Ahmedabad, Dec 8 (IANS) The Gujarat government, on Monday, approved a three-year increase in the retirement age for Home Guards — from 55 to 58 years — recognising their growing contribution to law and order duties across the state, government officials said.

The decision, taken by the Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, involves amending Rule 9 of the Mumbai Home Guards Rules, 1953.

Home Guards, created in 1947 to support police during the law-and-order situations and emergencies, today serve as a vital auxiliary force.

Deputy CM Sanghavi said the contingent consistently performs election security, traffic control, night patrolling, VIP duties, and crowd management during major religious events and fairs, working shoulder-to-shoulder with the police.

He noted that extending the service age will boost morale by allowing volunteers to continue contributing to national service while also supporting their families for three additional years.

Officials said the move not only strengthens the state’s frontline manpower but also leverages the Home Guards’ deep community connect, enabling them to assist police more effectively in maintaining public order across Gujarat.

Home Guards in Gujarat play a crucial supplementary role in maintaining law and order, working alongside the state police in a wide range of day-to-day duties.

They are deployed for election security, traffic management, night patrolling, VIP movement, disaster response, and crowd control during major religious events, fairs, and festivals — areas where Gujarat sees some of the largest public gatherings in the country.

Their strength lies in disciplined volunteering, strong community presence, and the ability to mobilise quickly during emergencies.

As an auxiliary force, Home Guards enhance the state’s policing capacity, ensure smoother public safety operations, and act as an essential bridge between citizens and the police machinery, making them a highly relevant pillar of Gujarat’s internal security system.

The total sanctioned strength of the Home Guards in India is about 5,73,793 personnel, with nearly 4.3 to 4.9 lakh (430,000–490,000) actively raised across states and Union Territories, according to official sources.

–IANS

janvi/khz