Centre approves Rs 13,020 crore for border management plan up to 2025-26

PTI

New Delhi, February 21

The government has approved Rs 13,020 crore for the continuation of the central sector umbrella scheme of Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) during the 15th Finance Commission cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

The decision will strengthen infrastructure for improving border management, policing and guarding, an official statement said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs under the guidance of Home Minister Amit Shah is committed to improving border infrastructure and management, it said.

The BIM scheme will help in the creation of infrastructure such as border fence, border flood lights, technological solutions, border roads and border outposts (BOPs) and company operating bases to secure India’s borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.

India’s border with Pakistan is 3,323 km long, including about 775 km of the Line of Control. The length of border is 4,096 km with Bangladesh, 3,488 km with China, 1,751 km with Nepal, 699 km with Bhutan, 1,643 km with Myanmar.

Officials said as part of the strategy to secure the borders as also to create infrastructure in the border areas of the country, the government has been taking many initiatives that include expeditious construction of fencing, floodlighting and roads along its borders with Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar, and construction of strategic roads along its borders with China, Nepal and Bhutan.

The government has also deployed hi-tech electronic surveillance equipment on international borders and constructed additional BOPs.