Report Card of Ministry of Home Affairs for October, 2010

PIB RELEASE

Ministry of Home Affairs

01-November, 2010

Report Card of Ministry of Home Affairs for October, 2010

The Union Home Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram presented the Report Card of the Ministry for October, 2010 here today.  Following is the text of his statement: “I present before you the report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the month of October, 2010. The highlight of the month was the successful conduct of the XIX Commonwealth Games-2010. Foolproof security arrangements were made by Delhi Police. 187 coys of CPMFs were deployed for the Games, including 24 BSF, 26 CRPF, 30 CISF, 22 ITBP, 15 SSB, 36 IRB and 34 SAP coys. Further, air defence surveillance arrangements were made. .           Pursuant to the decision of the CCS, on October 13, 2010, Government issued orders appointing Dr. Dileep Padgaonkar, Prof. M.M. Ansari and   Prof Radha Kumar, as interlocutors for Jammu & Kashmir, to hold a sustained and uninterrupted dialogue with all sections of the people of J&K.             Two special Task Forces were constituted on October 13, 2010, one each for Jammu and Ladakh regions, to examine the developmental needs of the regions with particular reference to deficiencies in infrastructure.             A meeting of the Central Zonal Council consisting of Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh was held on October 27, 2010.             The Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs deliberated upon the issue of Coastal Security at its meeting on October 27, 2010.             Under the Central Scheme for assistance to the victims of terrorist/communal/naxal violence, 12 beneficiaries were given assistance of Rs. 3 lakh each. States             On October 22, 2010, I visited JCP Hussainiwala in District Ferozpur, Punjab on the India-Pakistan border to lay the Foundation Stone of the Viewers’ gallery.              On October 30-31, 2010, I visited Leh, Kargil, Baramulla and Srinagar.  I visited the flood affected areas at Leh and Kargil and saw the progress made in the rehabilitation work. I also reviewed the security situation with the Chief Minister, the State authorities and the officers of the CPMFs. North East             Development seminars were held at Imphal East and Ukhrul Districts of Manipur on October 18-19, 2010. At the end of the seminars, various recommendations for the economic development of the two Districts were made.             The State of Nagaland was declared ‘Disturbed Area’ for a further period from October 20, 2010 to June 30, 2011 under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.             On October 20, 2010, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the proposal for improvement and maintenance of NH-53 by the BRO at a cost of Rs. 335.49 crore.             The fifth round of tripartite talks on the demands of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) was held on October 11, 2010. GJM has, however, requested that the next level talks may be held at the political level. CPOs/CPMFs             Rs. 586.02 crore (46.32% of budget provision) has been released to the States under the MPF Scheme for State police forces in FY 10-11. This includes Rs. 58.94 crore released to the following States in October, 2010: Punjab Rs.  15.14 crore Nagaland Rs.    1.13 crore Orissa Rs.  30.00 crore Manipur J&K Rs.  11.66 crore Rs.    1.07 crore Total          Rs.  58.94 crore Sanctions amounting to Rs. 56.69 crore were issued for acquisition of land and construction of buildings/barracks for CPMFs:- Land (BSF, ITBP, SSB)                                   :           Rs.   3.55 crore Office/residential Buildings (SSB, AR, BSF, NSG)                                    :           Rs.  53.14 crore Total                                                               :           Rs. 56.69 crore             The following procurements amounting to Rs. 55.90 crore were approved under the MPF Scheme for CPMFs/CPOs: 4 Fast Attack Craft for BSF         : Rs. 28.23 crore 480 Inflatable Motor Rescue Boats for BSF     : Rs.  4.67 crore Generator sets for the CRPF     : Rs. 23.00 crore Total      : Rs.55.90 crore             Lump sum ex-gratia compensation amounting to Rs. 1.75 crore was sanctioned to the next of kin of deceased CPMF personnel in 22 cases.             