The function of the Home Guards is to serve an auxiliary to the police and to extend assistance in maintain internal security. The role of Home Guards is not restricted only to assisting the police in the law and order matters. But has been considerably enlarged into various fields of social activity, emergency like Rescue, fire, Flood equipment earthquakes, cyclone etc. Home Guards are also called up to maintain essential services and to maintain line of supply in time of strike, etc. They also function as nuclear of Civil Defence Services such as fire, rescue, communication and ambulance service. Other activities are also taken up so that they would be more useful to the people such as plantation of trees, Blood Duration, Eye camps, nursing the patients in Hospitals, Cleanliness drive, small saving schemes, etc.
Training is an important activity in the Home Guards Organisation. The alertness and efficiency of the home Guards is because of the regular parades and the training activity in the organisation. At the District level District Training Centres have been set up in all the Districts excluding Greater Bombay. At the State level there Is a Central Training Institute which conducts advanced training courses in essential crafts, platoon tactics, traffic control, protection of vital installations, Resistance group, fire fighting, Civil Defence duties to be discharged by the Home Guards. Besides this, advance course in leadership is conducted at this Institute for the section and platoon commanders the training of Home Guards in Greater Bombay is carried out in zones.
Due to heavy rains and the circumstances just like floods in some districts and suburban areas in Mumbai maximum male Home Guards were provided to help the police. So also for the following circumstances Home Guards were provided to help the police for bandobast in maintaining law & order duties.