Centre clears Rs 1,100-crore coastal security plan

• Aiming to strengthen country's security along its coastline, the government on Friday approved a Rs 1,100-crore coastal security scheme to be implemented from April 1, 2011
• Under the scheme, the Centre, with the help of States having coastline, proposes to set up more coastal police stations, purchase high-speed boats, recruit security personnel and procure high-tech gadgets.
• In  the earlier first phase of the coastal security scheme, 73 coastal police stations, 97 check posts, 58 outposts and 30 operational barracks, equipped with 204 vessels and vehicles in the nine coastal States, four coastal Union Territories were setup
• After the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, which was carried out by terrorists who came from Pakistan taking the sea route, the government has been emphasising on securing the country's 7,517-km coastline.