The CRPF has plans to upgrade the training course curriculum of the VIP Security Training Centre (VSTC) to the level of Special Protection Group (SPG) that exclusively secures the Prime Minister.
The CRPF secures a host of high profile VIPs including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka besides Union Ministers like Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari among others.
During a recent visit to the Group Centre at Greater Noida where the VSTC is also located, the CRPF Chief Kuldiep Singh directed the Inspector General of the VIP Security to compare the course curriculum with the SPG and upgrade equipment and training needs at par with the latter.
The DG also directed the IG to designate days of working in a week for the two locations of the VIP Security Headquarters so that the functioning and record maintenance can be streamlined. The VIP Security Headquarters functions at Delhi and Greater Noida camps.
Presently, the VSTC mainly imparts training in total body strengthening exercise, rope battling, aggression determination persistence (ADP) drills, proximate use of force (PUF), attack and defence tactics besides walk about drills, motorcade drills and rostrum drills, according to the minutes of the DG’s visit to the VSTC.
The Blue Book of PM’s security is updated by the Secretary (Security) under the Cabinet Secretariat and the specifics, including that of the SPG, are classified due to the information being sensitive in nature, officials said.
During the DG’s visit, the issue of Low Medical Category/overweight personnel in the Force was also highlighted, The medical officers have been directed to not only advise that the men should reduce weight but also suggest techniques to get the desired outcomes, they said.
A point regarding unwillingness of the personnel/officers for induction in VIP security duties due to non-applicability of special allowances was also discussed during Singh’s visit to the Group Centre. The officials emphasised that if a person is suitable in all respects for VIP security duty, their unwillingness does not matter. Such persons are bound to perform the duties assigned to them, officials added.
