Agartala: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday directed authorities to strengthen border management in Tripura, stressing the need for a comprehensive security grid involving local administration, security agencies and modern technology.
Chairing a high-level meeting with officials of the state government and all eight border districts, Shah said border security should be viewed as a territorial responsibility rather than the sole duty of the Border Security Force (BSF).
He said the Centre, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is prioritising the strengthening of border areas and enhancing security infrastructure across the country.
Calling for a foolproof border management system, Shah directed officials to integrate district administrations, police, village-level functionaries and technology with BSF operations. He also asked authorities to organise awareness camps for border residents to help tackle threats related to narcotics and illegal arms trafficking.
The Home Minister instructed officials to implement the Ministry of Home Affairs’ CCTV surveillance model in Tripura on a pilot basis and ensure that BSF cameras are upgraded and linked with district administrations for real-time monitoring.
Emphasising a zero-tolerance approach towards drug trafficking, Shah called for frequent operations against smuggling networks and directed agencies to target the entire chain involved in narcotics and arms trade.
He also stressed the need for tighter monitoring of financial transactions in border districts, including property purchases, large-scale construction activities and suspected illegal transactions. Shah directed officials to examine land records from the past five years and called for surveys to detect circulation of counterfeit currency.
The meeting was attended by Tripura Chief Minister, senior state officials, district magistrates and police superintendents of all border districts. The discussions focused on strengthening coordination between central and state agencies to improve security and development in border areas.
