New Delhi, March 23 (PTI): The Centre on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that it has followed the recommendations of the Bezbaruah Committee for recruitment from North-Eastern states in respect of special police unit for the northeastern region in the national capital.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai made the observation while giving a written reply to a query asked by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kamakhya Prasad Tasa.

Sharing a comprehensive data collated by the Ministry of Home Affairs when asked “whether the Ministry follows the recommendations of the Bezbaruah Committee for recruitment from the North-Eastern States”, the minister said a total of 490 North East people, including 331 male and 159 female, were selected in special police unit for North East Region in Delhi in 2015, while the number rose to 585, including 395 male and 190 female, in 2018.

The Ministry of Home Affairs set up a committee under the Chairmanship of M.P. Bezbaruah, IAS (Retd.), Member North Eastern Council to look into the various kinds of concerns of the people hailing from the North Eastern States of India who are living in different parts of the country, especially the Metropolitan cities and to suggest suitable remedial measure which could be taken up by the Government in light of the unfortunate death of Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh.

Initially, a Committee was constituted and notified on February 5, 2014, with five members including the Chairman.

Replying to a question “whether the Ministry is conducting special recruitment of youths from the North-Eastern States for various forces under the Ministry”, Rai said in the common recruitment of Constable (GD) in the forces under Home Ministry, 60 per cent of the vacancies are allotted amongst states and Union Territories (UTs) on the basis of population ratio.

“20 per cent of the vacancies in the Border Guarding Forces (BGFs viz BSF, ITBP, SSB and AR) are allotted to border districts falling within the responsibility of concerned BGF and 20 per cent vacancies are allotted to areas affected by militancy such as Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern States, Naxal affected areas and Ladakh,” said the minister.

In the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) other than BGFs, Rai said 40 per cent of vacancies are allotted to areas affected by militancy such as Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern States, Naxal affected areas and Ladakh.

As per extant instructions, the minister said, the recruitment is made initially only through the regular recruitment process conducted through Staff Selection Commission.

In case certain vacancies are allotted to the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Left Wing Extremism (LWE) or Naxal affected districts and the border districts (including those in the NE States) remain unfilled, recruitment rallies are organized or conducted in these areas, added the Minister.

“In the common recruitment of Constable (GD) in CAPFs, AR, NIA and SSF Examination-2018, 5,750 candidates (including 799 candidates from border districts) were selected from the North Eastern States and during ongoing common recruitment of Constable (GD) in CAPFs, AR and SSF Examination-2021, 3,139 vacancies are meant for the North Eastern States,” Rai further said.