Of late, several meetings were held in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways and Ministry of Agriculture to review, upgrade and strengthen the coastal security of the country.
Radhika V. Selvi, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, listed out the measures taken by the government in the Rajya Sabha.
The task of guarding the Indian coastline right from the shoreline (High Tide Line) has been entrusted to the Coast Guard. However, the responsibility of overall maritime security rests with the Indian Navy.
Implementation of Coastal Security Scheme
Selvi said that coastal states and Union Territories have been directed to expedite the implementation of the approved Coastal Security Scheme such as early completion of construction of coastal police stations, check posts, out-posts and barracks apart from sanctioning, recruitment and training of executive and technical manpower.
The coastal States and Union Territories have also been directed to immediately start coastal patrolling by locally hired fishing boats and trawlers, charges being reimbursable by MHA.
They have also been directed to carry out vulnerability and gap analysis on their coasts in consultation with Coast Guard, and furnish their additional requirements for formulation of a comprehensive proposal for further approval of the Government of India.
The Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways has been directed to streamline the process of registration of all types of vessels, ie fishing, as well as non-fishing vessels, and also to ensure fitting/provision of navigational and communication equipments on these boats.
Issuance of ID cards
The minister said that the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairies & Fisheries is taking steps to issue ID cards to all the fishermen. Meanwhile, the Registrar General of India (RGI) is also issuing ID cards under Multi-purpose National Identity Card (MNICs) Scheme to all the population in the coastal villages including fishermen.
All the concerned ministries, departments and agencies are taking adequate measures for compliance of above decisions, she added.
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