CRPF Trained 948 Village Defence Groups Personnel In J&K’s Rajouri: Govt

New Delhi, Feb 8: The CRPF is giving arms training to Village Defence Groups (VDGs) personnel in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir for their self defence against terror attacks and has given training to 948 of them last month, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday.
The move came after two back-to-back terrorists attacks in the district, which shares border with Pakistan and is a known infiltration route for terrorists, even though the minister did not say anything about it.
“The CRPF has imparted necessary training to 948 VDG members in collaboration with district police Rajouri from January 6, 2023 to January 25, 2023,” he said in a written reply to a question of BJP member Sushil Kumar Modi. The minister said at present, the sanctioned strength of VDGs is 4,985, of which 4,153 VDGs have been constituted and the Ministry of Home Affairs last year had decided that there would be not more than 15 members in each VDG. The persons who shall be heading or coordinating the VDGs in the “more vulnerable areas” shall be paid Rs 4,500 per month and the person who are members of the VDGs on voluntary basis shall be paid a uniform rate of Rs 4,000 per month, he said.
The VDGs shall consist of following categories: those in possession of a valid arms licence and to whom weapons have been provided by the Jammu and Kashmir police, determined by the District Magistrate or Senior Superintendent of Police concerned, keeping in view the credentials of the volunteers', population of the village, its location and security requirement, persons in possession of valid licence and weapons or willing to purchase weapons on their own, Rai said.