Govt set to review SPG cover for Sonia Gandhi and others

The move is aimed at reducing the burden on the special protection group or SPG.

With the burden on the on the security and exchequer getting heavier, the government is set to review the security cover to former prime ministers and their family members. The list of persons whose security covers would be reviewed are former Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi among others.

The move is aimed at reducing the burden on the special protection group or SPG. The SPG which was set up in 1985 is tasked with protecting the Prime Minister, former prime ministers and their families. The decision is taken based on the threat perception to each of these persons.

Currently the SPG guards the Prime Minister, former PM Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his foster-daughter Namita Bhattacharya, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi.

In the meeting to be held soon, the threat perception of each of these persons would be taken into account and a decision taken accordingly.

OneIndia News