Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has stressed upon the need to safeguard not only industrial, commercial establishments and strategic installations, but also the entire coastline from external threats from sea routes. <br/><br/>The Minister chaired the meeting of Home Ministers, Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police (DGPs) of Coastal States and Union Territories in Mumbai today, convened to review the coastal security of India. During the meeting, Mr. Singh reviewed all aspects of security along the country's 7,516 km long coastline. <br/><br/>In the meeting held in Mumbai today, the Union Home Minister has said that steps have been initiated post 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, wherein Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is designated as the authority responsible for coastal security in territorial waters. <br/><br/>Mr. Singh also said that the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued Guidelines to the coastal states and Union Territories in regard to security of non-major ports. <br/><br/>Further, he informed that in order to track illegal movement, registration of fishing vessels has been made compulsory and for sensitizing fishermen on safety issues, community interaction programmes are conducted by Indian Coast Guard. <br/><br/>The Minister said that to strengthen the monitoring and coordination mechanism for the entire gamut of coastal security, the Government has set up an institutional mechanism at the State and the District level, and has strengthened the Ministry of Home Affairs level Steering Committee at the National Level for review of coastal security. Nivedita Bhorkar, Air News Mumbai