An amount of Rs. 68.82 crore was released to the LWE affected States being the second instalment of Advance under the SRE scheme for the implementation of Work Plan 2010-2011.             Sanction was accorded for the release of the third instalment of Rs. 65.72 crore for the implementation of CCTNS project to 22 States/UTs.             Rs. 4.5 Crore was approved for the construction and purchase of equipment for the Modern Firing Range at SVPNPA.             Sanction was issued for the creation of 219 posts in the CISF for the augmentation of strength at NALCO Damanjodi (207 posts) and Mumbai Port Trust (12 posts).             110 coys of CPMFs and 2 helicopters have been deployed in Bihar for the first two phases of the Assembly elections.  This has been stepped up to 355 coys of CPMFs and 4 helicopters for the subsequent phases. Border Management             India-Bangladesh Border: 11 kms of fencing and 15 kms of road works were completed in October, 2010 under phase II of the project. 17 kms of fencing was replaced in October, 2010 under phase III of the project. Poles for floodlighting were erected on a length of 50 kms and cables were laid on 10 kms during the month of October, 2010.             India-China Border: 59.73 kms of formation works and 3.23 kms of surfacing works were completed in October, 2010. The construction of Sugar Point – Lapcha road (7.55 kms) in Himachal Pradesh was also completed in October, 2010.             Coastal Security: 1 boat was delivered in October, 2010 by Goa Shipyards Limited. In addition 13 boats are ready for delivery including 7 boats for A&N. Against a delivery target of 180 boats up to October, 2010, 159 boats have been delivered.  We have been assured that the shortfall will be made up and all the contracted 204 boats will be delivered by January, 2011 as against original target date of December, 2010. Immigration:             By the end of October, 2010, 33 ICPs have been networked as part of Project of Computerization and Networking against the target of 42 ICPs for the year 2010.             In October, 2010, 5 ICPs namely Hilli(West Bengal), Dhalaighat(Tripura), Mankachar(Assam), Ragna(Tripura) and Sabroom(Tripura) ICPs were networked with the Central Foreigners’ Bureau (CFB), taking the total of CFB-networked ICPs to 68 out of a total of 77. National Integration Council             The Standing Committee of the National Integration Council, comprising of Union Home Minister as Chairman, 4 Union Ministers, 9 Chief Ministers of various States and 5 co-opted members from NIC, was constituted on October 18, 2010 and the first meeting was held on October 26, 2010. IPS Cadre             Offer of appointment was issued to 132 candidates on the basis of their qualifying the Civil Services Examination, 2009.             The following appointments were made:                         Shri K. Vijay Kumar, IPS (TN:75) as DG, CRPF                         Shri Vikram Srivastava, IPS (UP:73) as DG, BPR&D                         Shri R.K. Mathur, IPS (CH:74) as Director, NPA                         Shri N.K. Tripathi, IPS (MP:74) as Director, NCRB                            Shri Anirudh Uppal, IPS (HP:76) as Spl. DG, CRPF Union Territories              The Delhi Prevention of Touting and Malpractices Act against Tourists Ordinance, 2010 was promulgated in October, 2010.                         Notification was issued on October 13, 2010 extending the jurisdiction of Punjab Value Added Tax (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2007 to Union territory of Chandigarh.              Transfer/posting Guidelines in respect of IAS/IPS Officers of AGMU cadre were finalized on October 12, 2010and placed on the website of MHA on October 14, 2010.             Rs. 10.49 crore was sanctioned to Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Dadra & Nagar Haveli under PMSUT (Police Modernization Scheme for Union Territories). In the month of October, 2010, CCTV Surveillance System of the Delhi Police installed and operationalized at 10 locations, namely                                        i.      M2K Market, Rohini, Sector-3                                      ii.      Saket Complex Market                                     iii.      