New Delhi (PTI): As the role of the CRPF in anti-Naxalite and counter-insurgency operations was increasing, the para-military force has again proposed setting up a separate intelligence wing notwithstanding earlier turning down of the suggestion by the Finance Ministry.

The proposal is pending with the Ministry and now a serious thought was being given to allow the CRPF to set up its own intelligence wing, officials in the Home Ministry said.

The proposal, earlier turned down by Union Finance Ministry for want of funds, was mooted again after the CRPF decided to set up a Special Armed Force to counter left wing extremism amid reports that Naxalites would be stepping up their activities across the eastern corridor.

The recent operations including that of Saturday in Jammu and Kashmir where six Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were killed were based on intelligence information provided by the CRPF personnel as the para-military force has selected a few people from every battalion to gather intelligence locally.

Two of its jawans were killed last week while they were gathering information about militants in Pulwama district.

Such a wing needs to be institutionalised especially at a time when the CRPF, world's largest para-military force, was being headed by V K Joshi, whose career has been mostly spent in central intelligence agencies.