India to seal Indo-Pak border by 2018, monitoring framework to ensure this: Rajnath Singh

NEW DELHI: Amid the deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan following the Uri cross border terror attack and rising infiltration bids, India has decided to " seal" the India-Pakistan border by December, 2018.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh after a meeting with the top government officials of Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir in Jaisalmer today afternoon said, "The MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) has set a target to seal the Indo-Pakistan border by December 2018. The action plan is time bound."

Singh added that there will be proper monitoring of the action plan on a monthly and quarterly basis, so that the target of sealing the border can be achieved. The monitoring framework will include at the levels of MHA, the Border Security Force- which is guarding the India-Pakistan International Border-and the states' Chief Secretaries. During the meeting, focus was put on the monitoring mechanism, because of the plan to seal the border by the given deadline.

"There is a new concept keeping in mind border security, which is the border security grid. Border security related stakeholders will be part of it. In the meeting, the state governments gave their suggestions and based on this the border security grid will be given final shape," he said.

The Home Minister explained that technological solutions will be used for sealing the border, especially at riverine locations such as Sir Creek.

Singh added that he has also asked the concerned states that if the BSF gives a complaint to them, it should be registered and proper investigation be carried out.

Singh chaired the meeting attended by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal, Gujarat's Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Brij Raj Sharma, an official said.

Singh asked the MHA, BSF and participating States for faster implementation of infrastructure projects, effective monitoring, intelligence sharing and inter-agency cooperation in view of the prevailing security scenario in the country, reads a statement issued by the MHA.

The Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje raised issues regarding police modernization, security in the hinterland and the peculiar problems due to sparsely populated desert area with shifting sand dunes. She suggested that an Integrated Check Post be established at Munnabao, reads the statement.

The Punjab Deputy CM, Sukhbir Singh Badal, drew attention to the problems of farmers having land across the border and the problems created by the smuggling of arms and drugs from Pakistan, as per the statement.

The MoS for Home Affairs, Gujarat, Pradeep Sinh B. Jadeja stated that in the marshy areas of the Rann of Kutch, where fencing is not possible, there is a need for improvement in the construction of roads and use of technology for surveillance.

"It was resolved that the central and state Governments will work together to resolve all problems at the earliest for effectively protecting the border," as per the statement.

Meanwhile, in regard to the Baramulla attack, Singh said that all citizens should have faith in the armed forces. In regard to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's comments on the surgical strikes, Singh said, "there is tension between India and Pakistan and our citizens should stand by the army."