Home minister R. Ashok represented honorable chief minister B.S.Yeddyrappa in the meeting of chief ministers on internal security held at New Delhi on 01/02/2011 and read out  speech of Chief Minister. Here are the points of the speech.

Respected Prime Minister, Hon’ble Union Home Minister, Chief Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

• I would like to thank the Hon’ble Union Home Minister for taking the initiative to convene this meeting, of the Chief Ministers, to discuss the vital issue of the challenges being faced by the country in the field of Internal Security. The threats of enemies from within and outside the country require an integrated and coordinated effort by all of us.
• These divisive forces mainly draw their strengths and sustenance from outside the country as well as from some anti-national elements within the country.  We need to set aside narrow political considerations and tackle these threats to our national unity.
• In this endeavor, I would like to pledge the support of my Government and the police force working under it for the objective of meeting the common goal of fighting against these anti-national forces.  In order to improve the professional competence of the Karnataka police force, the State has undertaken many measures to modernize its weaponry, improve the skill level of its force and to build the capacity necessary for combating these anti-societal forces.
• In specific terms we have set up a dedicated Internal Security division, headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police, to deal with the three important components of Internal Security namely, terrorism, coastal security and naxalism.  Two hundred police personnel have been given specialized training by the Internal Security division.
• Karnataka Government has also taken the initiative to establish a specialized Industrial Security Force of 1060 police personnel with the objective of providing security to vital Government installations in the power and irrigation sectors as well as to provide security to sensitive industrial units in the State.  The personnel of this force will be trained keeping in view the special needs of providing security to such installations and industrial units.  This force will be expanded in phases depending upon the need.

Capacity building:

• As you are all aware, Bangalore is the largest IT / BT hub in the entire country and therefore, has become an important target to the anti-national forces.  Hence, it has become necessary to provide rigorous training to selected police personnel in the State to deal with any possible terrorist attacks. The Government of Karnataka has taken the initiative of appointing a Brigadier of the Indian Army to establish a commando training school at Bangalore for providing specialized commando training to such selected police personnel.

Strengthening of Counter Terrorism Capabilities:

• As I have mentioned above, an Internal Security division has been set up for dealing with terrorism, coastal security as well as naxalism.  The unit is fully functional and has been equipped with vehicles, modern weapons as well as latest security gadgets.  All Reserve Police Battalions as well as District police and the Commissionerates of Police have their own quick reaction teams, who have been provided with special training to deal with emergencies.

Strengthening of Intelligence Wing:

• During the past one-year, we have been able to streamline the functioning of Intelligence Department.  Modern equipments have been provided to the anti-sabotage check teams as well as bomb detection and disposal teams. Capacity building exercises have been taken up to train manpower of all ranks.

Economic Offences:

• There is a separate cell dealing with fake Indian currency notes in the Criminal Investigation Department of Karnataka Police.  An ADGP rank officer is heading the Economic Offences Wing of the CID.

Crime & Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS):

• Karnataka has made substantial progress in the development and implementation of “Police IT”, a project with similar objectives as CCTNS.  The State has been declared as an advanced State by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, in respect of this project and the two have merged as one project entity in Karnataka.
• Karnataka has designed and developed “Police IT” application, as an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, covering overall functions of the Police Department. (such as crime, law and order, traffic, motor transport, armed reserve, forensic science laboratory, wireless, training, stores, administration and the finance wings).
• The State has successfully rolled-out the Police IT application across five key process areas namely, FSL, wireless, armed reserve, FRO and motor transport.  The application’s critical modules viz, crime, law and order, and traffic is currently under pilot phase and is targeted for a phased roll-out starting by
  mid February 2011.
• The State has made significant progress in implementing CCTNS on the following lines:

a)   Over 10,000 personnel across the State are already trained on basic IT and police IT application.  A technical resource pool with 75 personnel, certified in System Administration (MCSE) has been created to support the police stations and higher police offices. Several meetings, workshops and conferences have been conducted at all levels in the Police Department to create necessary awareness of the police IT project and its intended benefits.

b)   A team of Nodal Officers, Training Managers, Trainers, System Administrators and handholding staff are working in all units across Karnataka.

c)   All 1440 police stations and higher police offices in the State are connected through a State Police Wide Area Network, a model which has been found useful by the Government of India team and is under consideration for the whole country.

