UPA Government activates NIA, UAPA

New Delhi, Jan.1 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment (UAPA) law have come into force from today.

President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil gave her assent to the bills which were passed by the Parliament during the Winter Session.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) would deal with terrorism across the country. It will be headed by Director General rank officer.

The cases to be taken up by the NIA would be decided by a committee of two judges. They will decide the merit of the cases within seven working days and the government will also take its decision in as many days.

Meanwhile, Home Minister P.Chidambaram has said that work is in progress to set up 20 counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism schools in the country.

Chidambaram also stated that a Multi Agency Centre (MAC) acting as the nodal agency on all terror-related intelligence will start functioning from January 1, 2009.

"An order has been issued under which MAC has to share inputs with all intelligence agencies, including those of the State Governments and the Union Territories and vice-versa," Chidambaram said.

Need for a stringent law to counter terrorism and a federal investigation agency on the lines of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), was felt after the Mumbai terror attack. (ANI)