First batch of SSB combatised posts for Intelligence setup commences its training

The first batch of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) combatised posts for Intelligence setup, which was approved earlier by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), commenced its training process.

The 650 combatised posts for Intelligence setup have been formed to boost the operational efficiency of SSB.

The ministry conveyed sanction of the competent authority for creation of 650 posts for Intelligence set-up of SSB by phasing out 175 non-combatised posts under natural attrition.

The Force Headquarter (FHQ) will be headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG), who will lead a team of 54 people.

A total of six Frontier Headquarters have been formed, with a team of 20 officers, which will be headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG). The total number of officers in six Frontier Headquarters will be 120.

Formation of total 18 sector headquarters have been approved with 9 officers in each and at ground level 73 battalions will be formed, with four officers each.

Two interrogation teams under Jammu and Kashmir and four under ANO/BTAD will also be constituted.

The sanctioned posts will carry usual approved scale of pay, allowances and others terms and conditions of service etc, as notified by the Government from time to time and the expenditure will be met out from the sanctioned budget grant of SSB.

"For 145 posts which are proposed for Communication Staff, Electronic Supervisory Cell at FHQ and FTR, SSB is recuested to send proposal along with sanctioned strength, filled in posts and functional justification," read the statement issued by the Home Ministry.

The proposal to form the combatised posts for Intelligence setup was sent to MHA after SSB was given the responsibility of guarding the Indo- Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders, where there are no restrictions on the movement of people on either side.

The area under SSB jurisdiction comprises densely populated foot hills and plains, thick jungles, under developed regions and inhospitable terrains. The border population on both sides has strong regional, cultural and economic ties.

There is transborder movement of criminals and anti- national elements, which pose a major challenge on the border in the context of the visa free regime.

Most of the strectches of the border are infested with ISI acitiivist, Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs), Left Wing Extremism (LWE), fundamentalists, smugglers of arms/ammunition, narcotics, Indian Fake Currency and human traffickers.

SSB was also declared as the Lead Intelligence Agency (LIA) for both the Indo Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders. Thus, it was felt that a well knit intelligence network of the highest capabilities is needed that can function and deliver the the prime requirement of comprehensive border management.

This was essential as the operations of SSB have to be intelligence based, so as to prevent criminals and smugglers from taking advantage of the friendly borders with Nepal and Bhutan.