Police Reforms:

• The Government of Karnataka has set up a State Security Commission and it has started functioning.  The Police Establishment Board has been functioning since August, 2009 successfully. Complaint Authorities at District and State level have also been established.  In addition to the above measures, the Government of Karnataka has undertaken a number of people friendly measures, which have helped us in maintaining Law and Order most effectively.

a)   A special cell for the free registration of the cases has been opened in each unit and unit officers have been made personally responsible to register cases under section 154(3), in case, they have not been registered in police stations.

b)   A toll-free number has been established and wide publicity has been given so that any person from anywhere in the State can contact the police headquarters to register his grievances.

Modernization of Police Force (MPF):

• I am happy to note that the Government of India has taken the initiative to modernize the State Police Forces in the entire country through its non-plan MPF scheme.  The Government of Karnataka has been pro-active in providing the State’s share and in timely utilization of the grants provided by the Government of India under this scheme.  The State has been able to provide more than 20,000 wireless sets and nearly 30,000 walkie-talkie sets across the State. I am indeed very happy to state that the Karnataka State Police have one wireless set for every 2.42 police personnel. This has enhanced the ability of the police force to respond quickly to the situations.
• Apart from the above, nearly 5,500 vehicles have been procured under the scheme as a result of which every police station in the State has been provided with operational vehicles and motor cycles.  Modern weapons, including SLR Rifles, AK-47 Rifles, Carbina, Sten guns, pistols, etc., have been provided to all the districts in the State.  In addition, forensic science laboratory in Bangalore as well as the regional forensic laboratories in Mysore, Belgaum, Davanagere and Gulbarga have been modernized for providing better test facilities.  Several other equipments like Night Vision Binoculars, Automatic Speed Radar guns, Satellite Phones, Under Vehicle Scanners, Interception system, Deep Search Metal Detectors have been provided under this scheme.
• In order to improve the morale of the constabulary, adequate housing facilities have to be provided to the police personnel.  I am happy to state that under this scheme 11,421 residential quarters have been built for police personnel.  This will go a long way in improving the morale of the police force in the State.
• I would like to inform this august gathering that as a consequence of supply of modern equipments and modernization of the police force the quality of intelligence gathering in the State has also improved considerably resulting in better maintenance of law and order.

Coastal Security:

• The first phase of the Coastal Security has been implemented in the State very effectively.  All requisite Coastal Police Stations have been established besides providing the necessary infrastructure facilities as well as the requisite manpower. The State police are also able to get the coastal fishermen involved by training them and using them as inputs for getting intelligence. Sagar Suraksha Dal has been constituted. Several mock drills called Sagar Kavach exercises have been conducted in the coastal towns to put to test the readiness and alertness of our coastal security forces and other various agencies, namely, Coast Guard, Customs and Port Authorities.  I am happy to say that, these mock drills have provided meaningful inputs for the police to handle any possible incursions into our seas by inimical forces and our police are fully geared up to nab them immediately.
• The second Phase of the Coastal Security Scheme is to commence from 1.4.2011 as per the guidelines of Government of India. Necessary preparatory measures like acquisition of lands for putting up coastal security police stations, recruitment of staff including technical staff, arms and ammunitions, setting up of jetties are also being taken up by the police on top priority.  I am confident that Karnataka State Police department will implement the second phase of the project also with equal enthusiasm.

LEFT WING EXTREMISM:

• Karnataka was a naxal-affected State and bracketed along with other State Governments who have been facing this menace.  However, I am happy to state that due to the relentless efforts on the part of the Anti-Naxal force of the Karnataka Police, this menace has been almost eliminated but for a handful of individuals. These few members are not going to be a potential threat.  But we cannot be oblivious to the fact that unless socio-economic conditions of the people living in naxal areas are ameliorated, this menace cannot be put to an end.  Therefore, to improve the socio-economic status of people in naxal areas, Committees have been established both at State and District levels to chalk-out and take up developmental works in a concerted manner besides opening of schools and hospitals in these places.  As a result of these measures we are able to wean away youth from naxal influence and have been able to insulate the villagers from the naxal philosophy. We deem this as a significant achievement.
• With a view to bring the handful of youth who might be influenced by the naxal philosophy, a Naxal Surrender Policy has also been formulated by the Government with provision to award monetary compensation.  With these efforts, the State Government is able to by and large get them absorbed into the mainstream society so that they can be employed gainfully.
• In conclusion, I look forward to the unstinted and continued support by the Government of India in all our efforts to ensure and enhance Internal Security without which no development can take place.  I thank the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister once again for giving me this opportunity to share some of my thoughts.

Thank you all