President Pratibha Patil calls for institutional intelligence mechanism to foil terror acts

President Pratibha PatilNew Delhi, Sept 16: President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday said that an institutional mechanism is needed to seamlessly share intelligence on real-time basis to foil the attempts of terrorists and naxalites.

After inaugurating a two-day conference of Governors here, the President said: "The big challenge facing us is the battle against terrorism, Left wing extremism and insurgency. Outfits with varying goals have been waging a long and ensuring warfare against the State with some forming a mutually supportive grid in this proxy warfare."

Noting that the threat to country''s security and integrity was also posed by intervention by trans-border elements, she said that Left wing extremism was fast becoming a vexed problem.

On the Saturday’s serial blasts in Delhi, the President said the emerging phenomenon of metro-terrorism has given a new dimension to subversive activities and is a matter of grave concern.

Stressing that the country needs to modernise the police force with greater investments in cyber and technical intelligence, communication systems and forensic capabilities, she urged the Centre and the State Governments to deal firmly with those who follow the path and culture of guns.

Pointing that some of the affected states, particularly in the North East, have a reduced strength of constabulary, insufficient number of police stations and stagnation in fund allocations, she said: “All this has a crippling effect on the efficacy of the law and order machinery and a healthy police-population ratio needs to be maintained.”

The President also suggested enlisting the support of ex-servicemen who have experience in handling inimical forces.

Noting that the Naxalite problem was also related to neglect, deprivation and disaffection of the downtrodden, she said the issue should be tackled by sensitising security personnel to exercise maximum possible restraint and show respect to local sentiments but without showing any leniency to disruptive and separatist elements.

Calling for collaboration with the foreign countries in research and development in the agriculture sector for help in dry land farming, She said that transfer of technology must be the top priority of agricultural institutes and all these steps will go a long way to foster another green revolution, adding that “For this, there is a need to enhance investment in agriculture, diversify farming loans and promotion of value addition and innovative practices.”

The President said that the price rise has become a pressure point in economy and called for monitoring of prices and streamlined flow of essential commodities.

She urged Governors to convince the people the negative impacts of global warming and thinning of ozone layer and referred to the goals set out at national level for addressing the issues of climate change.

Regarding flood affected Bihar, the President said it is time to go beyond post disaster management approach and emphasis on prevention mitigation and risk reduction approach.

The conference is being attended by 28 Governors and three Lieutenant Governors of the States and Union Territories.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A. K Antony, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Minister Sharad Pawar are also attending the conference. (ANI)

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