Lok Sabha Question No. 2105 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-20
Subject: Private Security Agencies
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Girish Chandra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2105

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  DECEMBER, 2022/ AGRAHAYANA 29, 1944 (SAKA)

PRIVATE SECURITY AGENCIES

2105.      SHRI GIRISH CHANDRA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  the  number  of  private  security  agencies  in  the  country,  State-wise especially in Uttar Pradesh;

(b)  whether  any  special  privilege/immunity  has  been  provided  to  private security agencies and their security guards under Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005;

(c) whether the age limit for private guards would be reviewed as there are old age persons engaged as private security guards; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) & (b): Private  Security  Agencies  in  the  country  are  regulated  as  per provisions of the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 [PSAR Act]. Further, as per the Act, Controlling Authorities appointed by State/UT Governments  have  been  assigned  the  duties  of  issuance  of  licence  and regulation  of  private  security agencies in a State/UT. The data pertaining

to the numbers  of  private  security  agencies  in  the  country  is not maintained  centrally.  This  data  is  maintained  at  the  level  of  State/UT. However,  in  the  year  2019,  the  Central  Government  has  developed  a 'Private Security Agency Licensing Portal' to facilitate the States/UTs for online issue of licence to private security agencies. As per the web portal, there are 19526 licenses of Private Security Agencies as on 15.12.2022 out of which 1267 licenses are in Uttar Pradesh. The State-wise list of licenses of Private Security Agencies is at Annexure. There is no special privilege/immunity  provided  to  the  private  security  agencies  and  their security guards under Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005.

(c) & (d): As  per  Section  10(1)(b)  of  the  PSAR  Act,  2005,  a  private security agency can employ or engage any person of the age between 18 years  to  65  years  as  a  private  security  guard.  At  present,  there  is  no proposal for review of age of private security guards.

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## Numbers of private security agencies in the country, State/UT-wise:

(as per the database on the web portal psara.gov.in as on 15.12.2022)*

| S. No.   | Name of State/UT                     |   No. of licence |
|----------|--------------------------------------|------------------|
| 1        | Andaman & Nicobar                    |                9 |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh                       |              312 |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh                    |                4 |
| 4        | Assam                                |              262 |
| 5        | Bihar                                |              452 |
| 6        | Chandigarh                           |              124 |
| 7        | Chhattisgarh                         |              197 |
| 8        | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu |              169 |
| 9        | Delhi                                |             1033 |
| 10       | Goa                                  |              105 |
| 11       | Gujarat                              |             2420 |
| 12       | Haryana                              |             1253 |
| 13       | Himachal Pradesh                     |              259 |
| 14       | Jammu and Kashmir                    |                0 |
| 15       | Jharkhand                            |              279 |
| 16       | Karnataka                            |              794 |
| 17       | Kerala                               |              662 |
| 18       | Ladakh                               |                0 |
| 19       | Lakshadweep                          |                0 |
| 20       | Madhya Pradesh                       |             1026 |
| 21       | Maharashtra                          |             3328 |
| 22       | Manipur                              |               13 |
| 23       | Meghalaya                            |               31 |
| 24       | Mizoram                              |                6 |
| 25       | Nagaland                             |                0 |
| 26       | Odisha                               |              508 |
| 27       | Puducherry                           |              102 |
| 28       | Punjab                               |              917 |
| 29       | Rajasthan                            |             1696 |
| 30       | Sikkim                               |               23 |
| 31       | Tamil Nadu                           |              938 |
| 32       | Telangana                            |              649 |
| 33       | Tripura                              |               72 |
| 34       | Uttar Pradesh                        |             1267 |
| 35       | Uttarakhand                          |              348 |
| 36       | West Bengal                          |              268 |
|          | All States and UTs                   |            19526 |