Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said a new cyber security structure was being prepared by the Centre to prevent threats. Addressing the annual conference of DGPs and IGPs in New Delhi today, Dr Singh said for the robust security structure partnerships among the Government, academia and private sector was essential. He said the use of bulk SMSes and social media to aggravate the communal situation was a new challenge. There is a need to fully understand how these new media are used by miscreants, he added.

The Prime Minister said there were increasing infiltration attempts along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and international border. Expressing concern over the recent ethnic disturbances of the North-East, Dr Singh said thread of unity should be strengthened.

The ability of the Left wing extremists, Dr. Singh said, to gradually increase their numbers and enhance their military potential was a cause of worry.

The Prime Minister honoured Olympic medal winners MC Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt . AIR correspondent reports that both the medal winners were awarded Rs 22 lakh cash each and given a plaque by the Prime Minister .

An announcement was also made at the gathering that Mary Kom, who was till now a Deputy SP in Manipur Police, has been promoted to the rank of the Superintendent of Police (SP). She won a bronze medal in boxing while Dutt had bagged a bronze in 60-kg free style event in the recently concluded London Olympics.