India on Monday added to its strategic strength by setting up a BSF battalion headquarter in Udham Singh Nagar’s Sitarganj area located close to the porous India-Nepal border.
At the same time, foundation stone of one battalion campus of the SSB that guards about 264 long India – Nepal border was also laid here on Monday by Union Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde.
Given the present security challenges along the said international border, expanding wings of the BSF in Uttarakhand on Monday is part of the Government of India’s long term strategy in which it has planned to open one battalion headquarter in every State.
laying the foundation stones of the battalion headquarter campuses of both BSF and SSB at Sitarganj’s SIIDCUl area on Monday, Shinde said that keeping in view of the present security scenario, the Government is planning to set up one battalion headquarter of the BSF in every State in future and laying the foundation stone of the battalion headquarter of the BSF here is part of this process.
He expressed hope that presence of the BSF along with the SSB that guards the India – Nepal border here, will strengthen the security situation on this open border that India has with Nepal on this sector.
“More so, apart from meeting our security requirements, opening battalion headquarters of these border forces will also create more job opportunities for youths in the times to come,” Shinde said.
At the same time the Union Home Minister called upon the officials concerned of the BSF and SSB to give preference in recruitment to local youths, saying youths of Uttarakhand have always had huge representation in Indian Army and security forces. Presence of the battalion headquarters of the SSB and BSF will definitely facilitate opportunities for youths to join the forces ahead also.
Side by side, setting up bases of these two forces will also help push the development process of this region, he expressed hope.
Apart from laying the foundation stones of the SSB and BSF campuses i.e. worth Rs200 crore and Rs65 crore respectively, the Union Home Minister accompanied by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna also laid the foundation stone of Sirsa- Shaktifarm Road worth Rs54.78 crore in Sitarganj.
Speaking on this occasion Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna also expressed hope that opening of the battalions of BSF and SSB will go a long way in dealing with security challenges that India has on this Himalayan front.
More so, these border forces, as our past experience suggest, will also help in meeting challenges like disaster management ahead, he added.
Among others State Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya, MP from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar parliamentary constituency K C Singh Baba, Subhash Joshi DG, BSF and DG, SSB, Krishna Chaudhary were also present on this occasion.
