Centre sanctions Rs 8000 crore for BSF revamp

SHILLONG: The union home ministry has sanctioned Rs 8000 crore to the BSF to raise additional battalions, headquarters and other assets, mainly to be located in the Northeast, director-general of the paramilitary force M L Kumawat said on Sunday.

With a strength of about 157 battalions, the BSF is considered as one of the world's largest border patrolling forces.

The annual budget for the BSF has been increased by Rs 2500 crore for the current fiscal from Rs 4000 crore in the last financial year, Kumawat told reporters at the Assam-Meghalaya Frontier Headquarters in Shillong.

Our current budget now stands at an all time high of Rs 6500 crore, he said.

The Home ministry has initiated measures to upgrade border management in a massive and comprehensive manner and hence within five years altogether 509 new Border Out Posts (BOPs) would be raised, of which 383 alone would be located in the Northeast.

Assam sector would have six new BOPs and Meghalaya 17. Besides, 29 additional battalions, 9 DIG offices and 3 new frontiers headquarters would be raised within the next four years, he announced.

The number of BOPs will be increased to 1185 from the existing 802 in the country, the BSF chief said.