Rajnath Singh: ITBP men posted above 9000 ft to get Siachen gear

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh with ITBP Director General R K Pachnanda and families of ITBP personnel in Uttarkashi on Sunday. (Express)

ITBP personnel deployed at posts higher than 9,000 ft will now get the same weather gear that is available to Army jawans posted on the Siachen glacier, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Monday. Such clothing and equipment were available only to ITBP personnel deployed at posts higher than 11,000 ft.

Sources said the announcement would practically cover about 80 per cent of the force as most ITBP deployments are at altitudes of more than 9,000 ft.

Singh has also asked ITBP DG R K Pachnanda to bring down the period of deployment of personnel at very high outposts down from the current duration of three months. Singh made the announcements during his visit on New Year’s Day to the Nelong valley post in Uttarakhand.