UNPROTECTED ON THE GROUND

A home ministry modernisation plan from 2012, to equip CRPF troopers with equipment to fight leftwing extremists, remains unrealised

Ground Penetrating Radar System 450 units

Eight per battalion, one each for 10 Cobra units. Used to find IEDs/ mines underground, where deep-search mine detectors are unable to detect

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) 55 units

It has been proposed to equip all 55 CRPF units deployed in Maoist areas with one UAV each

Hand-held Thermal Imagers 800 units

Despite 800 units being authorised, only 200 have been purchased

Mine Protected Vehicles 352 units

Armoured vehicles, used to protect troops from IEDs and assault rifle fire. Only 120 such vehicles—each costing over Rs 1 crore—have been purchased thus far

N-CROS Target Acquisition Binoculars 1,113 units

For round-the-clock surveillance; has rangefinding and GPS facilities