The Union ministry of home affairs, in its 67-page agenda note for Monday’s meeting of chief ministers, a copy of which is with this newspaper, has drawn up plans explaining how states need to pull up their socks and how Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) will graduate to turn into the NCTC.
The home ministry, in the agenda note, has suggested creation of a “separate intelligence cadre” in the states to strengthen their intelligence-gathering capabilities.
“Ninety-seven per cent of MAC inputs are being generated by Central agencies,” the MHA has noted. Of the remaining three per cent inputs from state agencies, almost 95 per cent are from Jammu and Kashmir alone.
The MAC was activated after the 26/11 terror attacks and the states’ representation was ensured through the setting up of Subsidiary Multi-Agency Centres (SMACs).
Citing terrorist threats in various parts of the country, the MHA will ask the states to consider special incentives for state intelligence officials and to work out a specific training curriculum for intelligence officials — for which they will be invited to consult the IB and other Central agencies. The MHA has asked the CM to update the conference on the progress of these urgent issues being pursued by it.
Even though the discussion on the NCTC has been postponed, some UPA allies, along with the BJP-ruled states, are likely to raise the “federalism” issue during discussions on the Border Security Force (Amendment) Bill, 2011. The Trinamul Congress, SP and Janata Dal (United) had opposed the bill in Parliament until their concerns over its “anti-federal” implications were suitably addressed. Pointing out that the BSF is being deployed in the hinterland in anti-Naxal operations, as demanded by the states, the MHA will tell the CMs that the states had agreed to the amendments when their comments were sought.
Further, the MHA will ask the states to focus on separation of investigation and law and order in police forces following the Supreme Court’s directions on police reforms.
On the states’ opposition to the NCTC on the ground that it would infringe on federal rights, the Centre will reiterate that “bare minimum powers” required for any counter-terrorism body have been conferred on it.