CBEC sends proposal to home ministry for raising special cadre trained in combat skills & armed with lethal weapons
The armed forces might cease to be the exclusive domain of central and state home ministries. The revenue department is planning to a create a specialised cadre trained in advanced combat skills and equipped with state-of-the-art weapons to tackle the menace of smuggling. The the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has sent a proposal to the home ministry in this regard.
The idea is to raise a full cadre of armed revenue department officials for counter-smuggling operations in the wake of the rise in incidences of narcotics, currency, arms and ammunition and other contraband items being found in import and export cargo.
The CBEC has taken the cue from several western countries while proposing a complete makeover of the role of revenue officials. The tax officials there are not only involved in paperwork but also play an active role in investigations against smuggling networks and cracking espionage rings, involving full combat operations.
The changes proposed by CBEC are being considered mainly for customs department officials who often face situations that need quick reaction on the lines of a combat soldier. But an official said that other wings under the supervision of the CBEC could also use the proposed programme for the overall personality development of officials.
As per the proposal, revenue officials would be provided arms training by para-military forces like BSF, CRPF and the ITBP on a long-term basis to develop an effective anti-smuggling machinery. Talks on this are expected to start soon with the home ministry. In addition, the directorate of logistics has been asked to collect complete data on the arms and ammunition in possession of the department so that they can be upgraded.
There is also a proposal for the establishment of a weapons and physical training institute during the current year so that skills learnt from other agencies are continuously harnessed at captive centres.
?The need to make them well-trained arises from the fact that as these officials have to deal with people suspected to be involved in criminal activities and having cross-border, inter-state or international ramifications, that pose a threat to national security,? said another CBEC official.
The department is also considering to establish a canine squad to address the concern regarding possible concealment of narcotics, currency, arms & ammunition. ?The BSF, Army, NSG and Delhi Police are also been consulted in the matter and the the best operational practices from abroad are being ascertained,? the official added.
?All this could change the nature of our service, but would help in the long run in creating a network of officials which is self-sufficient in addressing all issues related to evasion of duty, investigations, counter-smuggling operations and bringing people to book,? said a revenue department official.
In addition to the new cadre, the revenue department is also making big changes in the equipment network in possession of officials to prevent smuggling. The department is expected to seek a larger budgetary support to modenise its force.