New Delhi, July 22 : Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has announced special allowances for paramilitary forces fighting the Maoist insurgency on par with the Army.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour on Wednesday, Chidambaram said the Home Ministry has sanctioned the risk-based allowances to the central forces and the matter is pending before the Finance Ministry.

He informed members that the special allowances for the paramilitary personnel have been worked out on the basis of the hardship and risk involved and also the stress factor in anti - Naxal operations.

The new allowance is higher and totally different from the allowance given to personnel deployed for operations in Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern region.

The personnel till the rank of Commandant of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), an elite force of the central forces in Naxal-hit areas, would be covered by the risk allowances.

Chidambaram informed the House that the government is considering bringing the similarity in compensation amounts for Central Para Military Forces (CPMF) officials who die in action in line with officials of defence forces.

Chidambaram expressed concern over the lack of sanitation and other conveniences in deep forest camps of the central forces, and asked the states to address the issue. (ANI)