Coast Guard 20% short of its force strength

Twenty per cent of the sanctioned posts in the Indian Coast Guard are vacant, Parliament was informed on Friday.

"At present the borne strength of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is 12,585, against the sanctioned strength of 15,714. The remaining 3,129 posts, which is 20 per cent of the sanctioned strength, are vacant," Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

"Post 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack, Indian Coast Guard has witnessed rapid expansion and the induction/recruitment of manpower.A The recruitment process has been fast tracked and approximately 130 officers and 720 EPs (enrolled personnel) are being recruited every year," he added.

In order to tide over the existing manpower shortages, ICG is re-employing Short Service Commission officers from navy, law officers and drivers from Army and revising the Manning Plan for optimising combat readiness of all platforms, along with other measures.

"Coast Guard envisages surface platforms to grow from the present strength of 125 to 150 by 2018. Similarly, aircraft strength is expected to grow from the present 62 to 100 by 2020," the minister added.

--IANS

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