Home ministry starts consultation for Natgrid with stakeholders

The home ministry has started formal consultations with all stakeholders for setting up the National Intelligence Grid which will help law enforcement, and spy agencies to get quick access to desired information, including about terror suspects like David Coleman Headley.

The home ministry has sent the Natgrid proposal to the ministries of external affairs, defence, finance, telecom besides others for their suggestions and necessary approval to the planned structure which is expected to be fully operational by May 2011.

Once cleared by the concerned ministries or stakeholders, the proposal will be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for approval, a senior official said.

The move is being seen as a crucial step towards setting up Natgrid that will facilitate robust information sharing by security agencies and law enforcement agencies to combat terror threat at home and abroad.

This is the second major step by the home ministry after the appointment of former head of Mahindra Special Services Group Raghu Raman as chief executive officer of the Natgrid project.