A blueprint defining the extended jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) is soon to be submitted to the Union home ministry. The logistical requirements in various frontier states are also under consideration.
In October 2021, the central government issued a notification to amend a July 2014 enabling provision for the BSF personnel and officers while they operate in the border areas.
The BSF guards over 6,300 km of the Indian fronts with Pakistan on the west and Bangladesh on the east. The BSF jurisdiction, from the border towards the hinterland, in Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam was enhanced from the earlier 15 km to 50 km. In Gujarat, it has been reduced from 80 km to 50 km. No changes were made in Rajasthan.
The Force has been able to check cross-border crimes like narcotics trafficking and cattle smuggling under the new system.
As part of the step-by-step implementation of the new government order, an exercise has been undertaken by the BSF and its sister agencies to identify and mark the new 50 km jurisdiction and its alignment on the ground. The geographical locations and physical structures along the new axis have been identified.
Officials said the requirement for having some halting points, points, and other logistical requirements for troops undertaking operations against cross-border crimes has been identified. The report will be placed before the Union home ministry in due time for approval.
Once the ministry approves the proposal, the new communication, logistics, and posts for jawans will be created gradually. "The force has undertaken several operations under the enhanced jurisdiction powers in various states over the last few months, and every such action has been undertaken after informing the state police," said officials involved in the exercise.
The Union home ministry had earlier said the enhancement in the jurisdiction is aimed at empowering BSF to discharge its border guarding duties more effectively in the wake of the use of technology like drones and unmanned aerial vehicles. These devices are used by anti-national forces for surveillance as well as smuggling as they have a long-range.