A total of 32,238 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel have tested positive for Covid-19 so far. In a written reply, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had the highest number of 9,158 cases, and the highest recovery rate, among the seven CAPFs.
The Border Security Force (BSF) followed with 8,934 cases, while the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had 5,544. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) reported 3,380 cases and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) had 3,251. The Assam Rifles has seen 1,746 cases and the National Security Guard (NSG) has 225 so far.
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The CRPF also had the highest recovery rate (84.4 per cent), followed by the BSF (80.41 per cent). The highest death rate was reported in the CISF (0.43 per cent).
The minister also said that Covid-19 hospitals, Covid Care Centres and Dedicated COVID Health Centres (DCHC) were set up for treatment of the infected personnel and to support their recovery.
Besides the normal benefits being availed to the CAPF personnel, it was also decided to provide Rs 15 lakh to next of kin through ‘Bharat Ke Veer’ funds if a trooper dies due to Covid on duty, as well as an immediate grant for funeral expenses and support for expeditious processing of family pension and other dues.
India is currently the worst-affected nation by the coronavirus in Asia, and has the second highest infection rate in the world, after the US.
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