Source: TH
Context: Union Minister announced that Village Defence Guards (VDGs) in Jammu have been equipped with sophisticated weapons to combat rising terror incidents in the region.
About Village Defence Guards:
- Formation: Set up in the mid-1990s as a force multiplier against militant attacks.
- Purpose: Provide weapons and arms training to residents of remote hilly villages to defend themselves.
Need to Setup Village Defence Guards:
- Context: Militancy spread from Kashmir to Doda district by the mid-1990s.
- Trigger: Demand arose after the 1993 massacre of 13 people in Kishtwar.
- Implementation: The Home Ministry initiated VDCs in 1995, later expanding to other areas in the Jammu division as militancy spread to Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua, and Samba districts.
Contribution:
- Role in Combat: Played a significant role in combating militancy during its peak, particularly in Chenab Valley, Pir Panjal regions, and the hills of Udhampur, Reasi, and Kathua districts.
