Shillong: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Meghalaya Village Defence Organization Rule, 2025, marking a major step towards strengthening community policing in rural areas. Alongside the new rule, the government also announced a tenfold increase in the out-of-pocket allowance for Village Defence Parties (VDPs) — from ₹300 to ₹3,000.
The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Cabinet Minister and MDA spokesperson Wailadmiki Shylla said the new rule defines the structure, duties and responsibilities of VDPs at different administrative levels from the state to the district.
Shylla said the enhanced allowance is aimed at motivating VDP members to be more active in dealing with key challenges such as crime, drug trafficking, and security in sensitive border areas.
“We want the VDPs to be active, especially as we are facing challenges of crimes, drugs, and border issues. With this new rule, we hope to encourage more villages to form their own VDPs,” Shylla stated.
He added that the government is planning to modernize the VDPs by providing them with uniforms, walkie-talkies, and official identification to improve coordination and visibility.
While the minister did not confirm any provision for weapons, he stressed that the state is focused on empowering VDPs to play a stronger role in maintaining law and order at the grassroots level.
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