Friday, June 3, 2011

Major Achievements of MHA since December 2008 & Report Card for May,2011


Press Information Bureau Press Release
Ministry of Home Affairs
01-June, 2011

The Union Home Minister Shri P. Chidambaram presented the Report Card of Ministry of Home Affairs for May, 2011 in New Delhi today. Following is the text of his statement:

“Before I present the report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the month of May, 2011, I wish to take a few minutes to recount some quantitative achievements since December 1, 2008.

Yesterday, I completed 2 ½ years in this office.  Among the objectives that we set for ourselves following the Mumbai terror attacks, the foremost objective was to enhance the capacity of our intelligence agencies and of our security forces.  I am happy to report that substantial capacity has been built in the last 30 months. 

 30.11.2008, there were 541 Operational Bns of Central Armed Police Forces.  As on 31.5.2011, this number stands at 573.  Besides, 21 Bns are being raised.  The total strength of our CAPFs including all ranks is 777,788.  We have built an additional 538 kms of border roads, completed an additional 1,394 kms of border fencing and replaced 652 kms of fencing, and completed an additional 600 kms of flood-lighting. 

          In terms of weapons and equipment, we have acquired 54,700 BP jackets, 45,000 AK-series Rifles, 10,949 Assault Rifles, 844 Automatic Grenade Launchers, 2511 Glock pistols, 1036 MP-5 pistols, 750 Thermal Imagers, 6000 Weapon Sights, 2999 Mine & Metal Detectors, 2185 Binoculars/Monoculars, 304 Laser Range Finders, 204 Interceptor boats, 70 armoured troop carriers and 101 mine protected vehicles.  More weapons and equipment are being acquired.

          In the last two years, State Police Forces have also taken up modernisation seriously.  528 new Police Stations have been constructed, over 10,000 vehicles have been procured and nearly 30,000 weapons of different kinds have been acquired.  In 2009-10 and 2010-11, 2454.63 crore have been released to the States under the MPF Scheme.

          Since I took over, we have successfully piloted 13 Bills in Parliament and secured their passage.  Among them are the National Investigation Agencies Act, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act and the Land Ports Authority of India Act.
            
          I shall now present the monthly report.  The highlight of the month of May, 2011 was the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue held on May 27, 2011 to strengthen the growing strategic partnership between the two countries.
          The election process in four States and one Union Territory came to an end with the counting of votes and declaration of results on May 13-14, 2011.  At its highest level, 701 companies of Central Armed Police Forces were deployed for the peaceful conduct of elections inWest Bengal.  The Governor of West Bengal, in his report, has complimented the Forces for playing a crucial role in ensuring peace. At the request of the Government of West Bengal, 144 companies have been retained in the State to ensure that there is peace post-elections.

Visit to States

          On May 10-11, 2011, I visited Imphal, Manipur and reviewed the security situation with the Governor, the Chief Minister and other senior officials. I also met political leaders and members of civil society. I visited Ukhrul and inaugurated the Mini Secretariat, Ukhrul and met public representatives. I held a meeting with a delegation of the UNC and urged them to resume the tripartite dialogue.

          On May 17, 2011, I visited Agartala, Tripura and laid the foundation stone for the construction of Integrated Check Post at Akhaura. I reviewed the security situation with the Chief Minister, Tripura, other senior officials of the State and the BSF.

          On May 28, 2011, I visited Shirdi, Maharashtra and reviewed the security arrangements made for the shrine with the State officials.

Internal Security
           
          An amount of ` 104.44 crore was released as an advance under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme to the 8 LWE affected States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal for execution of the Work Plan
2011-12.

          A sum of ` 96 lakh was sanctioned as assistance to 32 beneficiaries at the rate of ` 3 lakh each under the Central scheme of assistance to the victims of terrorist/communal/naxal violence.
         
Jammu and Kashmir

          The interlocutors visited Srinagar and Pulwama in J&K during
May 15-20, 2011 and interacted with a cross-section of the people.


North East

As on May 30, 2011, 648 Bru families were repatriated from Tripura to Mizoram and further efforts are being made to repatriate the remaining families and rehabilitate them in Mizoram at the earliest.

 Government of India has approved a special package of ` 138.95 crore to the State of Arunachal Pradesh for strengthening the Police set up in Tirap and Changlang districts. The package includes creation of 1949 posts of different categories, development of infrastructure and providing all requisite resources for policing. It envisages setting up of 11 new Police Stations and strengthening of 9 existing Police Stations.


