Government mulls over allowing private companies to hire home guards

If the government has its way, soon private companies can hire the services of home guards, the auxiliary uniformed force assisting the police.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has directed officials to review a proposal to this effect during a meeting of the Home Department.

It was also decided in the meeting that the services of more than 3,000 home guards who are at the risk of losing their jobs should be continued by deputing them to different departments.

Home guards are often deployed to help the police manage traffic and also assist paramilitary and rescue personnel during natural calamities.

Yediyurappa also instructed officials to strengthen the CEN (cyber crime, economic offices and narcotics) police stations. There are eight CEN police stations in Bengaluru and the government wants to set up one in each district. Yediyurappa said forensic labs will be strengthened to “hasten the investigation of crimes.”

Officials told Yediyurappa that all precautionary measures had been taken in prisons in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and that not a single positive case had been reported.

“As per Supreme Court directions, 5,005 prisoners have been released on bail and parole. Overcrowding of prisoners in the prisons has been reduced from 110% to 95%,” the CM was told, according to a statement.

Yediyurappa also asked for a proposal on the development of infrastructure in all the departments that come under the Home ministry. He warned action against officers involved in any misuse of funds, especially those deposited in banks.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar, state police chief Praveen Sood, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajneesh Goel and others were present at the meeting.