Describing as 'worrisome' the activities of externally-sponsored terror groups, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] warned of a spurt in suicide attacks targetting religious, economic and sensitive institutions in the country.

He termed as 'disconcerting', reports that suggest the existence of a number of terrorist modules and sleeper cells in some urban areas which provide the backup for foreign terrorist outfits.

"The activities of externally-sponsored terrorist outfits is equally worrisome. Their involvement has grown. The concern is that there could be a further intensification involving greater use of fidayeen elements and targetting of a wider range of religions, economic and sensitive objects," Dr Singh said, addressing the two-day conclave of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states on Saturday

"Intelligence is clearly the key to better performance. Improvements in intelligence are being effected at Central and state levels," he said, while asking the chief ministers to tone up their intelligence machinery. "This should go down to the local police station levels."

Emphasing on the importance of generating intelligence at the police station level, the prime minister pointed out that this area had not got the desired attention.

"There is no substitute for an adequately trained and equipped police force and intelligence agencies. I am afraid this does not get the desired attention," he said.

"You need to look into this," he told the chief ministers attending the conclave.

Referring to the growing influence of naxalites in several states, Dr Singh said they have thrived in the 'most neglected' areas of the country, particularly the tribal areas.

Observing that Andhra Pradesh had been most successful against naxalites, he suggested that officers from other affected states be sent to the Andhra Pradesh to get insights and training to tackle the menace.

He also warned the unaffected states not to be complacent, saying the naxalites worked on a long-term basis and spend a lot of time to spread their base at the grassroot level before taking on the might of the state.

Dr Singh also suggested that the influence of naxalism among students, agriculture workers, peasantry and industrial workers should be countered politically rather than by police.

The prime minister pointed out that there was an underlying sense of insecurity prevailing among the minority community. He described as 'erroneous' the linkage of religion with terrorism and said this 'tarnished the community's image'.

He sought appropriate measures to dispel the feeling of mistrust among the community and recommended that education and mass media should be used for this purpose.

The prime minister decried 'deliberate attempts' to magnify 'stray incidents' in Jammu and Kashmir [Images]. He said that efforts to bring normalcy in the trouble-torn state should be pursued 'with vigour' by talking to the people of the state and with Pakistani leadership.

Noting that the level of violence was coming down since the Congress-led coalition took over at the Centre, he said that there was need to ensure all round development of the sensitive border state.

Dr Singh also said the state governments should lay more emphasis on integration of rural India with economic development of the country by focusing on agriculture, drinking water and electrification of villages.

Expressing concern over current growth rate of agriculture at the inaugural session of a two-day conclave of chief ministers of 14 Congress-ruled states, he asked the states to make special efforts to ensure that schemes chalked out under Bharat Nirman programme for uplift of rural India were effectively implemented.

Noting that targets set under Bharat Nirman programme had exceeded in the first year of its implementation, he cautioned the main challenges lay in the next two years.