Share intel, keep nation alert: PM
Akhilesh, Siddaramaiah and Mehbooba fail to participate
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the states to focus on intelligence sharing to help the country stay “alert” and “updated” in countering internal security challenges.
While addressing the inter- state council meeting, convened after 10 years, the Prime Minister told the chief ministers, “We should focus on how we can make our country prepared to counter challenges to our internal security.” He said internal security cannot be strengthened until and unless the states and the Centre focus on sharing intelligence. “We have to remain alert and updated always,” he said. All the chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories and 17 Union ministers are members of the council.
Mr Modi said the meeting would deliberate on internal security challenges and its counter strategies, along with helping the states and the Centre know how they can cooperate. “With close cooperation, we will not only strengthen the CentreState relations but make a better future for the citizens,” he said. Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav and Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah did not participate in the meeting. Mehbooba Mufti, who is the chief minister of conflictstricken Jammu and Kashmir, did not participate in the meeting too.
“It would be difficult for any government to successfully implement a scheme on its own. Therefore, provision of adequate financial resources is as important as the responsibility for implementation,” he said. The PM said there are only a few occasions when the leadership of the Centre and the states assemble together. “This forum of cooperative federalism is the perfect setting to deliberate on the interests of the people, address their problems, and take collective and concrete decisions. It highlights the vision of the makers of our Constitution,” he said.