Home Guards Organization

History: - In India, in December, 1946, Home Guards were raised in Bombay to assist the Police in controlling civil disturbances and communal riots. Subsequently, this concept of a voluntary citizens force as auxiliary to the police for maintenance of law and order and for meeting emergencies like floods, famines etc. was adopted by several other States. In the wake of Chinese aggression in 1962 the Central advised the States and Union Territories to merge their existing voluntary organizations into one all-India force known as ‘Home Guards’ which would be voluntary both in concept and character. In this situation the Home Guards Organisation was raised with a few volunteers mainly to serve as an auxiliary to the police and in assisting the communities at the time of emergencies.

Following function are assigned to the Home Guards :-

a) Serve as an auxiliary to the police and assist in maintaining internal security.

b) Assist the community in any kind of emergency – an air raid, a fire, a flood, an epidemic and so on.

c) Organized functional units to provide essential services such as motor transport, pioneer and engineer groups, fir brigades, nursing and first- aid, operation of water and power supply in installations etc.
d) Promote communal harmony and give assistance to the administration in protecting weaker sections of the society.

e) Participate in socio-economic and welfare activities such as adult education, health and hygiene; development schemes and such other tasks as are deemed useful.

Organizational Set up: - The sanction strength of Home Guards is 3036 including 260 WHGs. Presently Home Guards including Women Home Guards are 1410 on duty all over the state.

Rule and Regulation, Manuals Governing functions of the unit: - Home Guards Organisation is run as per Compendium of instruction and The Bombay Home Guards acts (Act-III of 1947) as extended to Tripura and Tripura Home Guards Rules-1962.

Welfare measures adopted by the units: - To provide financial assistance to the members of Home Guards “Tripura Home Guards Welfare and Benevolent fund was raised with subscription from the volunteers and Grant sanctioned by the Government “.