Govt to take steps to strengthen NSG: Rajnath

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) The government will take all stepsto "strengthen" the country’s elite counter-terror force –NSG — by providing better infrastructure and weapons, HomeMinister Rajnath Singh today said. The minister, after inaugurating a composite building forthe counter-hijack squad of the force near Indira GandhiInternational Airport (IGIA) here, said he would also welcomea proposal for creation of a new category of medals for thesecommandos and those from other special forces to recognisetheir ‘shaurya’ (bravery) and to boost their morale. Singh lauded the National Security Guard (NSG) for itsrole during the terror attack early this year at the PathankotIAF base which ensured that there was "no damage to thestrategic installations and equipments" inside the air forcestation. "I will make efforts to see that your infrastructuralneeds are met…Any special force like NSG needs specialtraining and some very sophisticated equipments. The HomeMinistry will take all steps to strengthen NSG," he said,noting countries across the globe are facing the scourge ofterrorism. The counter-hijack squad complex, modelled on the patternof the German special counter-terror force GSG-9 and built ata cost of Rs 38 crore, houses some vital assets of the forcelike a base for ‘black cat’ commandos who undertakecounter-hijack operations, a sniffer dogs squad and a bombdisposal squad. Singh said NSG commandos get their motivation and courageto combat the terrorists from their feeling of "nationalpride". "You have a special place in the hearts of the people…Whenever NSG is deployed, the country knows they are insafe hands. You have done your job very ably," Singh said ashe made a special mention of the Akshardham temple attackoperation of 2002 during which NSG neutralised the terrorists. He asked NSG to commemorate the birth and deathanniversaries of its martyrs as suggested by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi to all central security forces, by holdingspecial events. He said the commandos should train themselves and ensurewhen in operation they should kill the enemy and not getkilled. PTI NESSC