MHA overhauls plans against terror; call for institutionalisation of mock drills

NEW DELHI: India is set to overhaul its response to a terrorist strike or major law-and-order situation in the future, with the home ministry writing to all central ministries and state governments to bring them on board for an exercise to revise the Crisis Management Plan (CMP) that was prepared under the previous Congress-led UPA government.

The CMP for responding to manmade disaster – specifically law and order and terrorist attacks through various modes – was last circulated to all states on January 31, 2014 after standard operating procedures or SOPs were drawn up following a detailed exercise initiated in 2009 after the 26/11 terrorist strikes in Mumbai a year earlier.

The ministry has now written to chief secretaries all of states and secretaries of central ministries, saying it has been decided that the CMP is to be reviewed and revised. The home secretary heads the Crisis Management Group (CMG).

The measures being suggested by the ministry include institutionalisation of periodic mock drills to be conducted by states at places with high footfall such as multiplexes. Another issue being worked out now is faster communication between the Centre and state government.