Report Card of Ministry of Home Affairs for September

New Delhi : Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram presented the Report Card of the Ministry of Home Affairs for September here on Friday.

Following is the text of his statement:

“I present before you the report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the month of September, 2010.

The highlight of the month was the decision to send an All Party Delegation (APD) to Jammu & Kashmir on September 21-22, 2010. The delegation comprised 34 members of various political parties. Upon its return, after consulting the members of the APD who were available in Delhi, I submitted a report to the Prime Minister. OnSeptember 25, 2010, the CCS considered the report and approved an 8-point plan.

Of these 8 points, the Central Government has released Rs.100 crore to the Government of J&K. It has also authorized the payment of Rs.5 lakhs to the families of each of the deceased in the civil disturbances.

Following the CCS decisions, the schools and colleges in J&K were reopened on September 27, 2010. Besides, a meeting of the Unified Command was held on September 29, 2010 and decisions were taken to remove 16 bunkers/check-points and to release 53 persons, including students, arrested/detained in the wake of the civil disturbances.

The judgment in the Ram Janmabhoomi – Babri Masjid title suits was delivered on September 30, 2010. Three separate orders have been pronounced by the three Hon’ble Judges of the Special Bench of the High Court of Allahabad. Following the judgment and after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, the Prime Minister made a statement pointing out that ‘the correct conclusion, at this stage, is that the status quo will be maintained until the cases are taken up by the Supreme Court.

’ The Prime Minister also appealed to the people of India to maintain peace and tranquility. Government is pleased and satisfied that the response of the people of India to the judgment has been, echoing the Prime Minister’s words, ‘respectful and dignified’.

In anticipation of the judgment, 52 coys of CPMFs were deployed to Uttar Pradesh, including 40 CRPF and 12 RAF coys. CPMF coys were also deployed in other States. A separate pool of coys has been kept in reserve for any emergency. The IAF is on standby to rush CPMF/Army personnel to trouble spots, if required.

The security arrangements for the Commonwealth Games were reviewed from time to time. 50 CPMFs coys have been deployed for the Games, including 7 BSF, 6 CRPF, 12 CISF, 11 IRB and 14 SAP coys. Later today, Government will make a detailed statement as well as issue an Advisory on the security arrangements for the benefit of the ticketholders, invitees and the general public.

450 CPMF coys have been deployed for the Bihar assembly elections due in October-November, 2010. These include 70 CRPF, 90 BSF, 90 CISF, 30 ITBP, 40 RPF, 30 SSB and 100 IRB/SAP coys.

On September 11, 2010, President’s Rule was revoked in Jharkhand and Shri Arjun Munda was sworn in as Chief Minister.

Internal Security

There was a shoot out near Jama Masjid, Delhi on September 19, 2010. While investigations are underway, no arrest has been made so far.

North East

The DG-level BSF-BDR meeting was held in Dhaka from September 22-27, 2010.

A delegation of the United Naga Council (UNC) called on me on September 14, 2010. Following the meeting, at my request, the economic blockade of Manipur by the UNC was lifted on September 18, 2010.

Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh were declared “disturbed areas” for a further period of 6 months with effect from October 1, 2010 under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.

21 cases of families of victims in the bomb blasts that took place in Delhi onSeptember 13, 2008 remained to be given financial assistance. When this matter was brought to my notice earlier this month, I directed that all the 21 cases should be processed immediately. Accordingly, all the cases have been processed. In 15 cases the financial assistance has been disbursed and in the remaining 6 cases sanction was accorded on September 29, 2010 and the money will be disbursed shortly.

Left Wing Extremism

The CPI (Maoist) continued its violent activities across LWE-affected States. Policemen and alleged ‘police informers’ are its targets. I also wish to highlight an aspect of CPI (Maoist) brutality that has not been sufficiently noticed by the media or the public. The CPI (Maoist) holds courts called ‘Jan Adalats’, tries the ‘accused’, sentences many of them to death, and executes them in full public view in order to strike terror in the hearts of the villagers. The number of ‘Jan Adalats’ has risen to 48 in the current year up to August 31, 2010 (from 38 in the corresponding period last year). The number of persons executed has risen to 21 from 11 last year. Every one who swears by the rule of law must condemn these kangaroo courts and brutal executions.

GJM

The fourth round of tripartite talks on the demands of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) was held on September 7, 2010 and the next round will be held onOctober 11, 2010. The talks are proceeding satisfactorily and it is hoped that there will be an agreement on an interim authority at the end of the next round of talks.

CPOs/CPMFs

Rs 527.08 crore (41.67% of budget provision) has been released to the States under the MPF Scheme for State police forces in FY 10-11. This includes Rs 43.95 crore that was released to the following States in September, 2010:

Maharashtra

Rs. 13.61 crore

Manipur

Rs 1.49 crore

Orissa (OFB)

Rs 5.97 crore

Uttar Pradesh

Rs 22.88 crore

Total

Rs 43.95 crore

The following procurements amounting to Rs 36.60 crore were approved under the MPF Scheme for CPMFs/CPOs:

65 Automatic Grenade Launchers and 1850 grenades

: Rs 11.94 crore

612 shelters

: Rs 11.95 crore

372 HF sets

: Rs 12.71 crore

Total

: Rs 36.60 crore

Sanctions amounting to Rs 33.55 crore were issued for acquisition of land and equipment and for construction of buildings/barracks for CPMFs:-

Land (CRPF, ITBP, SSB) : Rs 16.00 crore

Buildings (CRPF) : Rs 7.35 crore

Other infrastructure (CRPF) : Rs 7.80 crore

Headquarters (BPR&D, New Delhi) : Rs 1.08 crore

Indoor firing range (NEPA, Shillong) : Rs 1.32 crore

Total : Rs 33.55 crore

In the month of September, 2010, 2,813 posts were sanctioned to the CISF for the following installations/establishments:

2 Reserve Battalions : 2,050 posts

Bhakra Dam : 459 posts

Jorhat airport : 29 posts

Ahmedabad airport : 275 posts

Total : 2,813 posts

Lump sum ex-gratia compensation amounting to Rs 2.75 crore was sanctioned to the next of kin of deceased CPMF personnel in 5 cases of ‘killed in action’ and 20 cases of ‘death while on duty’.

