Captain approves merger of 1st Commando Battalion into SOG

CHANDIGARH: To strengthen the state’s operational preparedness to counter non-traditional terror threats, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday gave in-principle approval to merge the 1st Commando Battalion into the Special Operations Group (SOG).

The merger will place an additional ₹16.5 crore at the disposal of the SOG, which would be utilised for modernisation and upgrade of weapons.

Punjab is the first state in the country to have its own SOG, which is capable to counter terror attacks, on the lines of Force-1 of Maharashtra and Organisation for Counter Terrorist Operations (OCTOPUS) of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The SOG is different from other forces as it is prepared for most dangerous counter-terrorism operations.

The 1st Commando Battalion comprises 932 men and officers, including 273 combat posts and 318 posts of support staff. A total of 157 commandos were being currently trained at the Commando Training Centre in Patiala by elite trainers from the army, para special forces and NSG.

The CM also gave his nod to a proposal to provide risk allowance to commandos, at the rate of 40% of basic pay, on the lines of other state specialised forces across the country. This will put an addition burden of ₹5 crore on the state exchequer. Expenditure on equipment, weapons, communication systems and building infrastructure would be done in a phased manner, with ₹8.6 crore to be spent in the first year.

Amarinder announced these decisions at a high-level meeting to review the overall police preparedness to deal with terror related contingencies.