What’s Happening ?
- Establishment: NCDE was set up in 2020 at the CRPF Group Centre, Hakimpet, Hyderabad.
- Purpose: Exclusive facility for CAPF personnel who become physically disabled in the line of duty.
- Achievements in 5 years:
- Trained 219 Divyang warriors (physically challenged personnel).
- Produced medal-winning para-athletes and skilled IT professionals.
- Target Group: Personnel injured in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) operations, counter-terrorism, insurgency, accidents, or road incidents during service.
Relevance :
- GS III (Security): CAPF personnel welfare, rehabilitation, operational readiness.
- GS II (Governance): Skill development, inclusive policies for Divyang personnel, government schemes integration.
Why It’s in the News ?
- Focus on rehabilitation: Highlights India’s efforts to integrate disabled CAPF personnel into productive roles rather than mere financial compensation.
- Human-interest angle: Stories of trauma, resilience, and medal-winning achievements bring attention to the physical and psychological challenges faced by personnel.
- Policy relevance: Demonstrates government initiatives for welfare, skill development, and sports promotion for Divyang personnel, relevant for GS III topics: Security, Defence, and Welfare Programs.
Background
- LWE operations:
- 38 districts affected in India; 15 in Chhattisgarh (2024).
- Operations reduced LWE districts from 126 (2013) to 18 (April 2025).
- Risk to personnel:
- Frequent IED explosions and ambushes.
- Since 2016, 46 CRPF personnel lost limbs in LWE operations.
- 2023: 10 personnel underwent amputations.
- Government directive: Injured personnel allowed to continue service until retirement with full benefits, supported with best medical care and prosthetics.
NCDE Facilities & Rehabilitation Approach
- Campus:
- 180 barracks, 100+ wheelchair-friendly.
- Equipped with ramps, elevators, motorised buggies, and hospital for emergencies.
- Physical rehabilitation:
- Gym with specialized machines, physiotherapy rooms, gait training, and strength building.
- Artificial limbs: 106 fitted, 135 pending (as of July 2025).
- Mental health support:
- Counselling for PTSD, trauma care, and phantom limb syndrome.
- Meditation and mindfulness sessions.
- Skill & Career support:
- Sports training: Archery, discus, shot put, national/international competitions.
- IT training in collaboration with BITS Pilani.
- Desk/clerical jobs for personnel choosing non-sports paths.
Policy & Institutional Significance
- Single-window system: Consolidates rehabilitation, medical care, prosthetics, counselling, and career planning.
- Government support:
- Financial: CAPF welfare fund, Bharat Ke Veer donations, CGHS coverage for prosthetics.
- Employment: Retention in service, reassignment, and sports promotion.
- Strategic importance:
- Enhances morale and operational readiness.
- Reduces psychological burden of injury among serving personnel.
Strategic Implications
- Resilience & adaptation: Personnel demonstrate extraordinary willpower and adaptability—translating combat endurance into sports and professional excellence.
- Best practices for other forces: NCDE model can be replicated across CAPFs and armed forces for comprehensive injury rehabilitation.
- Policy integration: Highlights need for continuous welfare, mental health support, and skill development for personnel with service-related disabilities.
