Shimla, June 24 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government has initiated the process to recruit 700 home guards after a gap of 10 years to address the manpower shortage in the Home Guards and Civil Defence Department, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The decision to fill these posts was taken in the Cabinet meeting held on May 31, and the move is expected to provide employment opportunities to the youth of the state, he said.
For the past several years, no recruitment of Home Guards has been conducted. This prolonged gap has resulted in a significant shortage of personnel, hampering the department's ability to meet deployment demands from various departments, boards and corporations, the spokesperson said.
Currently, the state has around 8000 Home Guards, but due to the shortfall, the department has been unable to respond effectively to deployment requests.
The Home Guards assist the police and civil administration in maintaining law and order, traffic control, election duties and crowd management during festivals and public gatherings.
They are also among the first responders during natural disasters, accidents and forest fires.
The state government has allocated a budget of Rs 24 crore for the remuneration and other related expenses of the new volunteers, the spokesperson said.
With this recruitment, the government aims to strengthen the department’s capabilities and ensure it is better equipped to meet the increasing demands of civil protection and community safety, he added.