In News:

• A renowned Punjabi singer was recently shot dead in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the State police withdrew his security cover.
• Opposition parties launched a major offensive against the ruling government, blaming it for the total breakdown of law and order in the State. 

What’s in today’s article:

• VIP security
  • Eligibility
  • Process
  • Types
  • Forces involved

VIP security:

• Eligibility:
  • Protection is usually provided to those with high-ranking positions in government or civil society, hence the term "VIP security."
  • Because of their official jobs, certain individuals (the Prime Minister and his immediate family, the Home Minister, the National Security Advisor, etc) are automatically eligible for security coverage.
  • However, the Centre is rarely interested in protecting individuals (except above), state police forces protect a large number of "important people" whose lives are believed to be in danger based on state government assessments.
  • There are no legal restrictions on the government providing security to a criminal whose life is believed to be in danger.
  • In reality, it is the responsibility of the state to protect the lives of inmates and convicts.
• The process of security cover:
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) determines the level of security at the national level, while the state government determines the level of security at the state level.
  • The evaluation is based on intelligence agency information, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) at the national level, and the state intelligence department at the state level.
  • The state bears the cost of everyone to whom the government provides security. However, free cover is not a right.
    • Even after conducting a threat assessment, the government may choose to charge a private individual for security.
    • For example, industrialist Mukesh Ambani was asked to pay the CRPF Rs 15 lakh per month for the Z category cover provided in 2013.
• Different degrees of security:
• Security cover is divided into six categories:
  • X - One gunman;
  • Y - One gunman for mobile security and one (plus four on rotation) for static security;
  • Y plus - Two policemen (plus four on rotation) for mobile security and one (plus four on rotation) for home protection;
  • Z - Six mobile security officers and two (plus eight) resident security officers;
  • Z plus - Ten mobile security officers and two (plus eight) home security officers;
  • SPG (Special Protection Group)
• Even within these categories, there are different levels of coverage. These include home security, mobile security, office security and inter-state security.
• While the SPG is reserved for the Prime Minister and his immediate family, other protection categories can be extended to anyone with information about a threat from the Centre or state governments.
• Forces involved:
  • At national level, the National Security Guard (NSG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been designated by the government to provide security cover for VIPs other than the Prime Minister.
    • The Centre has relieved the NSG of the burden of VIP protection. As a result, the security of the Home Minister and the National Security Advisor have been assigned to the CRPF and the CISF, respectively.
  • If a state agrees to provide security, the state police will offer security.