SHILLONG: Despite acute shortage of manpower in the Civil Defence and Home Guards department, the State Government is yet to arrive on a decision to lift the 2002 ban imposed on recruitment of Home Guards. The ban was implemented due to shortage of funds.
“I had a discussion with my officers on this matter. I would try to bring a Cabinet memo on lifting of the ban at the earliest,” Civil Defence and Home Guards department Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar said here on Saturday.
Dhar admitted that lifting the ban will go a long way in addressing the problem of shortage of manpower in the concerned department.
Interestingly, official sources feel that the ban has lingered for years due to lack of interest on the part of the Government which had contemplated lifting the restriction in 2011. It has been learnt that former Civil Defence and Home Guards Minister Augustine D Marak had even tabled the matter before the Cabinet.
Official sources also revealed that the Finance department had given its approval to carry fresh recruitment of Home Guards but the process could not be initiated since the department had not allocated the funds for the salaries of the staff to be recruited.
“The Civil Defence and Home Guards department was compelled to take up the matter again with the Finance department,” sources said adding that there was hope that the ban would be lifted after the new Government resumed office following the last Assembly election.
While informing that there are 177 vacancies in the Home Guards border wing, a senior government official said, “We understand the importance of lifting the ban considering that the department is suffering from a huge manpower constraint.”
The official also claimed that steps are being taken by the Government to enhance the capacity of the Civil Defence and Home Guards department.
While underlining the importance of Civil Defence and Home Guards, the official said that the department has a crucial role to play in disaster management in the State which falls under Seismic Zone V, which is highly earthquake prone.
The lifting of the ban would also allow the department to set up units in all the seven districts of the State, official sources said adding that at present the department has its base only in East Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and West Garo Hills.
