The department lacks the budget to pay the 2,900 PRD (Provincial Reserve Force) volunteers who were managing traffic in the state. Consequently, their services have been terminated this month. This directive was issued by the District Youth Welfare and Provincial Reserve Force officers, following instructions from the Directorate of Youth Welfare and Provincial Reserve Force. According to the department’s director, Ashish Chauhan, these volunteers were deployed during the Char Dham pilgrimage, and some continued to be on duty as needed afterward.
Out of more than ten thousand PRD volunteers in the state, 7,514 are currently on duty. They are deployed at police stations and outposts, as well as in various departments including the Secretariat, Legislative Assembly, Excise Department, RTO, Mandi Samiti (Market Committee), Social Welfare, Water Department, Education, and Technical Education. This includes 908 women and 6,608 men. According to department officials, 2,900 of these PRD volunteers were deployed in various districts for the Char Dham pilgrimage in May 2024.
A budget of ₹32 crore was sanctioned for this purpose, but their duties were terminated after the budget was exhausted. However, some of these volunteers will be rehired. The Directorate has released a budget for this.
The deployment of PRD volunteers depends on the availability of government funds and the demand for their services. Their services were initially approved until December. They will only be deployed again if a new request is received.
