NEW DELHI, November 1, 2014. Mr. Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Government of India, today agreed with the private security industry that immediate government intervention was needed for stringent enforcement of the Private Security Agencies Regulation (PSAR) Act, 2005. The Act was passed in 2005 and since then the industry has grown at a fast pace but the well-intentioned PSAR Act was unable to provide the requisite support. 
 
Speaking at FICCI’s Private Security Industry Conclave 2014, the Minister said that there was a need to regulate the sector more effectively and provide a professional touch to it. Security of a country and its people cannot be left unorganized and it must be carried out in a disciplined manner, said and indicated if the Ministry felt that there was need for specific rules to regulate the private security sector, it would not fight shy of framing them.
 
Mr. Rijiju was very forthcoming and listened intently to the industry’ concerns and asked the industry to provide precise recommendations to make the sector effective and efficient. He assured that he would take up the issues on priority as private security not only helps in securing people but also provides employment and is a great revenue generator. Mr. Rijiju added that his Ministry was aware about the issues related to wages of security personnel and the plea of certifying security personnel’s as skilled labor and was working on resolving these issues.
 
He said that private sector has so far played a vital role in the private security sector and the government will make all efforts to complement the efforts of the private sector. Mr. Rijiju admitted that close coordination was needed among the Central Government, States Governments and private industry to make the sector reach its potential.
 
Ms. Manjari Jaruhar, Chair, FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry and Former Special DG – CISF, Government of India, flagged the challenges that the industry was facing and needed immediate attention. She urged the Minister to form a cell or a wing at the Ministry to allow regular interface between the industry and Government and emphasized on the need for skill development of security personnel.
 
She also requested the Minister to review the wages of security personnel and recommended that people employed in private security sector to be recognized as skilled labor. This step would help in increasing the wages pf security personnel to a respectable level. Ms. Jaruhar also underlined the need for a regulatory authority which could frame rules and help in enhancing the effectiveness of PSAR Act 2005.  
 
In his presentation, Mr. Rituraj Sinha, Co-chair, FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry and Group COO, SIS India Ltd., said that the PSAR Act, 2005 enacted by the Government of India to regulate the private security industry was a welcome step but its weak enforcement has been a cause of concern. He added that the creation of an Industry Consultative Committee by the MHA would be a step in the right direction, and MHA should organise annual meet of State regulators and industry representatives to review enforcement, share information and address issues of the industry.
 
Dr. A. Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI, said that FICCI has set up a Committee on Private Security Industry which has submitted a number of recommendations to the government and other regulating agencies. Most important among them are the issues of recognition of armed private security guards as skilled and highly-skilled labour and issuance of arms licenses to private security agencies.
 
He stated that private security industry in India is currently estimated at INR 30,000 crore, with a presence across 550 districts of the country. The sector has the potential to be the second-largest employment generator and a major source of revenue for the exchequer by way of taxes. India is projected to be amongst the top 10 security markets in the world by 2020. This would give rise to significant opportunities which should be leveraged.
 
“About five million security personnel, most of them, who are not from registered companies, apparently have access to our homes and offices. This is a safety and security issue. Moreover, issues relating to PSAR Act must be viewed as law and order issue,” said Mr. Ashok Bajpai, MD, G4S India.