Imphal, January 14 2009: In a major policy shift, New Delhi has decided to withdraw all the Army units from the State and leave the job of containing the insurgency movement to the Assam Rifles alone.

The Army comes under the Union Defence Ministry while the Assam Rifles comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Disclosing this to The Sangai Express today, a reliable source said that the Army units to be withdrawn from Manipur will be deployed along the Indo-Pak border as well as along the Indo-Sino border.

With the Army able to push away numerous militant groups from the interior parts of the State, the Assam Rifles has been gradually taking over the operational responsibilities of conducting counter-insurgency operations in the hills and other parts of Manipur, said the source.

The Army Headquarters have already taken the decision to withdraw all the Army units from the State by this year, said the source and added that the withdrawn troops will be deployed along the Indo-Pak border as well as along the Indo-Sino border, where tension is high, on the Western front following the terrorists attack at Mumbai in November last year.

Assam Rifles troops will be deployed at all the places where the Army units are currently stationed, said the source and added that once the withdrawal process is over, the Assam Rifles will take over the sole responsibility of conducting counter insurgency operations.

Along with the withdrawal of the Army units from Manipur, the 57 Mountain Division at Leimakhong and the office of the Army PRO or PIB Defence Wing will also be withdrawn step by step, said the source further.

At the moment, there are 7 Army Battalions under the 73 Mountain Brigade and 59 Mountain Brigade.

These two Brigades operate under the 57 Mountain Division, which is based at Leimakhong and is headed by an officer of the rank of a Major General.

On the other hand, there are at present 22 Assam Rifles Battalion under four Sectors operating under the overall charge of the IG of Assam Rifles (South), a Major General.

The office of the IG AR (S) is located at Mantripukhri.

The Assam Rifles has also appointed its own Spokesperson.

It was the Assam Rifles which spearheaded the operation in pushing back militants from the Khengjoi range in the last two years.

The office of the IG AR (South) was opened in Manipur in 2004 following the huge public outcry over the alleged custodial killing of Th Manorama by personnel of 17 Assam Rifles, which then had its headquarters at Kangla.

Earlier, each Sector functioned under a Brigadier.

Meanwhile the SPF Cabinet has agreed to the proposal of the IG AR (S) to increase the cash component of gallantry awards given to in service personnel as well as given posthumously to personnel hailing from the State, said the source.

In the proposal to the State Government, the IG AR, suggested that the existing rates of cash awards be reviewed in view of the fact that almost all other States have increased the amount.

The matter was discussed during a meeting at New Delhi on January 7 which was chaired by the Union Minister of Defence, said the source.

Since there was no Budget allocation for increasing the cash awards in the fiscal 2009-2010 of the Home Department, the Finance Department was urged to authorise the required funds after Cabinet approval of the States concerned.

Accordingly the cash award given under the Param Vir Chakra will be increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000, MVC from Rs 7500 to Rs 35,000, Vr C from Rs 3000 to Rs 20,000, AC from Rs 1500 to Rs 15000, KC from Rs 1000 to Rs 10,000, SC from RS 700 to Rs 5000, SYSM Rs 15,000, UYSM Rs 10,000, YSM Rs 5,000, SM from Rs 3000 to Rs 4000, Mention-in-Despatches Rs 5000, PVSM Rs 20,000, AVSM Rs 15,000, VSM Rs 10,000 and Annuity in addition Rs 500 .

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