Government offices across the country haven’t learned much from the 26/11 outrage. On the face of it, the government is considering providing additional security cover for prominent buildings. But new tech like biometric scanners have faced “protocol” opposition from officials. “In India, security is still viewed in hierarchical terms,” says a police officer.
While ministries and government departments with VIPs get an advanced layer of security through special forces, security in government establishments, in general, is manned by either local police personnel or the CISF, both of whom have access to sophisticated weapons and security equipment.
However, there’s minimal use of technology—except for some PSUs or strategic installations. In most cases, the security solution is increasing manpower deployment. Access to government offices, especially in the states, is much easier than in the private sector. For instance, while the rbi has put in place systems in Mumbai, that can’t be said for the head offices of large public sector banks, like State Bank of India.
Staff screening, technically a mandatory requirement, is done through police verifications. Educational records are verified through direct contact with institutions, a time-consuming process typically not followed up. Like manpower deployment, government units aren’t allowed to engage private firms for staff screening. But then, as they say, security is as good as the state.
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