Anti-terror laws passed by Indian Parliament a fortnight back came into effect from today, Asian Tribune website said. National Investigative Agency (NIA) Bill and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill became law as Indian President Pratibah Patil gave her assent to these legislations.

Orders constituting the NIA will be issued today and its chief will be named in the next few days, Minister for Home P. Chidambaram told Indian media.

He said a Multi Agency Centre (MAC) has been set up in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) as the nodal agency for intelligence in a bid to strengthen intelligence set-up across the country.

Saying that MAC is already operational 24X7, Chidambaram said that its subsidiaries would also be set up in every state capital as a part of the drive to check terror strikes.

Other steps aimed at beefing up security cover, the minister said, are creation of NSG hubs at key centres and a Coastal Command.