Udupi: Inspector-General of Police, Home Guards and Civil Defence Roopa D. said here on Wednesday that technology by the way of biometric and automated duty rotation systems would be introduced in the Home Guards organisation to weed out corruption.

Speaking to presspersons during her visit to the Home Guards Office here, Ms. Roopa said that the Home Guards organisation spent ₹ 1 crore on parade allowance per month all over the State. There were complaints from all districts that there was pilferage in it as some Home Guards did not attend parades. But it was being shown in the bills that they had attended them to claim the allowance.

Hence, it had been decided to have attendance of Home Guards on the biometric system installed on tabs. They could be taken to the parade grounds and the attendance of the Home Guards could be taken. The same biometric method would be used while training Home Guards also.

The organisation was providing its Home Guards for other departments such as Tourism, Excise, Transport, Mines and Geology and Police. For instance, in the Tourism Department, their services were being utilised as “Pravasi Mitras”.

But the problem was that some Home Guards wanted to serve in select departments such as Excise or Regional Transport Office. Some Home Guards did want to do mundane duties such as bandobast and traffic management.

“We want a rotational system whereby Home Guards are rotated among departments than getting stuck in one particular department. This, we will ensure through software providing for automated duty rotation system,” he said.

Another step suggested to the Home Department was to provide health insurance coverage and ration to Home Guards. Home Guards personnel who attended parades regularly would be considered for it. Of the about 12,000 Home Guards, about 6,000 turned up regularly for parades.

Volunteers for Civil Defence wing were different from Home Guards as the former were being trained for tackling natural and man-made disasters, while the latter were being trained in police duties. After enrolling Civil Defence volunteers in Bengaluru, priority was being given to enrol them in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. They would be enrolled in all districts of the State.

Those wanting to become Civil Defence volunteers could submit their applications at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office or the District Police Office or to the Chief Wardens of Civil Defence, once they were appointed, Ms. Roopa said.