Country's major cities and iconic installations continue to remain on target of terrorists, the government today said.
"As per available inputs, some of the major cities including Hyderabad and iconic installations are on the terrorists' targets," Minister of State (MoS) for Home, Ajay Maken told the Upper House.
Maken also said the anti-terror unit of Andhra Pradesh; OCTOPUS will have full strength in an year's time.
"As per available inputs, the Andhra Pradesh government has created an organisation called Organisation for Counter Terrorist Operation (OCTOPUS), to combat the terror menace, with a strength of 1,590 executive personnel. The OCTOPUS at present has a strength of 390 executive personnel," he said.
The state government have informed that personnel have to be selected and trained for commando operations and it is expected that the OCTOPUS will have full strength in about an year's time, Maken said.
In an another reply, MoS for Home M Ramachandran said the Union Home Ministry has approved a five-year outlay for coastal security scheme to the tune of Rs 400 crore for non-recurring expenditure and Rs 151 crore for recurring expenditure.