Old & New Rajender Nagar Market                                    iv.      South Extension-II Market                                      v.      GK-II Market                                    vi.      G.B. Road Market                                   vii.      Ramlila Ground to R S Flyover                                 viii.      Hauz Khas Market                                    ix.      Khari Baoli Market                                      x.      Darya Ganj Disaster Relief             Consequent upon the end of the tenure of some members, the following were appointed as Members of the National Disaster Management Authority:             (i)         Shri M. Shashidhar Reddy for a second term             (ii)        Maj. Gen. (Retd) Dr. J.K. Bansal             (iii)       Shri T. Nandakumar, IAS (Retd)             The Centre’s share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) amounting to Rs. 254.63 crore was released in October, 2010 to the following States:             Andhra Pradesh                                                :  Rs.   74.78 crore             Mizoram                                                           :  Rs.     4.57 crore             Kerala                                                              :  Rs.   12.78 crore             Maharashtra                                                     :  Rs. 127.06 crore             West Bengal                                                     :  Rs.   35.44 crore             Total                                                               :  Rs. 254.63 crore             Approval was issued to the raising of two additional battalions of National Disaster Response Force by upgradation/conversion of one battalion each of Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force. These two battalions will be located in the States of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh respectively.             National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 737 personnel and 71 boats were deployed for emergency response and rescue in the flood prone States of Andhra Pradesh (76 personnel; 12 boats), Assam (30 personnel; 2 boats), Bihar (47 personnel; 48 boats), Delhi (370 personnel and CBRN equipment), Kerala (37 personnel; 4 boats), Tripura (30 personnel; 1 boat), Uttarakhand (80 personnel and MFR/CSSR equipments) and Uttar Pradesh (67 personnel; 4 boats). Census 2011 and National Population Register (NPR)             Counting Machines and Scanners were installed, tested and operationalised at all Storage-cum Scanning Centres (SSC). 78% counting/document preparation work is complete at all SSCs.             Scanning of NPR schedules has started at all SSCs and more than 28% schedules have been scanned at all SSCs.             The field survey for the Annual Health Survey is in progress in 233 districts in nine States.  Field work in respect of 9,698 sample units out of a total of 20,694 sample units has been completed up to October 2010.  The third party audit to ensure quality of data commenced on October 25, 2010. Judicial             The President’s assent was received in respect of the following legislative proposals: (a)                The Indian Stamp (Chhattisgarh Amendment) Bill, 2010 (b)                The Kerala Recognition of Trade Union Bill, 2009 (C)       The West Bengal Estates Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, 2009 Other issues             9,000 pension records of freedom fighters were computerized in October, 2010. The database now has 249,000 records. Complete database of 45,900 freedom fighters/dependents, which are living and drawing pension through the public sector banks has been prepared.  In addition, database in respect of 5,200 freedom fighters/dependents, received through the Treasuries has also been prepared in the month of October, 2010.             68,044 records of claims and compensation paid to displaced persons were computerized in October, 2010. The database now has 191,194 records.             The meeting of the Committee of Eminent Freedom Fighters headed by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs was held at Port Blair on October 22, 2010”. ***** RS/KKA (Release ID :66709) http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx

