A first of its initiative, the National Centre for Divyang Empowerment (NCDE), an exclusive facility for training the CRPF personnel who suffer injuries and become physically challenged in the line of duty in modern technologies, has become operational at the Central Reserve Police Force’s group centre here.
The Centre had been set up by the CRPF regional centre envisaging training to the personnel in the latest technologies like artificial intelligence, cyber security or warfare, data analytics and others. Machine language, social media monitoring, audio visual effects, advanced animation and block chain management among others would be the focus areas of training. The Centre, according to Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy, will also focus on promotion of para sports.
According to senior CRPF officials, 189 personnel of the country’s largest armed force lost their limbs or underwent amputation in the last decade while discharging their duties in sensitive areas like left wing extremist affected areas and terrorist violence hit areas like Kashmir Valley. In addition, a survey revealed that there were about 500 specially-abled children in the families of the CRPF.
Mr. Kishan Reddy who formally inaugurated the NCDE on Thursday said the government was committed to the well-being of the forces that were dedicated to the protection of the country. “The CAPF personnel have shown that injuries can damage their bodies, but not their self-confidence,” he said, adding skills in various disciplines like market oriented skills, data analytics and artificial intelligence would be imparted through the NCDE which was set to become a centre of excellence.
CRPF director general A.P. Maheshwari said the centre envisaged skilling and re-skilling “our divyang soldiers” so that they should not feel that there were not relevant anymore. The Centre which initially inducted CRPF troops would be opened for specially abled personnel from all CAPFs and their wards.
He said there were new challenges in the low intensity conflict domain of internal security like cyber warfare. “The war of guns is changing into war of deception. It is also war of perception and artificial intelligence tools play a key role in this new warfare. There is a need to evolve from being internal security warriors to cyber warriors,” he said adding the establishment of NCDE was in line with the CRPF culture of not leaving their troops behind either in the battle field or in any aspect of life.