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Governors’ meet to discuss internal security

Vinay Kumar

Rise in naxalite violence causes serious concern

Climate change and sustainable development to be discussed
Finance Minister to make a presentation on price stability

NEW DELHI: Internal security, particularly Maoist violence in left-wing extremism-affected States, will top the agenda during the two-day conference of Governors to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 16 and 17.

Official sources said the rise in naxalite violence, particularly recent daring attacks by Maoists on the Greyhound commando force in Orissa and their targeting of policemen in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, caused serious concern and President Pratibha Patil appeared keen to review the law and order situation and security environment with the Governors.

The sources said the President also wanted to get information on the steps taken by the various State governments for modernisation of their police forces. The Governors from the States, which share international frontiers, would be asked to present their views on border management.

The conference will discuss insurgency in some northeastern States, particularly Manipur and Nagaland, and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where Assembly elections are scheduled to be held before January 2009.

For the first time, the Governors would discuss climate change and sustainable development. They have been asked to come prepared on measures to deal with the challenges posed by climate change, and natural and man-made disasters, the sources said. A reference point would be the Kosi river changing its course and flooding Bihar.

The President is keen to have a discussion on the steps being taken by the States to ensure food security. While Finance Minister P. Chidambaram will make a presentation on price stability in the wake of the steep rise in inflation over the past few months, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will give an account of food security.

The sources said certain issues relating to ex-servicemen and women and child development were also likely to come up for discussion.

Ms. Patil has evinced a keen interest in gender equality, women’s empowerment and rooting out social evils such as female foeticide. “Social Justice and Empowerment as well as Women and Child Development Ministries will be asked to address these issues,” officials said. Apart from presenting an Action Taken Report (ATR) on the last conference held in June 2005, the Governors will be asked to give their views on difficulties experienced by them in discharging their specific responsibilities.

Informal discussions among the Governors on September 15 will be presided over by the seniormost among them, designated as the ‘doyen.’

Tripura Governor D.N. Sahay will do the honours this time.

The conference will be attended by Vice-President M. Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Cabinet Ministers.

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