Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla conferred various medals to 76 awardees of Police, Home Guards & Civil Defence for their distinguished service at the ‘Investiture Ceremony’ held at Raj Bhavan today. Among the recipients, Commandant General, Home Guards & Civil Defence, Satwant Atwal Trivedi and Additional Director, CBI, New Delhi, N. Venugopal, were honored with the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.
Notably, this investiture ceremony was being held after five years, the last one being in 2020. On the occasion, the Governor congratulated the awardees and acknowledged their unwavering dedication, courage, and commitment to public service.
He emphasized that their contribution to law enforcement and public safety has been instrumental in safeguarding society. The Governor lauded the efforts of several awardees in combating drug abuse, stating that their relentless commitment to this cause would inspire others to join the fight against this menace.
He highlighted the crucial role of police and home guard forces in a hilly state like Himachal Pradesh. Despite challenging geographical conditions, their commitment to maintain law and order is commendable. He also underlined their significant role of these forces during disasters, crime prevention, traffic control and ensuring peace in society.
Shri Shukla reaffirmed that both the Himachal Pradesh Government and the Central Government are committed to strengthening law enforcement. He stated that initiatives such as smart policing, digital surveillance, disaster management training, and the provision of modern security equipment are enhancing the capabilities of police and home guard services.
Additionally, he emphasized the priority given to disaster management and civil defence to ensure rapid response during emergencies. Padam Shree Vidyanand Sarek and Nek Ram were also present on the occasion.
Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Onkar Chand Sharma, Director General of Police Dr. Atul Verma, Mayor, Municipal Corporation Shimla Surender Chauhan, Political Advisor to Chief Minister Sunil Sharma, Secretary to the Governor Chandra Prakash Verma, and other senior officials from the Police, Home Guards & Civil Defence Departments, were present on the occasion amongst others.