NATIONAL MILITIA
Answer to India's Security Needs
Dr.S.SubramanianH
In the new
millennium, Shooting Wars will become rare and Proxy Wars will become the order of the
day. A vast country like India should develop a system through which it will be possible
for her to deploy a large number of trained security personnel at different parts of the
country. As in our country Conscription or Compulsory Military Service will not be
acceptable, we have to think of alternate methods. In our view, establishment of a
National Militia (NM) would solve this problem. NM will provide, over a period of years,
in every District a group of well-trained and experienced security personnel ready for
deployment at short notice. NM will be an Armed Force of the Union and will be financed
entirely by the Govt. of India. Like USA, it will remain under the command of the Governor
of the State, who is the representative of the President in that area.
OBJECTIVES
To -
- Create units of well-trained and experienced security personnel for deployment on tasks
affecting National Security and Internal Security;
- Make Defence and Para-Military Forces truly representative of the Country in character;
- Avoid wastage of trained manpower and their utilisation in a proper manner; and
- Save money on Pension Payments to persons of young age.
PRESENT SCENARIO (PROBLEM)
- People from certain regions of the country are now dominating Defence Forces. This is
not good in the long run for the Indian Democracy.
- In the garb of keeping Defence Forces young, trained manpower is being sent out at very
young age, after 'Colour Service'. They spent over 60% of their time on training while in
service and leave the Defence Forces without opting for permanent employment.
- Army's thinking on Human Resources Management is Colonial and outdated. It presumes that
personnel after retirement at an early age will go back to their villages and take to
Agriculture as a vocation. Modern youth are not interested in Agriculture and they wish to
remain in Urban areas. Due to social changes, joint family system has disappeared and it
is not possible for them to get support from the relatives.
- Defence personnel on Pension now outnumber serving personnel manifold.
- Government of India spends crores of rupees on retraining and rehabilitation of
Ex-Servicemen with questionable and doubtful results.
- Since Ex-Servicemen are scattered it has not been possible to organise welfare measures
for them in a meaningful way at any one location.
- Rehabilitation measures like Defence Service Corps, and Rashtriya Riffles have not
proved to be effective. Since they do not have any skills useful to Civilian life, not
withstanding the reservation for them, they remain unemployable.
SOLUTION
- Establish National Militia Units in all the Districts of the country as a Civilian Armed
Force like BSF, CRPF etc.
- Once a quarter, 60 youth from each District will be recruited and given basic training
for 3 months in the District itself.
- On completion of the Basic training, they will be sent to Army Infantry Battalions,
where they will be given a further training of 9 months and thereafter will serve for a
period of 5 years in the same Battalion.
- On completion, 25% of them will be given an option to remain in the Army on a permanent
basis and the rest will move over to border security formations like BSF, ITBP, SSB etc.
- Those opting for Army will serve for another ten years and on completion of 16 years of
total service, will be seconded to CISF, RPF and other 'Guard Service Organisations'.
Those who are not willing will revert back to District National Militia Unit and serve
there till 55 years of age.
- Those who have been sent to Border Security Organisations, will serve for a further
period of six years in them. On completion of attachment, 1/3rd of them will be
given the option to serve in these organisations on a permanent basis.
- Other personnel will go to Central Reserve Police Force for service for another six
years. At the end of this period, 50% will be given the choice to remain in the CRPF. The
rest will be given a choice either to join 'Guard Service Organisations' or go back to the
District National Militia Units.
- All personnel will serve up to 55 years of age. Except for those who opt for permanent
absorption to individual organisations, all others will be deemed to be on deputation from
National Militia at all times. In other words, their lien will remain with the National
Militia.
- National Militia will have a separate pay scale equivalent to Para-Military Forces. If
there are any differences in the pay between NM and other organisation, difference will be
paid as Deputation Allowance. The flow chart explains the movement of personnel.
NATIONAL MILITIA
Flow-Chart showing movement of personnel
No.of personnel |
Organisation of Service |
Period of Service |
Total Service |
60 |
Basic Training in District National Militia Unit |
3 months |
1/4th year |
60 |
Army Infantry Training |
9 months |
1 year |
60 |
Army Infantry Battalion Service |
5 years |
6 years |
15
45 |
Opting for Army Service
Proceed to Border Security Formations |
10 years |
16 years |
45 |
Service in Border Security Formations |
6 years |
12 years |
15
30 |
Remain in Border Security Formation
Go to Central Reserve Police Force |
6 years |
Till 55 years of age
18 years |
15
15 |
Stay with Central Reserve Police Force
Go back to District NM Unit or to CISF, RPF or other Guard Service
Organisations |
|
Till 55 years of age
Till 55 years of age |
ADVANTAGES OF NATIONAL MILITIA
- People from all regions will be represented fully in the Army and Para-Military Forces.
This will help in National Integration.
- Will provide employment opportunities on a continuous basis of 60 youth in every quarter
in all Districts. This will have the effect of boosting rural economy.
- The money now being spent on generation of rural employment can be diverted to National
Militia.
- Instead of a Serviceman becoming a retired person at an young age after 16 years of
service, he will have the satisfaction of serving till 55 years of age.
- All welfare activities like Group Housing, Hospitals; Schools etc. can be located at
National Militia District Unit headquarters, which will in turn generate subsidiary
employment and economic benefit to rural areas.
- The personnel ultimately returning to the District NM Unit will strengthen the
capability of the District to face Internal Security Problems. As the National Militia
builds up, the number of personnel of the District Police Armed Reserve could be gradually
reduced and shifted to the Civil Police, giving good service to the general Public.
PROBLEMS FORESEEN IN IMPLEMENTATION
- Non cooperation from Army and PMFs to the idea.
- Organisations would not like to loose their privilege of recruiting personnel on their
own terms.
- Turf problems among organisations.
HOW TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS
- A Committee consisting of the District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police and the
Representatives of Army and PMFs should do recruitment to NM.
- All organisations would continue to recruit personnel to meet their needs but will
gradually reduce the number recruited keeping in view the flow of personnel from National
Militia.
- To succeed, the administrative component of the National Militia should be kept very
small.
- National Militia should be an Independent Department under the Cabinet Secretariat.
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