Forces asked to encourage martial arts, sports in border areas

NEW DELHI: Border guarding forces like BSF, ITBP and SSB have been asked to encourage locals in frontier areas to acquire skills of martial arts and adventure sports, the Parliament was informed today.

"Government of India has been implementing the Border Area Development Programme (BAPD) through the state governments as part of a comprehensive approach to the border management to meet the special developmental needs and well being of the people living in remote and inaccessible border areas.

"One of the developmental activities taken up by the state government under the BADP relate to development of sports infrastructure in border villages for activities such as boxing, archery, shooting, martial arts, judo, karate and other popular games including adventure sports," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

As per the guidelines of the BADP, he said, the border guarding forces shall "encourage sports activities, including martial arts amongst the youth in the border villages and provide platform and coaches for this purpose and groom children under sports sector."

There are three border guarding forces in the country -- Border Security Force along Pakistan and Bangladesh borders, Indo-Tibetan Border Police force along China and Sashastra Seema Bal to guard Indian frontiers with Nepal and Bhutan.