One BSF battalion for Odisha: IG

Indore: Stressing on modernisation plans for the BSF, a senior official today said that one battalion each would be added to the border force in Odisha and Chattisgarh after the assembly polls are over in five states.

At present there were five battalions in Odisha and Chattisgarh. These states require one more battalion each, said Inspector General of BSF-Training Sanjay Kundu, while inaugurating the 42nd Inter-Frontier Shooting Competition at Reoti Range here.

The ongoing first phase of modernisation, worth Rs 2,500 crore for the BSF would be completed later this year. So far Rs 1,872 crore have already been spent, a PIB official said quoting Kundu.

An Intra-Net Prahari Project (IPP) to connect 300 locations of BSF was the major success of the first phase project in which 237 locations were now put on internet system to monitor BSF movements, Kundu said.

BSF was one of the best para-military forces in the country that has contained drug smuggling and inflow of fake currency with IPP system, he claimed. The second phase of modernisation would begin next year.

About 650 shooters of 11 teams representing the states of J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Manipur and Kachar, South and East Bengal, Malda, and Tripura are vying for 32 each of gold, silver and bronze medals, and two trophies in the competition.