Patil hints at another Commission on Centre-State ties

New Delhi, Dec 1 (UNI) The Union Government is in the process of establishing another commission to consider Centre State relationship, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said here today .

In order to improve the Centre-State relationship, the Centre has already implemented 80 per cent of the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission, he said in an interview to Ms Vartika Nanda, Executive Producer of Lok Sabha Television.

Mr Patil said the Government was considering equipping the para military forces with modern weaponry in order to combat terrorism and naxalism. It was also planning to effect a considerable increase in the size of security forces.

In the interview due for telecast tomorrow in its edition of Policy Priorities, Mr Patil said the Government had also decided to constitute 300 additional battalions of para military forces keeping in view its shortage in the country.

Referring to the terrorist and naxalite menace in Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern States, the Home Minister said night vision facilities are proposed to be provided to eradicate the menace.

Mr Patil said in view of the paucity of security personnel in the civil police, the Government was seriously considering providing licences to private security and intelligence agencies to curb crimes. After the matter was taken up in the Cabinet, a proposal to this effect would be brought in Parliament.

Besides, the Government was also considering involving government agencies like Home Guards, NCC and civil defence in the task of crime control.

UNI YS RP HT2000