The report of
the Ministry of Home Affairs on the work done during March 2009 is as follows.
2. The highlight
of the month was the 401-page compilation containing the answers to the 30 questions
raised by Pakistan on the dossier that had been given
to Pakistan in January 2009. The compilation includes
copies of seizure memos, forensic analysis reports of mobile/satellite phones
that were used, logs of cell phone interceptions, transcripts of conversations,
a CD of intercepted voice recordings, finger prints of the accused, photographs,
DNA profiles, post-mortem reports, CDs of CCTV footage, copies of interrogation
reports etc. The compilation was handed over through MEA to the High Commissioner
of Pakistan on March 13,
2009.
3. Pakistan has now no excuse to decline to accept
responsibility to take the investigations forward. If Pakistan is sincere about stamping out terror
and bringing to book the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan should act promptly on the cogent
and compelling material that has been given by India. So far, MHA has no information that
Pakistan’s investigating agencies have proceeded
with the investigation or that Pakistan has allowed an external agency (like
FBI) to investigate the crimes.
4. As the month drew
to a close, on March 30, 2001, there was a terrorist attack on a
police training institute in Lahore, Pakistan. The Government of India has condemned
that act of terror. The Lahore incident underlines the urgent need
for Pakistan to dismantle the terror infrastructure
that seems to be intact in that country.
5. The Home Minister
visited Jammu & Kashmir (18.3.2009), Orissa (20.3.2009) and Rajasthan (24.3.2009)
for a review of the security situation.
6. The Home Minister
was constrained to cancel his proposed visit to Karnataka under circumstances
which can only be described as regrettable. Nevertheless, MHA has pursued and
completed the proposal to establish a counter-terrorist force in Bengaluru. 2
Para SF, a Special Force of the Army, has been located in Bengaluru. That force
will be as effective as the NSG. In fact, Karnataka has become the first State
to get a counter-terrorist hub that was promised in the Chief Ministers’ Conference.
7. The Home Minister
visited two Border Outposts on March 26, 2009 to review the border security arrangements.
They were BOP Battery in Punjab and BOP Satyapal in Rajasthan.
8. The work of strengthening
the CPMFs continued in March 2009. Sanctions worth Rs.235.94 crore for creation
of infrastructure were issued to the CPMFs as follows:
S. No.Name of the ForceAmount of expenditure sanctioned
(Rs. in crore)
1Assam Rifles 83.43
2Border Security Force 17.49
3Central Reserve Police Force 99.19
4Central Industrial Security Force 14.00
5Indo Tibetan Border Police 11.27
6Sashastra Seema Bal 10.56
Total 235.94
9. Connectivity has
been achieved between the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) in Delhi and the SMACs in the State capitals.
Connectivity has also been achieved between the SMAC in the State capital and
the Special Branch of the police of that State.
10. Annual Action
Plans for 2009-10 under the Modernisation of Police Force (MPF) Scheme pertaining
to Jharkhand and Haryana were approved as follows:
(Rs. in crore)
Jharkhand : 34.20
Haryana
: 45.13
Total
: 79.33
11. The order for
20,000 numbers of BP jackets placed on January 16, 2009 has been fully executed.
12. On March
25, 2009, a
contract was signed between MHA and M/s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to purchase
eight Dhruv helicopters at a cost of Rs.343.05 crore. The first lot of four helicopters
will be supplied by the end of April 2009. They will be used for training for
a period of four months and thereafter will be available for operational use.
A second lot of four helicopters will be supplied in 2010-11.
13. Rs.243.09 crore
was released in March 2009 under Security Related Expenditure (B). Further, a
sum of Rs.93.37 crore was released under SRE (R&R). Thus, the entire budgeted
amount for 2008-09 of Rs.399.99 crore under SREP (PP) and Rs.209.99 crore under
SRE (R&R) have been released.
14. The following
proposals have been approved under SRE:
6 districts were included under SRE – Nizamabad (A.P) and Deogarh, Jajpur,
Kandhamal, Nayagarh and Dhenkanal (Orissa).
6,666 SPOs were appointed in 4 States – Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh.
15. A major joint
operation against left wing extremists was launched by the States of Maharashtra
and Chhattisgarh with the assistance of Central Para Military Forces provided
by the Central Government. The operations lasted for nearly a month. One left
wing extremist was killed, 55 were arrested and 78 guns/country made pistols were
recovered. Three men of the CRPF lost their lives.
16. Work is in progress
on strengthening border security.
67 kms of fencing and 54 kms of roads were completed in March
2009 in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal.
In addition, 43 kms of fencing was replaced along the Indo-Bangladesh
border.
Rs.56 crore was released to the States in March 2009 under
the Border Area Development Programme (BADP). Thus, the entire budgeted amount
for 2008-09 of Rs.635 crore has been released.
17. Under the Scheme
of Modernisation of Prisons Phase-I, an amount of Rs. 20.42 crore was released
till March 27, 2009 to the States of Madhya Pradesh and
Punjab. The breakup is as under:
(Rs. in crore)
Punjab : 11.17
Madhya Pradesh : 9.55
Tota : 20.72
Another amount
of Rs.7.73 crore has been released to the States of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
The breakup is as under:
(Rs. in crore)
Chhattisgarh : 6.23
Andhra Pradesh:1.50
Total:7.73
18. One State Legislative
proposal i.e., The Uttar Pradesh Control of Organized Crime Bill, 2007 was approved.
19. President’s Rule
was imposed in Meghalaya on 19.3.2009.
20. Preparations for
the National Population Register, the MNIC project, and Census 2011 continue to
proceed apace. The pilot projects for direct data collection were successfully
completed in three States and one Union Territory on 20.3.2009. The field survey
work for the preparation of geo-referenced enumeration blocks (for Census 2011)
has been completed in 316 wards, including 84 wards completed in March 2009.
21. The MHA wishes
to conclude this report by reaffirming the Government’s commitment to enhancing
national security and protecting the country from terrorist threats and terrorist
attacks. A number of measures that are complementary have been initiated or completed
and these measures have strengthened the security of the country.
*****
OK/KS
(Release ID :48446)