Government to expand BSF air wing

NEW DELHI: Government is planning to expand the BSF air fleet by procuring more choppers and fix-winged planes to transport paramilitary troops and their assets as they carry out internal security duties.

A meeting in this regard was today held in the Ministry of Home Affairs, under which the Border Security Force (BSF) functions, where Minister of State Kiren Rijiju was briefed about the existing assets in the wing and the requirement for new flying machines.

The meeting was also attended by Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami and BSF Director General Devendra K Pathak.

Sources said the duo described the need for more air assets for catering to the increasing number of duties of the BSF and other paramilitary forces.

They said the government will now firm up a proposal to quantify the make and variety of the required machines and then provide funds for their procurement.

The BSF air wing caters to the troops and officers of paramilitary forces like CRPF, ITBP, NSG, CISF, SSB and its fixed-wing planes are used to ferry VIPs or carry out special sorties.