Shillong: The Meghalaya government on Wednesday inducted 445 new personnel into the Civil Defence and Home Guards Department, handing over appointment letters at the department’s first ‘Rozgar Mela’ in Mawdiangdiang.
The recruits, selected for roles including sub-inspectors, guardsmen, drivers and non-combatant staff, received their letters from Civil Defence and Home Guards Minister Comingone Ymbon, who urged them to uphold discipline and integrity in service.
“Every action you take reflects not only on yourself but also on the institution you represent and the state you serve,” Ymbon told the appointees.
He lauded the department’s role as “pillars of courage and resilience” during natural disasters, emergencies and law-and-order situations.
Officials said the recruitment process involved multiple stages, including physical and written tests as well as interviews, after screening over 22,000 candidates.
Despite weather disruptions during the physical tests, the process was completed on time, Ymbon noted.
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Secretary of Civil Defence and Home Guards Vijay Kumar Mantri said the appointments mark a significant boost to the department’s capacity.
Director MK Sangma added that an additional 233 personnel will be recruited soon and confirmed that a proposal is under review to convert the Border Wing Home Guards Battalion into a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
The SDRF, he said, would help address manpower shortages while the border wing would continue separately on a voluntary basis, drawing recruits from areas along the Bangladesh border as originally planned by the Union Home Ministry.
