Guwahati, June 19: The Assam ONGC Police Battalion will be commissioned at the oil major’s Assam Assets headquarters at Nazira in Sivasagar district from August.

The recruitment process to raise the battalion to provide security to the ONGC installation there has already started.

Home department sources said the battalion would be headed by an officer of superintendent of police rank who would be on deputation from Assam Police.

At present, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is entrusted with the security of ONGC installations.

“The total cost to raise the battalion will be borne by the ONGC; we will provide logistical support,” a home department official said.

“Raising the battalion is the government’s two-pronged strategy to fight insurgency as well as open up job avenues for unemployed youths.”

Nearly 250 youths will be recruited in the first phase.

Sources said that the new battalion would be well-equipped and operate under the state director-general of civil defence and home guards.

“These men would be deployed at drilling sites in vulnerable places and at other installations of the oil giant,” the official said.

The decision to raise the battalion has been necessitated as the state police force, reeling under staff shortage, is too preoccupied with insurgency-related problems to look after security of industrial houses.

The official said CISF personnel would continue to be deputed at ONGC installations. “The CISF men will be in charge of security inside the ONGC installations and the battalion will protect the installations from outside and keep vigil at the drilling sites.”

Sources said ONGC, that has nearly 15 oil and gas-bearing stations in Assam, had proposed to raise such a battalion in Tripura as well.

A similar attempt by Dispur to raise Assam Tea Plantation Protection Force for the tea estates has failed with many tea companies refusing to bear the cost.