altitude medal to recognise their services in the tough terrain and adverse climate areas. <br/><br/>Addressing the 55th Raising Day celebrations of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police at Greater Noida today, Mr Singh said a policy decision has been taken to honour the valour and commitment to duty of the men and women of these forces.<br/><br/> The Home Minister acknowledged that forces like ITBP work in adverse conditions facing vagaries of harsh climate and difficult terrain. <br/><br/>The Minister said, he is aware of the adverse conditions the ITBP personnel face while discharging their duties. He recalled his visit to such an ITBP border post in the Ladakh region sometime back. <br/><br/>The Home Minister said, he have seen ITBP personnel working in tough, adverse conditions and even that could not dampen their morale and they have carried out all responsibilities they were entrusted with. Singh said the government has also recently decided to raise the financial aid amount to the families of the troops of paramilitary forces who lay down their lives in line of duty. <br/><br/>He said, the force personnel who are martyred in combat with terrorists and extremists or anti-social elements, the compensation to them has been increased from 10 lakh rupees to 25 lakh rupees. <br/><br/>He added that those who make the supreme sacrifice in the duty at border posts, the financial aid to their families has been increased from 15 lakh rupees to 35 lakh rupees.<br/><br/>The new medal will also given to the personnel of forces like the Border Security Force which guards Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangla border and the Shasastra Seema Bal which guard Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border among others. <br/><br/>The forces have been making a demand for instituting such a medal as this will work to boost the morale of those personnel who render duties in such harsh conditions. <br/><br/>The 90,000-personnel strong ITBP, raised in 1962, is deployed to secure the 3,488-kilometres Sino-India border running along five states from Karakoram Pass in Jammu and Kashmir to Jechap La in Arunachal Pradesh. Many of the ITBP posts are located at a height of 9,000 feet upto 14,500 feet.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that border-guarding troops deployed on posts above 9 thousand feet will now be decorated with a new high altitude medal to recognise their services in the tough terrain and adverse climate areas. <br/><br/>Addressing the 55th Raising Day celebrations of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police at Greater Noida today, Mr Singh said a policy decision has been taken to honour the valour and commitment to duty of the men and women of these forces.<br/><br/> The Home Minister acknowledged that forces like ITBP work in adverse conditions facing vagaries of harsh climate and difficult terrain. <br/><br/>The Minister said, he is aware of the adverse conditions the ITBP personnel face while discharging their duties. He recalled his visit to such an ITBP border post in the Ladakh region sometime back. <br/><br/>The Home Minister said, he have seen ITBP personnel working in tough, adverse conditions and even that could not dampen their morale and they have carried out all responsibilities they were entrusted with. Singh said the government has also recently decided to raise the financial aid amount to the families of the troops of paramilitary forces who lay down their lives in line of duty. <br/><br/>He said, the force personnel who are martyred in combat with terrorists and extremists or anti-social elements, the compensation to them has been increased from 10 lakh rupees to 25 lakh rupees. <br/><br/>He added that those who make the supreme sacrifice in the duty at border posts, the financial aid to their families has been increased from 15 lakh rupees to 35 lakh rupees.<br/><br/>The new medal will also given to the personnel of forces like the Border Security Force which guards Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangla border and the Shasastra Seema Bal which guard Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border among others. <br/><br/>The forces have been making a demand for instituting such a medal as this will work to boost the morale of those personnel who render duties in such harsh conditions. <br/><br/>The 90,000-personnel strong ITBP, raised in 1962, is deployed to secure the 3,488-kilometres Sino-India border running along five states from Karakoram Pass in Jammu and Kashmir to Jechap La in Arunachal Pradesh. Many of the ITBP posts are located at a height of 9,000 feet upto 14,500 feet.