NEW DELHI: Away from the hot and humid weather of the capital, Union Home Ministry held the meeting of its Parliamentary Consultative Committee in the hill resort of Bhimtal near Nainital in Uttaranchal on Tuesday. But the agenda of "Personal Security" generated enough heat to keep the Consultative Committee members engaged in a brain-storming session that was presided over by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

On the table was a proposal of the Home Ministry to streamline and tighten norms for "Personal Security" and make persons, other than VVIPs, Ministers and political leaders with high threat perception, availing of the personal security paraphernalia pay for it. If the Home Ministry proposal is cleared by the Government, it could well turn out to be a case of "Pay for your Security." If not in full, persons with security cover could be asked to cough up partly the cost incurred on their security.

14,400 on security duty

According to sources in the Ministry, there are nearly 2,010 people who have been provided security cover and of these 114 are in the maximum "Z'' plus category. Over 14,400 police and security personnel have been deployed on security duties.

Some of the consultative committee members came forward with a number of suggestions on the issue. The Home Minister assured the MPs of careful consideration of all their suggestions, including the creation of a dedicated force for the security of important individuals who face heightened threat to their lives.

It was pointed out that individuals other than political leaders should be asked to pay for their own security cover. Though the consultative committee did not take any final view on this, sources said the Home Ministry had undertaken a comprehensive review of VIP security arrangements and it was in favour of introducing the system of payment for providing security cover to individuals.

Review of norms

The Home Ministry had reviewed the norms for providing security cover way back in 2001 during the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime when L.K. Advani was the Home Minister. The new policy, announced in February 2001, had decided to limit the security cover only to those who genuinely faced threats from militants or terrorist organisations. A high-level committee of experts gave a "total relook" at VIP security norms but kept the security cover given by the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and the Gandhi family out of its purview.

Though the objective was to make the security least obtrusive without diluting its efficacy, it could not be implemented totally and remained at best only an academic exercise. It also sought to rationalise the deployment of specialised security agencies such as the National Security Guards.

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