Date:21/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/21/stories/2008092154840600.htm

Tamil Nadu

250 ex-servicemen get jobs at fair

Staff Reporter

Women urged to become security guards in industries

TIRUNELVELI: A two-day job fair commenced at Palayamkottai on Friday for recruitment of ex-servicemen for private security agencies became an instant hit as the event ensured employment to 250 persons on the first day.

Addressing the job fair, organised by Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) comprising 520 private security companies, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tirunelveli Range, P. Kannappan, lauded the role of ex-servicemen in helping the police to provide better security arrangements during elections.

He said that the concepts of community policing and Friends of Police were evolved since the police could not be present everywhere to ensure the security of every citizen.

“Against this backdrop, the ex-servicemen play a commendable role in ensuring security of the society,” Mr. Kannappan said.

Former Superintendent of Police, CBI, K. Ragothaman, appealed to the educated unemployed youths to become security guards in private companies as the jobs, now providing decent salaries, would serve as a stepping stone for them.

“The system of providing security to any industry has gone through transformation in the recent years, thanks to globalisation. Since the corporate firms , especially transnational companies, want to have smart security guards to handle the entire front office management, we’ve to provide e-literate ex-servicemen with fluency in English. Hence, we’ve to work in this direction,” said Mr. Ragothaman, who was the Chief Investigating Officer in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

He also called upon women to become security guards in the industries having huge women workforce. “Industries in Chennai alone are in need of 5,000-odd women security guards and prepared to offer decent salary. Hence, the educated but unemployed girls should make use of this opportunity,” Mr. Ragothaman noted.

Of the 450 applications received on the first day of the job fair, 250 ex-servicemen have been selected for various positions offering decent salary. “Since Saturday being a holiday, we expect good number of applications also on day two of the job fair,” said chairman of CAPSI, Capt. Shibu Isaac.

Assistant Director of Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association Jayakumar addressed in the job fair in which 15 agencies participated.