In a piece of good news for the women of the State who are feeling insecure with the criminals running amok, the State police has sent a proposal to the State Government asking for recruiting 10 per cent women Home Guards. They seem to have been enthused by the Centre’s recent go-ahead to the State Government on the matter.
State Commandant General home guards and additional director general of police (law and order) Ram Singh Meena said on Friday that a proposal seeking permission for the recruitment of more women Home Guards had been sent to the Centre recently in order to increase the women’s representation up to 25 per cent in the particular section.
“The Centre has given the go-ahead nod, albeit with a rider that the cap must be 10 percent. Acting on it, we have sent a proposal, seeking approval on recruitment for 320 women Home Guards. However, the Centre has not approved financial assistance over such kind of recruitment. Placed thus, the State Government would have to bear the financial burden of the women Home Guards to be recruited,” he said. He said that the numbers of women home guards in the State stands at a paltry 239 out of total Home Guard strength of 6411.
He further said after the State Government approves, the recruitment of 320 women Home Guards will be held in ten districts except Haridwar, Dehradun and Nainital where women’s representation in the Home Guard is sufficient.
He added said that to fill the vacant posts of male Home Guards, the police department had recently completed recruitment for 366 posts in four districts- Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Pithorgarh and Chamoli.
Notably, the Home Guards are deployed on various works like maintaining law and order, crime and traffic. They also work as computer operators in the police department. Attending emergency duties is one among their long list of duties. Home Guards are handling all these jobs on par with the constables. Save for a month, they are given jobs throughout the year. Moreover, the facility of age- relaxation is available for the Home Guards when they apply for any post in police and fire services departments.
Things are indeed enthusing for the State police brass who are pitching in for more recruitment of women in the category of Home Guard, as the Chief Minister Harish Rawat, duly worried with the spurt in the crimes against the women, has already vowed to increase the women’s representation in the section to 25 per cent.
He also ensured that the Home Guards get five percent reservation in the recruitment of constables. What is more, CM Rawat had declared an increase in the allowances of the Home Guards from `250 to `350 per day last year.