Chandigarh, December 30: The Punjab Government has decidedto strengthen the security mechanism for all cash transportation activities inthe state by regulating all private security agencies engaged in suchactivities under the umbrella of the Private Security Agencies (Regulation)Act, (PSARA) 2005.
The state cabinet, at a virtual meeting chaired by ChiefMinister Captain Amarinder Singh, gave the go-ahead to notify the PunjabPrivate Security Agencies (Private Security to Cash Transportation Activities)Rules, 2020, in pursuance of PSAR Act, 2005, which did not specifically coverthe activities of the cash transportation agencies.
The new rules, drafted in line with similar rules issued bythe Government of India in 2018, are aimed at facilitating secure and smoothtransportation of cash in the state by bringing all Cash TransportationAgencies operating in Punjab under the regulation of PSAR Act, 2005.
With the notification of the new rules, all CashTransportation Agencies operating in Punjab would be governed by the PSAR Act,2005. Resultantly, the cash transportation agencies would be now required toobtain license from the State Controlling Authority and the persons entrustedwith the task for security of the cash in transit would be needed to besuitably recruited, verified and trained as per the rules/guidelines laid downunder the PSAR Act 2005, and the Cash Transportation Rules, 2020.
At present, the regulating Act for the private securitysector in India is the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005. ThePunjab government had in December 2007 notified the Punjab Private SecurityAgencies (PPSA) Rules under the enabling provisions of Section 25 of the 2005Act. Since both, the PSAR Act, 2005 and the PPSA Rules 2007 did not includecash transportation activities in its ambit, the decision has now been taken bythe state government to notify a new set of rules to eliminate the existinggap.
Notably, the Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI has notified theModel Rules: "The Private Security Agencies (Private Security to CashTransportation Activities) Rules, 2018, under Section 24 of the PrivateSecurity Agencies (Regulation) Act, (PSARA) 2005. The same have been publishedin the official Gazette of India vide notification dated August 8, 2018 and theState Government/UTs administration have been requested to formulate theirrules, under Section 25 of the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act,2005, in line with the Model Rules already notified by the Government of India.