New Delhi: The government on Tuesday said it would
strive to establish a National Security Guard (NSG) hub or an
equivalent commando force in every state in due course to
strengthen the national security apparatus.
Home Minister P Chidambaram told the Lok Sabha during
Question Hour that the government was trying to have these
units soon, though it was a long-term plan in view of the
constraints of manpower and training.
The government has got four regional NSG hubs in
Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, which were
operationalised before July 1 this year in the backdrop of the
Mumbai terror strike on November 26 last year.
Chidambaram said strengthening of the national security
apparatus, including commando units, was an ongoing process,
with regular reviews based on internal security situation.
The government, he said, had already approved setting up
of Regional Centres of NSG at Kolkata and Hyderabad, apart
from raising 10 Commando Battalions for Resolute Action
(CoBRA) to be raised during the three-year period from
2008-09.
The Centre would also provide assistance for raising
commandos in states, apart from upgrading existing four
training centres for Central Paramilitary Forces at Silchar
(Assam), Hazaribagh (Jharkhand), Sapri (Himachal Pradesh) and
Gawaldham (Uttarkhand), which would train the commando
components of India Reserve Battalions.
Chidambaram said the Centre had already approved raising
of Commando Companies by the States within the existing IRBs
and State Armed Police.
The government has sanctioned 88 commando companies to the
States, who have been sanctioned IRBs from 2007-08 onwards,
and an assistance of Rs 264 crore has been provided at Rs 3
crore per company for training and equipment of these
companies, each having around 100 personnel.
Other state governments were also requested to raise two
commando companies and seek assistance from the Centre for
additional equipment and training, he said.
To queries from Anurag Thakur and Virender Kashyap (both
BJP), Chidambaram said the Centre had already approved raising
of two commando companies through the existing IRBs for
Himachal Pradesh with Rs 3 crore each for training and
equipment.
"Raising of NSG hubs and commando units is not an easy
matter. It is a complex exercise," he said.
PTI
