275 persons given central security cover: Govt

Union government is providing security cover to 275 persons based on a threat-assessment exercise made for them, the government told Parliament today.
The government, however, said it cannot give out the total expenditure made for VIP security arrangements as such a data is not compiled centrally.
"The central government provides security cover on the basis of assessment of threat to some individuals. The security provided is subject to periodic review, based on which security is continued, withdrawn, downgraded or upgraded. Thus, the number of protected in the central list varies from time-to-time.
"However, as on date, there are 275 threat-based protectees in the central list," Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Giving a breakup of this, the Minister said, while there are 31 protectees under the top 'Z-plus' category, 77 are placed under the 'Z', 136 in the 'Y' security category and 31 under the lowest 'X' categorisation of VIP security.
"As regards expenditure on security, the same is difficult to determine precisely as it would include salary and allowances to security personnel, communication, transport vehicles etc. Which are accounted for under respective budget heads of different security agencies including state government agencies involved in providing security cover.
"Such details are not compiled centrally and so cannot be provided," he said.

He said while such a cover is given to important government functionaries by both centre and state governments, protection cover is also provided to an individual on the basis of comprehensive 'assessment-of-threat' carried out by the security agencies.