Border security revamp gets nod

The Centre has decided to go for a major revamp of security along all its borders with greater focus on use of technology as has been suggested by a committee headed by former home secretary Madhukar Gupta. Even though the committee had primarily focused on the Indo-Pak border, its recommendations will also be extended to other border areas. The committee constituted after the Pathankot terror attack had submitted the report to the Union home ministry a few days ago.

Sources said the home ministry has decided to accept all the important recommendations of the Gupta committee following a review meeting conducted by national security advisor Ajit Doval and home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi. The committee had suggested that the border fencing along the sensitive sectors should be covered by electronic surveillance and wherever there is no fencing there was an urgent need to install laser walls and other sophisticated gadgets to check infiltration.

Following the attack on the Uri Army camp, the government has decided to expedite the exercise for further strengthening of security mechanism along the borders. The Centre is expected to convene a meeting of border states soon to discuss how things can be streamlined.

“There are certain issues related to border security that will have to be handled by the states. So we will convene a meeting of senior officials from the concerned states shortly to discuss the issue and see how things can be expedited,” a senior ministry official said.

Apart from greater focus on technology in securing the borders, the home ministry has also decided to increase the strength of border guarding forces like BSF, ITBP, Assam Rifles and Sashastra Seema Bal. A special recruitment drive for this is expected to be launched shortly.

The home ministry is also expected to approach the Cabinet Committee on Security shortly with a comprehensive proposal for procuring state-of-art surveillance technology for the borders as well as enhancing the existing strength of the border guarding forces.