Jawans to stay connected through 'Rakshak' scheme

From Deccan Herald

Bikaner, Mar 6, 2011 (PTI)

Central Paramilitary force jawans can now stay connected with their families over mobile phones in any part of the country without spending a paise on call charges.

The Department of Telecommunication is launching a scheme called 'Rakshak' from tomorrow offering this facility to the soldiers defending the borders in far flung areas and tackling insurgents in Maoist affected areas. It will be launched by Minister of State for Communication and IT Sachin Pilot tomorrow at Barmer in Rajasthan.Under this scheme, CPMF troops will get two BSNL SIM cards by paying a monthly fee of Rs 299. "Rakshak scheme has been launched especially for the jawans of CPMF. By paying a nominal charge of Rs 299, the jawans will get two SIM cards, one of which he can give it to the family and the other he can keep it with himself in his place of posting. There will be no charge on the cost made between the two SIM cards," Sachin Pilot told PTI here. The facility will be provided to all the troops of BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF and SSB. The jawans will also get the facility of 200 free SMS per month on their mobile connection. Besides, to help jawans of CPMF who are deployed on the borders and in difficult terrains and in Naxal affected areas, the call of satellite phones have also been reduced to Rs 1 from Rs 5 for every minute by the Department of Telecom and Post. "The jawans of CPMF are posted in one of the harshest terrains where they don't have proper communication facility. The initiative has been taken by Department of Telecom and Post to ensure that they interact with their families on a regular basis without bothering about the cost," Pilot said. The minister will also provide 65 satellite phones to BSF solders deployed along Rajasthan border at Barmer tomorrow. Pilot is on a three-day visit to the border areas of Rajasthan to inaugurate seven head post offices and dedicate the 'Rakshak' scheme to the paramilitary forces. The Minister will inaugurate a head office in Tannot under Jaisalmer district through video conferencing while he will be inaugurating another head post office in Marwar junction in Pali district and in Jalore district. Replying to a question as to why all corruption cases are emerging from the present government only, Pilot said the Government was committed to weed out corruption. "Our party president Sonia Gandhi has herself spoken against it and we are determined to take necessary action. We should not politicise corruption. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also said steps would be taken by the Government to weed out corruption," he said. Asked why the Government did to accede to the Opposition demand for a JPC into the 2G spectrum scam in the last Winter Session of Parliament, he said "JPC is not an investigating agency so the party did not accept opposition demand in last Parliament session". He also spoke about the Government's commitment to wipe out terrorism and increased defence allocation this time. Earlier, addressing a gathering of Bikaner Industry Association, Pilot assured necessary steps both by the Centre as well as the State Government to promote investment opportunities in Rajasthan in the fields of telecommunication, IT and solar energy. Asked for his reaction about the migration of 1.25 lakh BSNL mobile subscribers to other mobile services after the launch of mobile number portability scheme, the Minister said BSNL's job is also to ensure welfare and provide mobile services in the areas where private operators don't go. After the cloudburst in Ladakh last year, BSNL was the only service provider which airlifted 28 satellite phones and restored communication facility in Leh district, he said

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