Mutual understanding between the Union and the State governments is a must to fight challenges on internal security, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said, reading out Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s speech at the meeting of Chief Ministers in New Delhi on Sunday.
Detailing the steps taken by the State on the coastal security front, Mr. Stalin called on the Union government to accord the same attention that it gave to the land and sea borders in the North. The Centre should bear the entire manpower cost to strengthen coastal security so as to facilitate coordinated action among various central and State agencies.
Mr. Stalin reiterated that the State was against creating a separate intelligence cadre and said that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for counter-terrorism was well-established and Quick Reaction Teams were functional in all districts and cities.
Though several proposals had been sent to the Centre for proposed funding with respect to Chennai, nothing had materialised, he pointed out.
Mr. Stalin also reminded the Centre that one-time assistance of Rs. 51 crore, sought for the modernisation of the police force in terms of capacity building, training and housing, had not been provided yet.
The State had already implemented most recommendations of the Supreme Court and the Third Police Commission and a new Police Bill had been drafted and was before the Select Committee of the State legislature, he said. Another complaints authority was not required as a number of statutory organisations, including the National Human Rights Commission, and the Minorities Commission were already in place, he said.
With a state-of-the-art police academy priority being given to tackling left wing extremists, the State had taken active steps, he said.
Tamil Nadu was not in favour of creation of a State Industrial Security Force and had instead made operational the Tamil Nadu Private Security Agencies Rules, 2008, for vetting, approval and training of security personnel.