Khattar trims security cover, removes 730 personnel

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has removed as many as 730 security personnel deployed in VIP security, including 130 from his own security cover, in an attempt to trim down the state expenditure.

“The state government is cutting down on the expenditure and as many as 730 excess security personnel have been removed. I have also cut down my security squad by 130 personnel,” Khattar said on Sunday.

Officials said that Khattar had been trying to reduce the expenditure on his travels, and setting an example for his colleague too. Keeping in view his plans, around 40 out of 300 staff members, including security personnel from the CM carcade have been removed, said a senior state government official.

Khattar also refused to buy a plane, which was proposed during the previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government.

The state government has a KingAir B-200 plane and a chopper. The plane is grounded since March 27 after a crash landing. All these steps are being taken by Khattar at a time when Haryana is facing a debt liability of around Rs 82,000 crore.

“Khattar will travel by train and occasionally by bus to reduce the expenditure. In a first such initiative, Khattar reached Chandigarh from Delhi by Shatabdi Express train recently after assuming charge,” an official spokesman said.