SIMs procured in BSF officer’s name, authorities worried

from The Indian ExpressMon Nov 01 2010,Srinagar:

Seizure of some application forms for SIM cards have sent alarm bells ringing across the security establishment in Jammu and Kashmir. Reason: the forms have “forged” signatures of a Border Security Force (BSF) officer.

The 46 applications forms with “forged” signatures and stamp of a top BSF intelligence officer were seized by the police from an Aircel outlet in Kupwara in north Kashmir.

“We have seized application forms that have purportedly forged identities,” SP V K Birdhi told The Indian Express. “The raid was conducted after BSF shared a tip-off with us”.

Police are now hunting for the three men who allegedly procured the SIMs using the forged forms, Birdhi said. “We have registered an FIR and are investigating the case,” he said. Sources said police are also probing whether the SIM cards have landed in the hands of militants.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/SIMs-procured-in-BSF-officer-s-name--authorities-worried/705337

Bihar polls: Maoists trigger blasts in Jamui, BSF retaliates

From ThaiIndian

Patna, Nov 1 (ANI): Maoists triggered off a blast in Betia forest area near Jamui district in the early hours of polling for 42 Assembly constituencies in Bihar today.

Director General of Police Neelmani said Maoists had triggered a blast near a bridge on the Chakai-Jamui main road in Betia jungle.

The Maoists fled after BSF commandos retaliated, he said.

In another incident, unidentified persons set off four bombs near booth Nos. 56 and 57 in Danapur.

Defects in EVMs were initially reported from some booths in Bhagalpur and Banka districts, but were promptly attended to, official sources said.

Meanwhile, an estimated 14 per cent voters cast their votes in the early hours of polling.

Over one crore voters will decide the fate of 568 candidates including 58 women in this phase. The polling, which started at 7 am, will continue till 5 pm except in 14 naxal affected assembly segments where it will end at 3 pm.

Prominent contestants include BJP stalwarts and ministers Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Bhagalpur), Nand Kishore Yadav (Patna Sahib) Ramnarayan Mandal (Banka), besides JD(U) minister Damodar Raut.

Former CPI(M) MP Subodh Rai, who recently switched over to ruling JD(U), is in the fray from Sultanganj, while LJP president Ramvilas Paswan’s brother and state party president Pashupati Kumar Paras is contesting from Alauli.

The first three phases of Bihar polls passed off peacefully. The fifth and sixth phase of elections are scheduled on November 9 and 20.

The State will elect a new 243-seat assembly in a staggered month-long polling in six phases in which over 55 million electorates are expected to cast their franchise.

Counting of votes will take place on November 24. (ANI)

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/bihar-polls-maoists-trigger-blasts-in-jamui-bsf-retaliates_100453029.html

Video:India, Pak re-committed for promoting peace

Video Link

http://videosfromindia.smashits.com/view/15902/india-pak-re-committed-for-promoting-peace-and-security-bsf-dg

कमाल का कैमल बैन्ड

Video Link

http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_player.php?id=1196937

कमाल का कैमल बैन्ड

http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_player.php?id=1196937

BSF choppers for phase 4 of Bihar poll today

From Deccan Herald
Patna, October 31, DHNS :
The helicopters of the Border Security Force (BSF) have been pressed into service to keep an eye on the Maoists who have given a boycott call for Monday’s election.

The polling in the 42 Assembly constituencies in eight districts – Patna, Bhagalpur, Munger, Sheikhpura, Jamui, Begusarai, Khagaria and Lakhisarai – will take place on Monday amid tightest security ever. However, keeping in mind that all the eight districts are Maoist-affected, the timing of polling in the 13 Assembly constituencies will be from 7 am to 3 pm. Elsewhere, it will be up to 5 pm.

Seal the fate
More than one crore voters, including 46 lakh women, will decide the fate of 568 candidates in the fray. Prominent among those whose fate will be sealed on Monday include Pashupati Kumar Paras, younger brother of Ram Vilas Paswan, ministers in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet Ashwani Choubey and Nand Kishore Yadav, and Parveen Amanullah, wife of Bihar Cabinet Secretary Afzal Amanullah.
While the Congress has fielded candidates on all 42 seats, the Bahujan Samaj Party is in the fray in 40 constituencies.
Among the ruling alliance, the Janata Dal (United) is contesting on 25 seats while its junior partner – the BJP – in 17 constituencies. Similarly, Lalu’s Rashtriya Janata Dal is in fray in 26 constituencies leaving the rest 16 seats for the Lok Janshakti Party.

