In turbulent times like these when most of the companies are going in for job cuts, if there’s any job that is ‘safe’ it is that of private security. If security agencies are to be believed, while several companies and sectors are in process of cutting costs by reducing their human capital, private security sector can still generate around one million new jobs per annum in India.
Central Association of Private Security Industry, an association comprising of security companies across the country is on a hiring spree. The association is signing MoUs with various state governments across the country for generating employment.
CAPSI is targetting a mammoth 10 lakh employment in the next one year.
While currently the private security agencies employ more than 5.5 million personnel across the country, the industry believes it can generate around one million fresh jobs every year.
The only problem the sector faces is low availability of trained manpower. Moreover, considering the growth rate of the industry at 25 per cent per annum, the manpower requirement could increase proportionately.
Talking about the industry, Kunwar Vikram Singh, chairman of CAPSI and Association of Private Detectives & Investigators (APDI), said, “Unlike other sectors who are finding it tough to endure in current financial meltdown, we are not facing any difficulties in sustenance of business. Everyone needs personal or property security in every condition and one cannot bargain with it. This is why security business is secure in these awful circumstances.”
Considering the growing manpower requirement in security agencies, the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) is in the process of joining hands with various state governments in the country.
While the association is in talks with states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh, it has already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government and is in process of signing an MoU with the government of Punjab and Orissa.
As per its MoU with Rajasthan, the association will open training centres called ‘Rural Institute of Security Education’ (RISE) which is likely to generate about 45,000 jobs in the state.
CAPSI has similar plans for Gujarat as well. “We are in process of signing an MoU with the Gujarat government since the state requires between 5,000 and 10,000 fresh candidates in private security sector. Our association is planning to set up training centres in Gujarat, similar to the model in Rajasthan. Gujarat is already robust in private securities since it employs over one million people,” said S R Chauhan, president of CAPSI, Gujarat chapter.
The MoU will facilitate collection of anti-terror intelligence which plays a crucial role in the present day scenario, added Chauhan.
The association is also in final stages of signing an MoU with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to develop certificate and diploma courses for security guard and supervisors.
Apart from that, CAPSI is also tying up with the National Disaster Management Authority of India (NDMA) for large scale man-made disaster management purposes.
According to Singh, CAPSI is set to handle the maintenance of law and order in the forthcoming Common Wealth Games in 2010, for which the association is holding talks with government agencies.
