Rajnath calls for 'zero infiltration' along international border(Lead)

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday stressed the need for educed or zero infiltration at a review meeting where he took stock of the functioning of Border Security Force (BSF) and discuss and expedite pending issues related to border management and infrastructure development.

"Home Minister stressed that all out efforts should be made by BSF and other secutity forces to ensure reduced or zero infiltration especially along the Pakistan border," a source said.

Intensified border guarding and enhanced intelligence gathering have been identified as two chief aspects of the functioning of the BSF to ensure "reduced or zero infiltration" along the international border, sources said.

At the meeting, top BSF officials were also directed to ensure proper coordination with state police and also gear up the real time intelligence sharing grid to act promptly, official sources said here.

Top BSF officials informed the meeting that the recommendation of the Committee of Chiefs of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for grant of risk and hardship allowance to BSF personnel has been finalized and will be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) shortly.

The meeting also reviewed the overall functioning of the BSF and deliberated on modalities to plug the lapses on border vigilance both along the borders with Pakistan in north and west and along Bangladesh in the east.

A high-powered committee has recently suggested that the BSF and other security forces including state police deployed along the Line of Control and border areas should use water sensors in the riverine areas and also install electronic sensors.

Of the 3,323-km-long Indian-Pakistan border, 1,225 km falls in Jammu and Kashmir (most being the the Line of Control guarded by the army), 553 km in Punjab, 1,037 km in Rajasthan and 508 km in Gujarat.

On the India-Bangladesh border, the Minister sought adequate steps from the BSF and other agencies to ensure that smuggling of cattle and narcotics is stopped.

Issues of upgradation of existing Border Out Posts, construction of advance fibre-reinforced polymer shelters on high altitude and forward defended localities on Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir were also discussed in the meeting.

Issue of evolving BSF Air Wing as a self-regulatory establishment on the lines of Coast Guard has been flagged for discussion. Comments in this regard have been invited from Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Defence and Coast Guard separately, the source said.

--IANS

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