CAPFs (Central Armed Police Force)
         
On May 19, 2011, BSNL announced a new special plan called “Paramilitary Plan 99” with a view to provide an exclusive, affordable and dedicated mobile service to the Central Armed Police Forces.  Under the plan, the officer/jawan will be charged 99 per month with free talk time of 75 and free calls to any two BSNL numbers (landline/mobile) of choice for 20 minutes per day.  Some other concessions were also announced.  MTNL has also announced that it will adopt the same plan.
          Sanctions amounting to ` 145.92 crore were issued for the purchase of arms and ammunition and equipment for the following CAPFs:
BSF
70 nos. Mine Protected Vehicles
:   `    55.53 crore
BSF
30 nos. Light Armoured Troops Carrier vehicles
:   `    16.26 crore
BSF
333 nos. of various types of vehicles for raising of one Frontier Hqr, one Sector Hqr and 7 Bns
:   `    27.43 crore
BSF
5 nos. of Medium Crafts
:   `    25.00 crore
BSF
7 nos. of Mechanized Boats
:   `    17.50 crore
ITBP
2 nos. of High Powered Speed Boat
:   `     4.20 crore

Total
:   ` 145.92 crore

          Sanctions amounting to ` 21.89 crore were issued for acquisition of land and construction of office/residential/other infrastructure buildings for the following CAPFs:
CRPF
:
`    1.72 crore
SSB
:
`    2.69 crore
ITBP
:
`    0.03 crore
BSF
:
`  17.04 crore
ASSAM RIFLES
:
`    0.41 crore
          Total
:
` 21.89 crore

On May 6, 2011, approval was given for the creation of 1048 posts for establishment of 3 Recruit Training Schools (RTCs) and 1 Counter Insurgency & Jungle Warfare School (CIJW) in ITBP.
On May 9, 2011, approval was given for the creation of 1528 posts for augmentation of training capacity in 09 STCs, and in the BSF Academy, and for upgradation of two BTCs to STCs.
On May 11, 2011, sanction amounting to ` 2.65 crore was issued for procurement and installation of Single Mode ‘S’ Transponder on six
MI-17 IV helicopters of the BSF.

On May 26, 2011, sanction was issued to raise one Marine Coy in BSF at an estimated cost of ` 43.95 crore.

Sanctions amounting to 8.25 crore were given for reimbursement to the State Government of Nagaland, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh on account of deployment of IR Battalion/State Police.

 Sanctions amounting to 3.78 crore were given for reimbursement to the Railways on account of deployment of RPF for election duties.

Sanctions amounting to ` 10.34 crore were issued for the construction of quarters, community hall, 10 bedded hospital and driving simulator in the North Eastern Police Academy (NEPA), Shillong.
Lump sum ex-gratia compensation amounting to ` 55 lakh was sanctioned to the next of kin of 5 deceased CAPF personnel.

Border Management

          India-Bangladesh Border: 10 kms of fencing and 15 kms of road works were completed in May, 2011 under phase II of the project. 8 kms of fencing were replaced in May, 2011 under phase III of the project. Poles for floodlighting were erected on a length of 30 kms and cables were laid on 12 kms stretch in May, 2011.

          Border Area Development Programme (BADP): An outlay of ` 900 crore has been allotted for the 17border States in the budget of 2011-12 under BADP. Annual Action Plan from 8 States, viz. Assam, Gujarat, Manipur, Meghalaya, MizoramSikkim, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh has been received and necessary funds as per allocation will be released.        

Immigration

          8 Pakistani prisoners were repatriated to Pakistan on completion of their sentences.

          On-line Visa application system as part of IVFRT (Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration & Tracking) commenced in three more Indian Missions at SingaporeNetherlands andFinland.

          Names of 169 Sikh NRIs, which were included in the Black List, were reviewed by the Ministry.  After a detailed review, names of 142 Sikh NRIs were removed from the Black List and necessary instructions were issued to the Indian Missions/Posts.

IPS Cadre

          Sanction was issued for the creation of 274 posts at the SVPNPA, Hyderabad for the strengthening of IPS officers’ training at the academy.

          Shri Pranay Sahay, IPS (MT:75) was appointed as Secretary (Security).
                  
Union Territories

          Sanction was issued for the creation of 41 supernumerary posts of Choudharies in the Revenue Department of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Administration.

          Sanction was issued for the creation of 44 posts for the new Fire Station at Nani Daman, Daman & Diu.

Disaster Relief

          In the month of May 2011, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 322 personnel and 27 boats were deployed for emergency response and rescue in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal PradeshAssam, Bihar, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

NIA
          On May 4, 2011, the case registration no. 07/2011 of Janipura Police Station, Jammurelating to recovery of huge amount of fake Indian currency notes was entrusted to the NIA for investigation.
          On May 10, 2011, sanction for prosecution was accorded for prosecuting Naba Kumar Sarkar @ Swami Asimanand  in case no. 02/2011 of NIA relating to bomb blast in Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad in 2007.

