RPF Has 9.3% Female Workforce, Highest Among Central Armed Police Forces, Says Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi, July 26: The RPF has 5,900 women personnel, the highest among the Central Armed Police Forces in India, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. The Railway Police Force has 63,051 personnel in total and women make up for 9.36 per cent of it, he said.

Vaishnaw gave the data in response to AAP MP Sanjay Singh asking the total number of RPF male and female personnel, posts lying vacant, and people travelling by Railways in the country on a daily basis. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Takes Dig at Critics of India’s Electronics Manufacturing Progress, Says ‘Except Those Who Don’t Like Our Country’s Progress’.

"The total number of people travelling by Railways in the country on an average on a daily basis is 18.4 million in 2023-24. During the financial year 2023-24, in the reserved segment, female passengers constituted approximately 36% of total passengers. In the unreserved segment, the gender of the passengers is not captured," Vaishnaw said. He said at present 63,051 RPF personnel are on roll and a notification has been issued for 4,660 vacant posts.

"Out of 63051 personnel on roll, 5900 are women personnel which contribute 9.36% of the Force's strength which is highest among the CAPFs in India," he said. According to the Railway Minister, the RPF Posts are operational at more than 750 railway stations with women personnel posted on most of them. Global IndiaAI Summit 2024: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Says Collective Efforts Will Harness AI’s Potential While Limiting User Harms.

"These women RPF personnel are deployed for duties i.e. Train Escorting, Passenger Security, Station Security etc. Under 'Meri Saheli' initiative, on an average daily, 245 dedicated teams have been deployed engaging more than 700 lady RPF personnel to provide safety and security to lady passengers travelling alone by long distance trains throughout their journey," Vaishnaw said.

The minister listed the vulnerability of the trains/sections, timing, location of the area, threat perception of the hinterland, and analysis of past crime data as factors determining the posting of the RPF. He said that the deployment of RPF staff is assessed regularly and is done in coordination with GRP. "Therefore, the deployment of RPF personnel including women RPF personnel is dynamic and keeps changing from time to time."

Responding to Singh's question seeking details of all cases, including crime against women, registered at railway stations and during journeys, Vaishnaw said, 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India.

"... therefore, State Governments are responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and maintenance of law and order on Railways through their law enforcement agencies viz. Government Railway Police (GRP)/District Police," he said.

"Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP/District Police to provide better protection and security to railway property, passenger area and passengers and for matters connected therewith," he added.

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