The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, presented today the report card of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the month of June.
Presenting the report, Chidambaram said that besides operationalising the NSG hubs at Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, coastal security infrastructure too was stepped with an additional eight boats.
Under the Coastal Security Scheme, he said altogether 73 coastal police stations (CPS) have been approved in nine states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal and in the UTs of Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Fifty nine out of 73 CPSs are functional. Construction work of new buildings has been completed in 33 CPSs and is in progress in 11 CPSs, he said.
With regard to border security, Chidambaram said that eight kms. of fencing and five kms of road works were completed on the Indo-Bangladesh border in June 2009. In addition, 31 out of the 33 immigration check posts (ICPs) have been provided with upgraded computer systems. Altogether, 30 out of the 33 ICPs and all 5 FRRO offices have been networked to the Central Foreigners Bureau.
Security plans for states
Chidambaram added that the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Committee has approved the work plans for 2009-10 for the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Maharashtra. SRE Committee also approved the inclusion of one more district of Andhra Pradesh (Nizamabad) and five more districts of Orissa (Deogarh, Jajpur, Kondhamal, Dhenkanal and Nayagarh) under the SRE Scheme.
Under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Chidambaram revealed that on June 22, ‘CPI (Maoist), all its formations and front organisations’ was included in the Schedule to the Act and thus named as a terrorist organisation. Director Generals of Central paramilitary forces were given enhanced financial powers for capital works and land acquisition. A revised recruitment scheme for recruitment of constables in CPMFs was also approved.
In keeping pace with technologies, orders were placed for supply of automatic grenade launchers, grenades and handheld thermal imagers.
Work is under way for the creation of National Population Register (NPR) in coastal areas/districts of the country. A conference of district magistrates of the coastal districts was held on June 3, 2009. Officers of the Directorate of Census Operations were trained for fieldwork for NPR in coastal areas and districts, Chidambaram added.
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