A BSF jawans jumps as he alights from a boat

From Deccan Chronicle

November 1st, 2010

A BSF jawans jumps as he alights from a boat while arriving for election duty at Diyara ahead of the fourth phase of polling for the Assembly elections in Danapur, Bihar, on Sunday. PHOTO: PTI

 http://www.deccanchronicle.com/national/bsf-jawans-jumps-he-alights-boat-487

One more ISI agent held along Tripura border

From blogspot
Agartala, Oct 31 (IANS) Another agent of Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India- Bangladesh border in southern Tripura, police said here Saturday.

BSF troopers detained ISI agent Sheikh Mohammad Abu Bakkar Siddique, 27, from southern Tripura's Sabroom border, 140 km from here, Thursday night when he was crossing the border, a police spokesman told reporters. He was handed over to the Tripura Police.

Siddique is the third ISI agent to be arrested in Tripura since July. According to police, the ISI agents entered India from Bangladesh and visited other northeastern states as well.

'He told the police and intelligence interrogators that he was sent by an opposition party leader in Bangladesh to further strengthen the ISI network in northeast India,' the police official said.

The Tripura Police, central security force, Army and central intelligence officials have been interrogating Siddique.

Police also arrested two Indian youths for their links with Siddique, who told the intelligence officials that he was scheduled to visit Kolkata 'to execute some plans'.

Earlier, ISI spy Manir Khan alias Omar Ashraf, 30, and his six Indian associates were arrested July 3 by Tripura Police in Agartala. Also, BSF troopers detained ISI emissary Nayeem Ahmed Mamoon, 22, when he was crossing the border towards Bangladesh through Lankamura border on the outskirts of Agartala.
http://iassam.blogspot.com/2010/10/one-more-isi-agent-held-along-tripura.html

Live cartridge from 1971 war found

From The Times of India
31 Oct, 2010 2351hrs IST TNN[ Vimal Bhatia & AkhileshSourav Jha ]

JAISALMER/JAIPUR: A gust of strong wind on Wednesday brought alive the memories of India-Pakistan war over Bangladesh in 1971 when the BSF patrol party found live cartridges at Longewala, the battleground in Jaislamer district. Altogether 27 cartridges wrapped in a plastic bag, including seven live, were recovered by the BSF' 38th Battalion at SKT BoP (border outpost).

According to BSF sources, the cartridges date back to the war between the two countries before the freedom of Bangladesh in 1971. Ramgarh police in Jaisalmer district has taken possession of the cartridges. Longewala, the place where the ammunition was found, was the place where the Indian armed forces had vanquished the Pakistanis destroying its 56 Paton tanks.

The incident assumes significance as according to some reliable defence sources, the Indian Air Force is going to organise a commemorative function in the first week of December. Live bombs and cartridges often surface in the region.

According to BSF sources, the area was heavily mined by the Pakistani forces at that time. Almost five years ago, a BSF reinforcement vehicle was blown off to pieces due to a mine blast along the region. Since then no efforts have been made by the Indian defence establishments to de-mine the area for the past 40 odd years.

It is also feared that area with 25 km radius adjesecent to the Longewala was densely mined during the war by the Pakistanis after they had intruded in to Indian side of the border in 1971. The battleground has been enmeshed with thousands of live bombs and dozens of broken Pakistani tanks.

