UDUPI: The state government has decided to increase the number of home guards to 40,000 from the present 25,000 by 201112, said Home Minister VS Acharya.
Inaugurating the Malpe unit of home guards on Sunday, Acharya said: "The Home Department has been utilising the services of home guards on many occasions, including for handling traffic congestion on highways. As the appointment of police personnel to the newly set up Police Commissionerate at Mangalore was delayed, we have recruited 250 home guards as an immediate measure."
Acharya lauded the home guards for taking up this job as a parttime profession. The Minister said that the Home Department has decided to set up 31 new police stations by the end of March 2011, and setting up more home guards units is also on the cards. "Appraising the performance of the Home Department, we have been trying to get more funds, which lapsed in other departments, for further reforms in the department," Acharya added.
District and Sessions Judge Narendra Kumar Gunaki inaugurated a legal awareness camp for the newly recruited home guards.
District Home Guards Commandant Prof Ganapathi Bhat, Secondin Commandant KC Rajesh, DySP of Coastal Security Police Sadananda Naik and Udupi Bar Association president C Vijay Hegde were present.