Rajendra Arlekar appointed Kerala Guv, Arif Mohammed Khan Shifted to Bihar

New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS) As many as 204 Coastal Police Stations have been operationalised by the Central government while implementing the Coastal Security Scheme (CSS), Phase I and II, to strengthen security against sea-borne threats, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said, in reply to a question in Lok Sabha, “Under the Assistance to States and UTs for Modernisation of Police scheme Rs 63.35 crore has been released to nine coastal States and four Union Territories during the last two years and current financial year.”

While operationalising Coastal Police Stations, 204 boats, 37 jetties, 284 four-wheelers, 554 two-wheelers, 97 check-posts, 58 out-posts, and 30 barracks have been provided to the coastal states/UTs. Further, six Marine Police Operation Centres (MPOC) have been constructed in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Minister said in reply to questions from Dilip Saikia and Kamlesh Jangde.

Elaborating on the steps taken by the Government for training, capacity building and modernisation of coastal police, the MoS said a National Academy of Coastal Policing (NACP) has been set up in District Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gujarat. To date, 1,725 personnel from coastal police/customs/BSF/CISF have been trained in various courses.

The MoS said the Coastal Police personnel are also trained in the Coast Guard Training Centre, Kochi and at Coast Guard District Headquarters in all coastal states/UTs. To date, 13,879 Coastal Police personnel have been trained.

He said the Indian Coast Guard conducts Joint Coastal Patrolling (JCP) with Coastal Police. A total of 3,374 JCP sorties and the embarkation of 8,122 personnel have been undertaken since the commencement of JCP in August 2020.

Coastal police also participate in coastal security exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ and coastal security drill ‘Sajag’ aimed at enhancing inter-agency coordination and achieving robust coastal security mechanisms, the MoS said.

He said although police and public order are State subjects, as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the Central government supplements the efforts of the States for equipping and modernizing their police forces.

–IANS

rch/dan

Jagdalpur, Dec 16 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday commended the Chhattisgarh government for its determined efforts in combating Maoism in the state.

Addressing a gathering in Jagdalpur, Shah praised the collaborative approach adopted by the state government and central agencies to tackle the issue effectively.

During his visit, the Home Minister interacted with surrendered Maoists and their families, offering them reassurance and support. He emphasised the government’s commitment to rehabilitating those affected by the violence and urged collective efforts to uproot Maoism from the region.

“The Central government, in collaboration with the Chhattisgarh government, will ensure comprehensive support to the families impacted by Maoism. I appeal to everyone to join hands with the ongoing campaigns by both governments to eradicate this menace,” he said

Highlighting the progress made in the past year, Shah noted the decline in Maoist activities, including the neutralisation of several of its top cadres. “Commendable action has been taken under the leadership of the Chhattisgarh government, utilising a well-devised strategy. I am confident that we will achieve complete elimination of Maoism from the country by March 31, 2026,” he asserted.

Shah specifically praised the leadership of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, along with the tireless efforts of the state police and other security forces. “The combined efforts of the Chhattisgarh government, police, and security agencies have laid a strong foundation for this campaign. I assure you all that the goal of a Maoism-free state will be realised within the set timeline,” he reiterated.

HM Shah said when Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave him the responsibility of the Home Ministry in 2019, he thought that those who were involved in armed movements should be given a chance to lay down their arms, surrender and live a peaceful life. “Following our initiatives, 20 peace accords were signed in the northeast and 9,000 militants surrendered,” he said.

He further said that PM Modi approved 15,000 homes for surrendered Maoists under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana while the National Dairy Development Board would provide at least one cow or buffalo to such families so that they could earn Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month.

“Today in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, I met Maoist-affected people and those who surrendered their weapons and joined the mainstream. Maoism not only deprived the country’s large population of their fundamental rights for decades but also crossed all limits of inhumanity and adversely affected their lives. Maoists, who sow seeds of fear and greed in the minds of youth and lead them on the path of violence, are the biggest enemies of the society. Our government under the leadership of Modiji is committed to the empowerment and all-round development of Maoist-affected people and the youth who have given up violence and joined the mainstream,” HM Shah wrote on his X handle.

–IANS

skp/vd

Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 27 (IANS) The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Friday paid tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a condolence meeting organised at the CPED grounds in his honour.

The Karnataka government announced seven days of mourning and also declared a one-day holiday for schools and colleges in the backdrop of the demise of the former Prime Minister who passed away at the age of 92 in Delhi on Thursday night.

The party also cancelled its ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ convention scheduled to take place on Saturday.

The convention was planned as part of the centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi taking over as the President of the Congress.

On the same platform, a condolence meeting was organised on Friday.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated, “Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh was one of the world’s greatest economic experts who shaped the nation’s economy with the interests of the middle and poor classes in mind.”

“Dr. Manmohan Singh once remarked, ‘I may not receive much recognition for my work while I am alive, but in the future, our efforts will be valued greatly’”, CM Siddaramaiah recounted.

“When we look at Dr. Manmohan Singh’s life journey, it fills us with amazement. Born into an extremely poor family, he rose to become one of the greatest economic experts the world has seen and served as the country’s Prime Minister twice,” he stated.

“There may be other great economic experts, but he stood out for his soft-spoken nature, restrained language, and his efforts to shape the nation’s economy with a focus on the welfare of the middle and poor classes,” CM Siddaramaiah stated.

“I had the opportunity to meet him several times. He would patiently listen to our views and then offer his honest opinions,” he remembered.

“He did justice to every role he held. Whether as RBI Governor, Finance Minister, or the country’s Prime Minister for ten years, he served with utmost sincerity and integrity,” CM Siddaramaiah stated.

“Sonia Gandhi declined the post of Prime Minister and chose Dr. Manmohan Singh for the position. For ten years, he led the nation with great strength and stability,” the CM said.

“When India was facing an economic crisis, he implemented liberalisation policies and lifted the country economically. Before Dr. Manmohan Singh, the country’s economy was not integrated with the global economy. By opening it up, he infused new life into the nation’s economic landscape,” CM Siddaramaiah stressed.

“He implemented the fundamental ideals of our Constitution in letter and spirit,” CM Siddaramaiah added.

“Through initiatives like the Food Security Act, the Right to Education Act, and Right to Information Act, he uplifted the poor and middle classes economically and socially,” he stated.

“His passing is a loss not only to India but to the global economic community. When we established the Ambedkar School of Economics, we invited Dr. Manmohan Singh. He also attended a programme on Karnataka’s economy during our term and appreciated the robust state of our finances. His knowledge helped find solutions to many of India’s challenges,” he stated.

“He was someone who could precisely understand and resolve the country’s economic issues. Despite his immense knowledge, he remained humble and gracious,” the CM stated.

–IANS

mka/rad