On the issue of border and coastal security, the minister revealed that on the India-Bangladesh border, 25 kilometers of fencing and 40 kilometers of new roads had been completed in November. He also said that 40 kilometers of fencing had been replaced. The erection of poles for floodlighting works had also been completed for a length of 66 kilometers, he added.

As far as the India-China border was concerned, 201 kilometers of roads were in various stages of construction and 4.6 kilometers of formation works had been completed in November, Chidambaram said.

He said forest clearances were obtained for the following four roads:

Pulum Sumda (PDA) - Sumla in Uttarakhand

Pulum Sumda (PDA) - Mendi in Uttarakhand

Sonam - Pulum Sumda (PDA) in Uttarakhand

Jung - Mago - Chuna in Arunachal Pradesh

Under the Border Area Development Programme (BAPD), he said Annual Action Plans have been received from 17 States.

He said the first installment of Rs.369.62 crore has been released to 15 States, viz., Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, J and K, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

On coastal security, he said M/s. GSL Goa and M/s. GRSE, Kolkata havge been asked to supply 84 boats for coastal patrolling and security up to March 2010. Fifty boats had been delivered up to October 2009, and six more boats were delivered in November, taking the total number of boats delivered to 56.

He admitted that the suppliers are still behind schedule and every effort will be made to impress upon them to deliver all 84 boats by March 2010. (ANI)

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