Census 2011 and National Population Register (NPR)     
          Capture of biometrics for NPR is in progress in Delhi, Manipur and Nagaland. It has also started in Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Orissa, Puducherry and West Bengal. Further, generation of Aadhaar Numbers for residents, whose biometrics have been captured for NPR, has begun.
          The Third Party Audit (TPA) work for all the nine States, for which Annual Health Survey was completed, has been concluded.
Judicial

          On May 26, 2011, the President’s assent was received for the Punjab Security of Land Tenure (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

Other matters

          The Instrument of Ratification of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNCTOC) and its three Protocols was deposited with the United Nations Secretary General on May 5, 2011.

          The drive to implement the judgments of Courts in relation to pension to freedom fighters continued. 11 judgments were implemented in
May, 2011 and 100 judgments are pending for implementation. 

          35,683 records of claims and compensation paid to displaced persons were computerized in May, 2011. The database now has 561,732 records.

*****

RS/- 

(Release ID :72445)

http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx

Monday, May 30, 2011

345 recruits join BSF in Jammu

From New Kerala          Jammu, May 29 : As many as 345 fresh recruits has joined Border Security Force at a passing out-cum-attestation parade function organised at Udhampur district of Jammu region, official spokesman here today said.

Centre not serious in guarding Bangla border:Prakash Singh, Former DG BSF

From The Assam Tribune            R Dutta Choudhury

File photo of an unguarded stretch of the Indo-Bangla border.
 GUWAHATI, May 29 – The Government of India’s attitude towards guarding the international borders in the eastern sector is not as serious as guarding the borders in the western sector, observed former Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Prakash Singh.Talking to The Assam Tribune, Singh, who was in Guwahati to attend a seminar organized by the Assam Police AccountabilityCommission, said that the Government of India is much more serious in guarding the border with Pakistan. He pointed out that the border is guarded in a much aggressive manner in the western sector and any kind ofintrusion is dealt with strongly and very often intruders are gunned down. No question is asked if any intruder is gunned down along the border with Pakistan, but that is not the case while guarding the border with Bangladesh, he added.
Singh said that India is much softer in matters of guarding the international border with Bangladesh and an aggressive posture like the one adopted while guarding the border with Pakistan is not adopted along the Indo-Bangla border. If an intruder gets killed along the border with Bangladesh, there are protests in the neighbouring country and India, on its part, also adopts a soft attitude. Such attitude of the Government percolate down to the men involved in guarding the border and they also try to avoid any casualties, he pointed out.

BSF, Bangla guards hold flag meet

From The Times Of India
May 30, 2011
SHILLONG: A friendly flag meeting was held between the Indian Coy Commander andBangladesh Coy Comdr of 16 Rifle Bn Bangladesh Border Guard at the international border near BP No. 1181/3-T in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district on Wednesday.

At the meeting, BGB Coy Comdr of BOP Panchagaon handed over a stolen motorcycle to his Indian counterpart. The two-wheeler was stolen and smuggled out from India to Bangladesh, a statement issued by the Assam and Meghalaya Frontier Headquarters of the BSF here said. The motorcycle was handed over to police in-charge of Mahadev Police post of West Garo Hills District (Meghalaya).

According to the BSF release, a gang of trans-border motor cycle thieves are operating in the border belt of East and West Garo hill districts of Meghalaya, who, after stealing motorcycles, smuggle them to Bangladesh.

The BSF has raised this issue of smuggling with Bangladesh at many fo-rums and it was due to improving relationship between the two forces that Bangladesh authorities have traced the motorcycles back, the BSF acknowledged.

Sialkot: Indian forces start fire in Shakargarh sector


From Pakistan BBC

May 30 2011
Sialkot: Indian forces start fire in Shakargarh sector
Pakistani force fired in retaliation as Indian forces opened fire with no provocation in Shakargarh.
Late night on Sunday, Border Security Force (BSF) opened fire on the Shakargarh sector using G2 guns, Mortar shells and the latest equipment of the Indian army. The firing sustained forabout an hour other than then the Punjab Rangers opened retaliation fire to silence Indian forces.
Due to the Shakargarh sector firing, one citizen was killed and four others were injured. The Punjab rangers have called for a flag gathering subsequent the firing incident.
This is the fourth firing occurrence by the Indian forces in the month of May.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

US Withdraws Part of Special Forces from Pakistan

From army-technology.com
27 May 2011

The US has withdrawn part of its special forces presence in Pakistan after a request from Pakistan military head General Ashfaq Kayani to the Pentagon.
A Pentagon spokesman said: "The US had been notified in writing that the government of Pakistan wished for the US to reduce its footprint in Pakistan".
More than 200 US troops are involved in training the local Pakistani forces in counter-terrorism techniques to protect the border with Afghanistan.
The relation between the two allies is continuing to deteriorate following the US raid to kill Osama bin Laden.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is on a visit to Pakistan, which could be the beginning of a push to patch up relations, reports The Telegraph.