NEW DELHI: Amid efforts by the Centre to curb infiltration, narcotics smuggling and what it described as unprecedented demographic changes, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday chaired a conference of superintendents of police (SPs) from 119 districts sharing international borders.
Reviewing measures being implemented to strengthen the border security framework, Shah said the government was building a robust system to make the country infiltration-free.
“The demographic mission has been launched to identify the growth due to abnormal reasons and suggest measures to prevent it in future. It is the resolve of Modi government to stop the increase due to abnormal reasons in the demographics,” he said at the conference.
Shah said the conference would deliberate on issues relating to border security, explore solutions to existing challenges and formulate appropriate policy measures. “In the coming times, we will move forward holistically towards ensuring coastal border security,” he said.
“The Modi government is building a strong quadrangular security grid by bringing together concerned border guarding forces, state and district administration, relevant stakeholders of government of India, and local citizens,” he said, adding that India’s border security system, based on the vision of a Smart Border, would become the mostmodern in the world.
He said a secure border, prosperous border regions and a vigilant society together could ensure the country’s security and progress. “Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, the country has been freed from Naxalism and terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir and the North-East, which is a sign of our collective success.” He further asserted that the government would inflict serious damage on the narcotics menace and achieve victory over it within the next three years.
Drawing a contrast with previous administrations, Shah said that earlier problems had remained permanent while solutions were temporary. “But now in the Modi government, we are striking at the roots of the problems and making the solutions permanent. The Modi government has increased border infrastructure by 400 per cent,” he said.
Shah said, “Under the Vibrant Villages programme, PM Modi has termed country’s last village as its first village. Under this initiative, efforts being made to prevent migration, create jobs, and ensure 100% implementation of government welfare schemes.” He added that PM Modi launched the Demography Mission to identify abnormal factors contributing to demographic growth and recommend measures to prevent such changes.
Shah informed the gathering that the Modi Government was fencing the 1,610-km India–Myanmar border at a cost of `31,000 crore. “Our objectives are to prevent proxy war, illegal infiltration, radicalisation, narcotics trafficking, smuggling, drone-related threats, cybercrime, organised crime, and demographic changes; to make border areas more livable; prevent migration from these regions and ensure their security,” he said while addressing the SPs.