Concept to be implemented in 7-8 places as pilot project
AGARTALA, June 5: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Government’s “smart border” project is in the final stage, and the new security grid will feature cutting-edge technology and local administration, besides the border sentinels.
Shah, addressing BSF personnel at Lankamura Border Outpost in Tripura, said wherever troops of the force are deployed, “we will build smart borders there”.
“Smart borders will be introduced soon with a new security grid to include cutting-edge tech, local administration and border sentinels,” the Home Minister said.
“The concept of smart border will be implemented in seven to eight places in the country as a pilot project. I request the Union Home Secretary and the Director General of the BSF to visit border areas and hold talks,” Shah said.
Every border has its own challenges, from human trafficking and arms smuggling to drug supply, but the BSF jawans do their best to face these challenges, he said.
Shah stated that district magistrates, superintendents of police, ‘village patwaris’ (accountants), and sarpanches (village heads) will also play an important role in this framework.
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He emphasised that until local administration in border areas is integrated into this concept, borders cannot be made truly impregnable and imagining border security in isolation will never be successful.
“To make India a ‘viksit’ (developed) nation by 2047, we have to stop the entry of fake notes, human trafficking and drug smuggling from across the borders,” the senior BJP leader said.
Shah said, “For the modernisation of border fencing, we have also approved the installation of 119 kilometres of new fencing to replace a portion of the approximately 650 kilometres of fencing that is over 15 years old.”
The Union Home Minister further said that several projects aimed at improving facilities for personnel at border outposts — such as electricity supply, green energy initiatives, and safe drinking water — have not only been initiated but also completed.
Shah said in New Delhi in May that the Government will launch a tech-enabled “smart border” project by next year to make the 6,000-km front with Pakistan and Bangladesh impenetrable, and ensure that the “conspiracy” to change the demography of the country is defeated.
“The Government of India has decided that not only will we stop infiltration, but we will find each and every infiltrator and send them out of the country,” he had said.
The “smart border” will use technology, drones, radars and smart cameras to help create an impenetrable border, he told the gathering.
On Friday, Shah who also joined a tree plantation programme at the BOP stated that from 2019 to date, personnel from all Central Armed Police Forces have planted more than 7.5 crore trees.
He said that this year, between 40 lakh and 60 lakh trees will be planted, and the CAPF personnel will plant 2 crore trees next year, contributing both to environmental protection and service to the nation.
Later, the Union Home Minister held a high-level security meeting at the BSF’s Tripura Frontier headquarters, which was also attended by Chief Minister Manik Saha, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, DGP Anurga Dhankar and senior security officials. (PTI)
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