Security should be the first priority of the State Exchequer
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 14
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said today that the insurgency in the North-East region has been sustained by large scale diversion of development funds to the militants, extensive international border, safe sanctuaries in the neighboring countries and easy accessibility to sophisticated arms.
Chidambaram inaugurated the conference of DGPs/IGPs here in Delhi today. In his inaugural address, he delineated the key areas and tasks where the police should intervene proactively. The Home Minister also detailed the steps taken by the Centre in strengthening the internal security apparatus and also unveiled his plans for creation of a first rate counter-terrorism centre.
“Insurgency in the North-East has been sustained to a significant extent due to an extensive international border, safe sanctuaries in the neighboring countries and easy availability of sophisticated arms in South-East Asia. Large scale diversion of development funds to the militants gives them easy access to critical resources which helps them recruit new cadres as well as procure arms. This conference should dwell on finding workable ways and means to curb illegal diversion of funds to the militants,” he said.
The minister took strong note that Left-Wing extremism and its radical forms of communism are spreading its tentacles. Today, he said, various groups adhering to this outdated ideology have their pockets of influence in 20 states across the country. “In a bid to expand its network and influence, the CPI (Maoist) has been seeking alliances with secessionist and terrorist elements in the country. It has been keenly seeking ideological resonance and tactical understanding with the North-East insurgents and has begun to lend support to their secessionist ideology and demands,” he said.
The Home Minister then turned his sight on the state governments’ seeming laxity in dealing with security threats. He expressed concern about the “attitude of some state governments” to providing funds for the police. “Let me remind you that ‘police’ and ‘public order’ are state subjects. States are right in zealously guarding their turf. The central government has no desire to encroach upon the jurisdiction of the state governments. The central government is obliged to intervene only when it is necessary to protect the state against external aggression and internal disturbance and to deploy central forces in aid of the civil power,” he said.
Given the constitutional responsibility, the Home minister reminded, state governments must provide adequate funds for the state police. “In fact, security of the state must be the first charge on the state exchequer. However, I find that many states take the exact opposite route and allot only the residue – after providing for other Plan and Non-Plan Schemes – to the head of ‘Police.’ This must change, and I would appeal to the state governments to change this practice with effect from the Budget for 2010-11,” he said. As far as the central government is concerned, he said, there has been a big jump in the Budget Estimates for 2009-10 over the Budget Estimates of 2008-09. In 2008-09 it was Rs.23, 700 crore; but in 2009-10 it was Rs.36, 841 crore, an increase of over Rs.13, 000 crore. “While the bulk of this increase will indeed go to augmenting and strengthening the CPMFs, more money is also being provided to the states under the heads of modernization of police force, CCTNS, strengthening of fire and emergency services, scheme of ICP, etc.” he said.
Further, he assured that India’s stance on terrorism is zero-tolerance. “We shall raise our level of preparedness to fight any terror threat or terror attack and, in the case of a threat or attack, our response will be swift and decisive. On Left Wing extremism, we are of the firm view that there is no place for an armed liberation struggle in a republican democracy,” he said.
