CCS clears national intelligence grid

What was also stressed was the fact that instead of just another intelligence-gathering organisation,Natgrid was envisaged as a tool or technical solution which will provide uninterrupted access of data to nominated officials of 11 intelligence and investigative agencies.

The CCS clearance today followed a series of meetings and presentations made by the Natgrid team to stakeholder Ministries and Committee of Secretaries. The Finance Ministry,which had earlier expressed serious reservations on Natgrid,had subsequently given its nod days before the CCS meeting.

Clearances have been obtained for land for the Natgrid project and for the team to now prepare a report for the Empowered Finance Committee.

The CCS was told about the 11 layers of built-in security features in Natgrids architecture and the fact that once operational,it would be one of the most ambitious projects using advance PSP pervasive security in perpetuity features till the grid lasts.

Its not clear if the CCS also deliberated on clearances for the NCTC National Counter Intelligence Centre since both the projects had been simultaneously announced by Home Minister P Chidambaram following the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The concept proposed by the Home Ministry has been that eventually,Natgrid will subsume into the NCTC,but the discussion paper for the latter,too,is understood to be lying undiscussed with the PMO for almost a year.