Thiruvananthapuram: Home Guards play a crucial role in reducing the workload on the police force across India. The Kerala government has issued an order reserving 30 per cent vacancies for women in the appointment of home guards. The prescribed strength of the volunteer paramilitary force in the state has also been set at 3,000.
The order issued by fire force chief R Sreelekha said that in the absence of women, men can be recruited to fill the vacancies, and applications for recruiting women home guards should be invited and a special rank-list prepared for the purpose.
Women home guards can be assigned to the fire department and police department as needed. The first vacancy to be reported should be filled with woman and the next vacancy should be for a man.
The order also stipulated that when appointing women, the number of home guards in each district should not exceed the number prescribed by the government.
Current count
The number of home guards allowed in each district and maximum women’s representation in brackets.
Thiruvananthapuram: 400 (120)
Kollam: 200 (60)
Pathanamthitta: 100 (30)
Alappuzha: 200 (60)
Kottayam: 200 (60)
Idukki: 100 (30)
Ernakulam: 400 (120)
Thrissur: 200 (60)
Palakkad: 200 (60)
Malappuram: 200 (60)
Kozhikode: 400 (120)
Wayanad: 100 (30)
Kannur: 200 (60)
Kasargod: 100 (30)
