Agartala: The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has granted the establishment of an additional India Reserve Battalion, which will be part of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR), to bolster the management of law and order as well as security in the state.In a communication to Tripura chief secretary JK Sinha, MHA wrote that this decision has received the endorsement of the President. To support this initiative, the Centre will offer a one-time financial grant of Rs 50 crore for the new battalion and may also reimburse actual infrastructure costs up to Rs 30 crore, excluding land expenses.Currently, Tripura has 15 TSR battalions, including existing India Reserve Battalions, and the formation of another battalion is anticipated to greatly improve the state’s ability to handle law enforcement issues, counter-insurgency efforts and border security matters.The ministry said the reimbursement of funds will depend on the submission of utilisation certificates, which must comply with the General Financial Rules (GFR), as well as adherence to established standards for the equipment and infrastructure of the new battalion.While the initial funding will come from the Centre, the Tripura govt will bear responsibility for the ongoing annual costs and any remaining capital expenses for the battalion’s maintenance and infrastructure improvement.The Centre will hold the priority right to deploy the battalion for national needs, which may include assignments related to counter-insurgency, internal security, and border protection.The state govt is required to fulfil deployment requests from the Centre, and if the battalion is deployed in other states, the host state will cover the proportional recurring expenses unless it is a state exempted by the central govt directive.The inclusion of a new IR Battalion marks an important advancement for Tripura’s security framework. This move aligns with the state govt’s commitment to enhance and upgrade police and paramilitary forces, aiming to foster lasting peace and stability in the area.