On September 24, 2010, an amount of Rs 7 crore was released to all CPMFs as a special welfare grant.

On September 22, 2010, allocation to the central pool of MBBS and BDS seats for the wards of CPMF personnel was issued. 9 candidates gained admission to medical/dental colleges.

Border Management

India-Bangladesh Border: 6 kms of fencing and 10 kms of road works were completed in September, 2010 under phase II of the project. 10 kms of fencing was replaced in September, 2010 under phase III of the project. Poles for floodlighting were erected on a length of 40 kms during the month of September, 2010.

India-China Border: 21.15 kms of formation works and 1.91 kms of surfacing works were completed in September, 2010.

Coastal Security: 14 boats were delivered in September, 2010 – 12 boats from Goa Shipyards Limited and 2 boats from Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited. Against a delivery target of 168 boats up to September, 2010, 158 boats have been delivered.

Border Area Development Programme (BADP): In the current financial year, the total amount released at the end of September, 2010 to 17 States under BADP stands atRs.440.38 crore (69.35% of the total allocation ofRs.635 crore).

Immigration:

In September, 2010, software was operationalised at 5 ICPs in Tripura at Dhalaighat, Kailashahar, Khowai, Ragna and Sabroom, taking the total of computerized ICPs to 75 out of a total of 77.

In September, 2010, the Kailashahar (Tripura), Khowai (Tripura), Alang (Gujarat), Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu), Raniganj (West Bengal) and Mahadipur (West Bengal) ICPs were networked with the Central Foreigners’ Bureau (CFB), taking the total of CFB-networked ICPs to 63 out of a total of 77.

NIA

21 more Special Courts for NIA were constituted in 21 States / UTs onSeptember 1, 2010, taking the total to 25 Special Courts.

On September 1, 2010, 7 accused KYKL cadres were charge-sheeted by the NIA.

On September 14, 2010, NIA was asked to investigate the charge of terror financing of the UNLF.

IPS Cadre

On September 1, 2010, the cadre review of the Kerala cadre was notified. The revised strength will be 163 as against the existing strength of 142. The total authorized IPS cadre strength now stands at 4,720 as against 3,889 as on January 1, 2009.

IPS officers of the 1978 batch were empanelled to hold ADG and equivalent posts at the Centre.

UTs

The C4i (Command, Control, Coordination and Communication Centre) at Delhi Police HQs was operationalised in September, 2010.

. Notification conferring the powers of ‘Executive magistrate’ u/s 144 CrPC on Assistant Commissioners of Police was issued on September 9, 2010.

Prior approval of the Central Government was accorded to the:

a) Puducherry State University Bill, 2009 on September 16, 2010

b) Court Fees (Delhi Amendment) Bill, 2010 on September 21, 2010.

Notification for the enhancement of delegated financial powers to the LG/Administrator of Puducherry fromRs.25 crore toRs.50 crore was issued onSeptember 29, 2010.

Under the 29-location CCTV Surveillance System of the Delhi Police, CCTV cameras were installed at 8 locations.

Disaster Relief

The Centre’s share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) amounting toRs.448.84 crore was released in advance in September, 2010 to the following States:

Bihar :Rs.125.44 crore

Himachal Pradesh :Rs. 58.84 crore

Jharkhand :Rs. 97.30 crore

Uttarakhand :Rs. 52.95 crore

West Bengal :Rs.114.31 crore

Total :Rs.448.84 crore

In addition, the Prime Minister announced advance adhoc assistance of Rs.500 crore to Uttarakhand and this amount was also released on September 24, 2010.

The NDMA released the following guidelines for States / UTs:

a) Management of Tsunamis on September 3, 2010,

b) Management of Drought on September 24, 2010, and

c) Management of Urban Flooding on September 27, 2010.

On account of the floods caused by the South-West monsoon, NDRF teams comprising 1,334 personnel and 291 boats were deployed for emergency response and rescue in the flood-affected States of Andhra Pradesh (76; 12 boats), Assam (151; 17 boats), Bihar (415; 104 boats), Delhi (24; 9 boats), Haryana (92; 21 boats), Kerala (34; 7 boats), Tripura (30; 1 boat), Uttarakhand (205; 45 boats) and Uttar Pradesh (307; 75 boats).

Census 2011

It was decided that ‘Caste’ will be canvassed without affecting the integrity of the head count of Census 2011. Accordingly, it was decided that Caste will be canvassed through a separate house-to-house survey between June and September, 2011.

Other issues

The President of India accorded assent to the Assam Advocates’ Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2010 on September 8, 2010.

Advisories were issued to States / UTs on the following matters:

a) Preventing and combating human trafficking during the Commonwealth Games, on September 10, 2010.

b) Framing of the “Victim Compensation Scheme”, on September 7, 2010.

An All India Conference of Correctional Administrators was held in Delhiduring September 8-9, 2010.

15,500 pension records of freedom fighters were computerized in September, 2010. The database now has 2,40,000 records. The data base of living freedom fighters’ now has 45,900 records, of which 2,127 were added in September, 2010.

52,150 records of claims and compensation paid to displaced persons were computerized in September, 2010. The database now has 123,150 records”.