http://m.timesofindia.com/PDATOI/articleshow/6849028.cms

BSF, Pakistani Rangers agree on minimum detention of fishermen

From in.com news Islamabad, Oct 30: The directors general of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistani Rangers have agreed to press their respective government for release of fishermen held on either side after minimum detention and paperwork. BSF Director General Raman Shrivastava, heading a 19-member delegation, was in Lahore for a strategic meeting to discuss issues pertaining to border security between the two neighbours. Major General Yaqub Ali Khan, director general of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) headed the host delegation. The directors general answered questions from the media after the conclusion of their five-day meeting today. Shrivastava said that fishermen, crossing the sea borders, were taken into custody by different security agencies on different occasions. "Once they are arrested, the process of law has to take its course," he said, adding that "mostly they don't have any documentation to authenticate their whereabouts". "We only have to rely on their names most of the times and even this does not match with the official records provided by the respective government later on," he added. He also denied the impression that "the fishermen arrested by Indian authorities were treated badly". "The last time, we brought all Pakistani fishermen all the way from Rann of Kutch in our vehicles. The only delay was because we received the documents from Pakistani embassy late on account of Eid holidays," Shrivastava pointed out, adding that efforts were underway to simplify the process even further. To a question regarding cross-border smuggling, he alleged that "fake Indian currency and narcotics were being smuggled from Pakistan". "We have brought this to the notice of the Pakistani authorities and remain hopeful of an improvement in the situation," he said. Regarding the tension between both countries on the borders, the BSF official said that "the situation at ground level was much better than what it was two years ago". "The situation was better last year, it has improved this year and we are confident that it will improve further in future," he said referring to the bitter bilateral relations after the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008. Maj Gen Khan said that "smugglers had contacts on either side of the border and both agencies are trying to find a joint mechanism to get rid of it". "Indian liquor is being smuggled into Pakistan in huge quantities and it needs to be checked," he said. "We will also share lists of foreign prisoners in Indian and Pakistani jails to provide relief to them through the relevant foreign ministries," he said with reference to Indian fishermen. More than 100 Indian fishermen were released from Karachi jail last month following the intervention of the Indo-Pak Fisher Folk Forum. "We have proposed that firing would only be opened by the forces on either side in their own territory instead of attacking the border posts or villagers across the border," he informed. Both India and Pakistan have regularly been exchanging allegations of "cross-border firing without any provocation". The border security forces on both sides hold these meetings every quarter to discuss issues of conflict and try to devise a mechanism to resolve them. (IANS) http://www.in.com/news/current-affairs/fullstory-bsf-pakistani-rangers-agree-on-minimum-detention-of-fishermen-16046289-f2f9f0f258e0ce9d8198f55c0cb40e4a89c5c740-rhp.html

Aggressive gestures during flag lowering to be done away with

From Deccan Herald

Islamabad, Oct 31, (PTI):

Aggressive gestures and orchestrated boot-stomping that mark the flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah land border post will soon make way for a more sober ceremony with Indian and Pakistani border forces agreeing to tone down the daily event.

The ceremony at sunset during which the border guards lower the flags is a major draw for tourists on both sides of the frontier since 1959. Addressing the media after five-day talks in Lahore on border issues, India's Border Security Force Director General Raman Shrivastava and Pakistan Rangers official Maj Gen Muhammad Yaqoob Khan announced that both sides had decided to end their "aggressive approach" to the flag-lowering ceremony. Khan said both sides had decided to "cool down the process of lowering their flags". Both border forces have also decided to exchange information on prisoners and to take steps for their release, he said. Thousands of people attend the flag-lowering ceremony held every day before sunset at Wagah, located about 30 km from Lahore. Border guards from India and Pakistan lower the flags while putting on a theatrical display marked by aggressive gestures and orchestrated boot-stomping. The 40-minute ritual, which has been performed since 1959, has become a major draw for domestic and foreign tourists on both sides of the border. During their bi-annual talks, the BSF and Pakistan Rangers officials discussed incidents of unprovoked firing across the border, killing of people who mistakenly cross the frontier, illegal defence constructions and illegal border crossings and smuggling. Besides the speedy release and repatriation of prisoners from jails, the two sides agreed to make joint efforts to control smuggling and intelligence-sharing to curb drug trafficking. Responding to a question, Khan said most issues between the two countries could not be resolved unless the Kashmir issue and differences on sharing river waters are addressed. Shrivastava said the BSF and Pakistan Rangers officials could only discuss border issues in such meetings and all bigger issues were the domain of the governments. He said he had arrived in Pakistan with a message of peace and love and the Pakistani government, people, media and border force had reciprocated these feelings. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/109247/aggressive-gestures-during-flag-lowering.html