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Defending the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today said that the establishment of the NCTC is not a State versus Centre issue. Dr. Singh said this while chairing the meeting on NCTC in New Delhi . The meet with chief ministers will discuss issues related to strengthening of counter terrorism capabilities and NCTC. Various concerns raised by the State Governments on NCTC will also be taken up and allayed at the daylong deliberations. "It is my hope that as a result of your discussions today, we will make further progress in improving our counter-terrorism architecture. The closest cooperation and coordination is necessary to meet the threats that emanate from within and outside our borders," he said. Dr. Singh said that the NCTC should be a vehicle of the Centre and the states combined efforts to reach the shared goal of curbing terrorism and eradicating militancy. "We remain open to the suggestions of Chief Ministers. We would like to benefit from their knowledge, wisdom and experience. The NCTC mechanism will give states ability to see the bigger picture of terrorist threats & enhance their counter terrorism capability," he said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is among the front-runners to oppose the anti-terror agency despite being a ruling partner of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). The chief ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled states have also opposed the NCTC. The main task of the NCTC would be to ensure that a wide variety of security organizations in the country work in tandem, at least on issues related to terrorism. It will also have the power to seek information, including documents, reports, transcripts, and cyber information from any agency, including from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Investigation Agency, National Technical Research Organization, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and all seven central armed police forces including the National Security Guard (NSG). The body, which will function under the Intelligence Bureau, would be given its own operational wing with powers to arrest and conduct searches under Section 43A of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

NCTC is not State versus Centre issue: Manmohan Singh