Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that the Ministry of Home Affairs will push forward “very seriously” on coastal security over the next two years, signalling a major policy emphasis on maritime surveillance, inter-agency coordination, and protection of India’s western seaboard.

The statement was made during the 28th meeting of the Western Zonal Council in Panaji, Goa, attended by chief ministers and senior officials from the region.

The Home Minister stressed that coastal security will be a central focus for the Centre, particularly given the vulnerabilities of India’s long coastline and the economic importance of western ports.

He noted that the Western region should also lead in implementing the new criminal laws and in combating narcotics trafficking.

The three new laws—Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam—came into force nationwide on 1 July 2024, replacing the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act.

The emphasis on coastal security followed Shah’s review of Goa’s law and order situation a day earlier, where issues such as narcotics, fugitives, disaster management, police modernisation, and the implementation of new criminal laws were discussed. His remarks underscored the interconnected risks posed by maritime infiltration, smuggling networks, and organised crime along the western seaboard.

Shah described the Western region as the “WEST Engine” of India’s economic growth. He explained that “W” stands for wealth and finance, “E” for exports and ports, “S” for Start-Ups and semiconductors, and “T” for tourism and the blue economy.

He highlighted that Goa attracts more than 1 crore tourists annually, including 5 lakh foreign visitors, with tourism contributing 16 per cent of the state’s GSDP. Maharashtra leads the country with 33,872 Start-Ups, while Gujarat’s Dholera has become a hub for the semiconductor sector. Mundra Port handles the highest cargo volume, and Deendayal Port is the largest in terms of tonnage. Mumbai, India’s financial capital, is also emerging as a global capital hub.

The Home Minister pointed out that Zonal Councils have become more active since 2014. Between 2004 and 2014, only 25 meetings of Zonal Councils and their Standing Committees were held, whereas since 2014, 71 meetings have taken place—nearly three times more.

A total of 1,893 issues have been discussed, with 1,445 resolved. Shah emphasised that disputes among Western states no longer exist, which he described as a major achievement. He added that Zonal Councils have increasingly become instruments for monitoring public welfare schemes rather than merely resolving inter-state disputes.

Several issues of national and regional importance were discussed during the meeting. These included Fast Track Special Courts for rape cases against women and children, the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), food safety standards, Ayushman Bharat, banking facilities in villages, railway development projects, environmental clearances, urban master planning, electricity supply, strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), nutrition, school dropout rates, cybercrime, and digital infrastructure.

Shah also stressed the need to strengthen cooperative banking and cybersecurity. He said all Urban Cooperative Banks should be connected with the Central Fraud Registry and encouraged integration with MuleHunter AI.

He added that cooperative banks should be linked to I4C. He noted progress in PACS computerisation, with Maharashtra achieving 98 per cent and Gujarat 92 per cent coverage, and urged states to adopt the Gobardhan model established by Banas Dairy.

The meeting was attended by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Praful K Patel, along with senior officials.

Shah’s remarks also coincided with his presentation of the prestigious President’s Police Colour to the Goa Police earlier in the day, where he praised the force’s role in safeguarding the coastline and tourism economy, and launched an AI-based voice assistant for the 1930 cyber-fraud helpline.

ANI