Government is committed to strengthen the NIA: Rajnath Singh 

The Union Minister of Home Affairs, Shri Rajnath Singh has said that the Government is committed to strengthen and empower the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to help fight terrorism more effectively. Addressing the NIA Day function here today, Shri Rajnath Singh said more offices of the NIA are being set up across the country and these will be equipped with the latest hi-tech gadgetry.

Shri Rajnath Singh said India stands at the forefront of the global efforts to combat terrorism and India is a signatory to all international treaties on anti-terrorism. Despite several onslaughts upon us in the history, our integrity and sovereignty has remained intact, he added. He also emphasized that we should value our customs and traditions for retaining our identity.

Delivering the 3rd RV Raju Memorial Lecture on ‘National Security Management – Some concerns’ on the occasion, Shri N N Vohra, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir said that special attention is required for National Security Management and services of specialists from the domains of Policing, Investigation, Internal and External Security including the Armed Forces is also necessary to meet this objective.

Shri Vohra said that it is imperative to institute a Nationwide Security Framework policy since the Internal and External Security aspects are closely intertwined. He called for framing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for tackling internal security threats in which the State Police Forces, being the first baseline response agency, have a vital role to play. Shri Vohra said the MHA should make efforts to ensure that cases related to terrorism are handed over to NIA without delay.

Speaking on the occasion, Director General, NIA Shri Sharad Kumar said that two more NIA Centres will soon be set up at Raipur and Jammu. He said the NIA has a success rate of 95% in investigation and 92% conviction rate in 119 cases handed over to the NIA since its institution in the year 2009, which lends credibility to the forefront investigation agency dealing with terrorism incidents.