Lucknow: Reaffirming the commitment of the Uttar Pradesh government towards the welfare of its disciplined and service-oriented Home Guard personnel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday took salute of a grand ceremonial parade at the 63rd Raising Day of the Uttar Pradesh Home Guards and announced a series of important facilities for the force. Calling the Home Guards “the protective shield of society”, the Chief Minister underlined that service is honour, discipline is identity, and national interest is the highest priority.
Addressing the event, CM Yogi said Home Guard personnel have consistently demonstrated exemplary dedication in maintaining law and order, managing traffic, assisting Dial-112, securing jails and public buildings, and supporting massive events like Mahakumbh, elections and statewide examinations. “You are not just volunteers of a force; you are the strength of the state government and the trust of society,” he remarked.
Dedicated Room in Every Police Station; Proposal for Cashless Health Scheme
During the ceremony, the Chief Minister announced two major welfare measures:
- A dedicated room for Home Guard jawans in every police station, ensuring a safe space to keep uniforms, essential documents and equipment.
- A proposal for cashless health benefits for Home Guards on the lines of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which will soon be sent for government approval.
He noted that the state is committed to improving the working conditions and social security of Home Guards who, he said, “perform their duties with loyalty, sacrifice and discipline”.
Honouring Duty and Sacrifice
The Chief Minister honoured officers and personnel who received President’s Medals for Distinguished and Meritorious Services in 2024 and 2025. He shared that the Central Government has awarded 38 Commendation Discs to Home Guards from Uttar Pradesh, a significant recognition for the force.
CM Yogi also recalled the contributions of Home Guards during the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting that many personnel risked their lives to bring stranded migrant labourers home safely. “We ensured that the family of every martyred Home Guard receives ₹5 lakh as relief. So far, ₹143 crore has been given to the dependents of 2,871 deceased personnel,” he said.
Increased Allowances and Infrastructure Strengthening
Reiterating the government’s commitment to improving the service conditions of Home Guards, the CM listed key initiatives:
- Increase in daily and training allowances
- Four-fold hike in inter-district duty allowance
- Construction of new office buildings and residential facilities on priority
- Ongoing work on G+11 residential towers at the headquarters
- Enhanced accidental insurance assistance of ₹35–40 lakh for dependents of personnel who die in accidents
He further informed that 44 Home Guard offices now function from their own buildings, while construction of nine additional offices is underway.
Expanded Role in Law & Order, Disaster Response and Major Events
The Chief Minister praised the modernisation efforts of the department, especially the Home Guard Mitra app, which has made duty attendance, payments, uniform allowance information and other processes transparent and digital.
He noted that the organisation now plays a crucial role beyond policing:
- Disaster response and management
- Assistance in interstate and national elections
- Traffic support and crowd control
- Deployment at large events, including Mahakumbh 2025, where 14,000 Home Guard personnel were deployed
He also highlighted the recruitment and training of over 4,000 “Aapda Mitras” in coordination with the Disaster Management Department.
Strengthening National Identity and Discipline
Marking the day as the Mahaparinirvan Diwas of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the Chief Minister reiterated that every citizen should uphold “Indianness” above all identities. He said Home Guards embody this spirit by serving society selflessly across festivals, national campaigns, yoga events, environmental drives and patriotic initiatives such as the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and Tiranga Yatra.
Recruitment Drive Advancing Strongly
CM Yogi shared that the police force has already completed recruitment of 2.19 lakh personnel, while the ongoing recruitment process of 45,000 Home Guards is progressing at speed. Priority will be given to posting jawans in their home districts, he confirmed. The aim is to train every Home Guard as a first-response officer capable of assisting in emergencies and disaster relief.
Honoured Personnel
The following officers and personnel were honoured by the Chief Minister for receiving President’s Medals on Independence Day 2024 and 2025:
- Vinay Kumar Mishra – Deputy Commandant General, Home Guards HQ
- Ghanshyam Chaturvedi – Divisional Commandant (Grade II), Agra Division
- Vinod Kumar Yadav – Junior Instructor, Central Training Institute, Lucknow
- Vivek Kumar Singh – Retired Joint Commandant General
- Piyush Kant – Deputy Commandant General (Eastern Zone), Prayagraj
- Rajkumar Azad – Senior Officer, Home Guards HQ
- Sanjay Kumar Singh – Divisional Commandant, Lucknow
- Vedpal Singh Chaprana – District Commandant, Bijnor
- Shiv Kumar Verma – Senior Administrative Officer, Home Guards HQ
- Kamlesh Chand Gautam – Personal Assistant, Home Guards HQ
- Vijay Vikram Verma – Retired Personal Assistant
- Mohd. Arshad Hussain – Urdu Translator & Senior Assistant, Home Guards HQ
- Kripal Singh – Senior Assistant, Home Guards HQ
- Mahesh Prasad – Block Organiser, Home Guards HQ
A Force Rooted in Service and Sacrifice
Concluding his address, the Chief Minister said the Uttar Pradesh Home Guards, established on 6 December 1963, have grown into a force synonymous with discipline, duty and devotion. “Your service strengthens the state’s law-and-order machinery and inspires confidence among citizens. The government is determined to enhance your welfare, dignity and operational capabilities,” he said.
The event was attended by Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, Minister of State for Home Guards Dharamveer Prajapati, senior officials from the department, police officers, and hundreds of Home Guard jawans and their families.
