Union Home Ministry has granted additional House Rent Allowance to the tune of 16 per cent of basic pay in addition to normal HRA at the original place of posting where paramilitary forces personnel left behind their families to undertake duties in Jammu and Kashmir.The facility under Kashmir Valley Package will come as a relief for paramilitary personnel as many of them have to bear expenses of running two residences.

The benefit will not sure be applicable to such personnel who have availed government accommodation at their original posting.In addition to the additional HRA, the paramilitary personnel will be entitled to draw the normal HRA for the original place of posting.

"The issue of grant of additional HRA to Central Armed Police Forces personnel posted in Kashmir Valley has been considered in theMinistry and it has been decided by Competent Authority that those personnel who are posted in Kashmir Valley and compelled to leave their families at theirlast place of posting will be eligible for drawing additional HRA."

The move has come days after the new Union Territory ofJammu and Kashmir formally came into existence on October 31 after the Centreon August 5 abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that granted specialstatus to the erstwhile State.  The movebenefit nearly one lakh personnel of the paramilitary forces' personnel postedin the Valley.

Special allowances have been a major relief for paramilitarypersonnel who have been at the forefront of countering terrorism andmaintaining law and order in the Valley.