By IANS,
New Delhi : Home Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday said no major terror attack has taken place in the past one year except the Pune blast in February, and noted that the government’s intelligence capabilities have increased significantly.
Denying the Pune blast was an intelligence failure, the home minister said that the German Bakery, where the blast occurred, had been provided written advisories by the Maharashtra police but these were taken lightly.
“Intelligence is far better than it was one and a half years back,” he said, replying to a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the functioning of the home ministy.
Chidambaram said the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has cracked the Pune blast case. “With little more effort, they will be able to apprehend the accused,” he said.
He said the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had not filled vacancies of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers during its six years’ rule, resulting in a shortfall.
He said while annual intake of IPS officers has been increased to 150 for the next 10 years, the shortfall is also being made good thorough limited competitive examination for state police and para-military personnel.
Chidambaram said the situation in the northeast had changed dramatically in the last year with several leaders belonging to separatist outfits were under arrest.
He said a large number of insurgent groups had also reached agreements for suspension of action.
“Barring Assam and Manipur, there has been no violence,” he said.
He urged the MPs to travel more to the northeastern states.
Responding to points raised by Mani Shankar Aiyar (Nominated), Chidambaram said he will talk to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about setting up an authority under which directions could be given to state governments on implementation of central schemes.
Admitting that the central government had powers to give directions to states, he said such power should be used judiciously and sparingly.