Goyal was addressing the Private Security Industry Conclave (PSIC) - 2019 organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The theme for this year's conclave is "Creating jobs - securing new India".
Urging private security agencies to look at training in a "bigger way", the Minister, who attended the programme in place of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, said: "I am not so sure how well these guards are trained. I am not even sure about the equipment they have and how well they know how to handle it..."
But a baton can be an effective weapon, if it is in well-trained hands, said Goyal. "In many places in the world, baton itself provides a lot of confidence... A baton can do wonders, if it is in the hands of a well trained guy."
Insisting that he didn't "want to bring in extraneous things", Goyal said: "I think, the training we get in our RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) shakhas is far superior to the training that private security guards get."
Though he was quick to add that he did not mean that everyone should be sent to RSS shakhas, he said there was not harm in that (people joining shakhas). "They (guards) will learn something good. Their mental as well physical capabilities will be enhanced there," he said.
He insisted that he was only trying to emphasise how important training was "to the work that your industry does".
The Minister also suggested that the agencies put more investment and focused effort into the certification of guards and said they should be given stars to rate their performance.
"We can work out on something like that in consultation with the Home Ministry. It will help the guards in improving their promotion and income avenues... Such innovative ideas will empower the private security industry going forward," said Goyal.
( With inputs from IANS )