The All India Indian Administration Officers’ Association has decided to adopt families of security personnel who get killed in clashes with Maoists or in the line of duty, PTI reported. As part of the voluntary initiative, the officers will offer continuous support and ensure that dues owed to the dependents are cleared by the organisation concerned.

However, the officers will not offer any direct financial help. The initiative will start with 700 officers from the last four batches — 2012 to 2015 — adopting at least one family in the area of their posting, PTI reported.

The initiative is meant for families of central armed police forces including the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force as well as the Armed forces and local police departments. “The state governments have been asked to share with the association the details of such families,” Sanjay Bhoosreddy, secretary of the association, told NDTV.

The association has asked state bodies to also do the same. The officers will also help the children of the soldiers killed gain access to education opportunities and offer guidance as mentors in career decisions. The IAS officials will inform the families of schemes available and ensure the families do not have to endure harassment or exploitation while seeking government benefits. “Senior officers, or those from state civil services, can also adopt such families voluntarily,” Bhoosreddy told the news channel.

On Friday, former Indian cricket team captain Gautam Gambhir had announced that his organisation will sponsor the education of the children of the 25 Central Reserve Police Force personnel killed in the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma.