Haryana demands over Rs300 cr for police infrastructure, CWG

Haryana today demanded one-time grant of over Rs 300 crore from the Centre to help it in strengthening police infrastructure to ensure law and order ahead of Commonwealth Games to be held in neighbouring Delhi.

Hooda urged the Centre to provide special grant of Rs312 crore for strengthening the police infrastructure in the National Capital Region (NCR).

He sought Rs35.41 crore for achieving integration of infrastructure and security-related technology for the Commonwealth Games, slated to be held in October 2010, and megacity status for the NCR towns of Gurgaon and Faridabad.

Proposals for the one-time grant and security needs for the Games have already been submitted to the Centre.

Speaking at the conference of chief ministers on internal security, convened by prime minister Manmohan Singh here, Hooda demanded three more India Reserve Battalions and one women's Battalion to meet the challenges posed by the rapid economic expansion and the resultant population explosion in the NCR.

Outlining the steps taken to beef up security, especially in the NCR, Hooda said the state government had created police commissionerate at Faridabad, the second such set-up in the
NCR after Gurgaon.

"We propose to raise four Quick Response Teams of Commandos on the pattern of NSG. They will be stationed at vulnerable locations such as Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panipat and Panchkula," the chief minister said.

On the issue of creation of State Industrial Security Force on the pattern of CISF, Hooda said that the matter, recently referred by the Union ministry of home affairs to the state government, was being examined on a priority basis.

The chief minister said that instructions had been issued to all district units for strengthening the security at places of worship, historical monuments and iconic installations.

Special steps have been taken to monitor the security of oil pipelines and installations like depots, godowns and refineries, among others.

"Oil installations should have the best possible security cover from Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and a policy decision in this regard may be taken by the Central government," Hooda said.

"In addition, for Gurgaon and Faridabad, commando units have been placed at Bhondsi to serve as the Elite Response Unit and Special Intervention Unit," he said.