Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Friday directed officials to maintain strict surveillance over illegal activities and economic offences along the India-Nepal border, with a particular focus on monitoring areas within a 15-kilometre radius of border checkposts.
Chairing a high-level review meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the Chief Minister said all concerned departments should work in coordination to ensure security while expediting pending administrative and developmental works in the border region.
Focus on Security and Border Management
The meeting reviewed security, administrative and development-related issues concerning the India-Nepal border. District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police from seven border districts participated through video conferencing.
Officials from the Border Security Force (SSB), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Customs and the Income Tax Department also attended and presented updates on actions taken by their respective agencies.
According to the state government, discussions covered border security arrangements, encroachment, cybercrime, citizenship-related matters, infrastructure development and pending projects.
Surveillance Within 15 Kilometres of Checkposts
Addressing officials, Samrat Choudhary said Bihar shares a 735-kilometre border with Nepal, covering seven districts, 70 police stations and 194 SSB Border Outposts.
He directed Station House Officers to ensure that no illegal or unlawful activities take place in border areas while maintaining cordial relations between India and Nepal.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure effective surveillance within a 15-kilometre radius of every border checkpost. He also called for heightened vigilance against economic offences and other suspicious activities.
Coordination Against Smuggling
The Chief Minister directed district administrations, police and the SSB to hold regular coordination meetings to curb the smuggling of fertilisers and narcotics across the border.
He also instructed police stations in border districts to constitute special teams to identify individuals who have witnessed a sudden and disproportionate increase in wealth compared with their known sources of income.
Officials were asked to verify such cases, compile detailed information and initiate legal action wherever required.
Pending Works to Be Expedited
During the review, the Chief Minister noted that several decisions taken in previous meetings involving the Union Home Minister, the state government, the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police had already been implemented.
He asked all departments and agencies to complete the remaining tasks with greater coordination and commitment.
Urdu Schools in Kishanganj
Among the development-related directives, the Chief Minister instructed officials to identify 100 suitable locations in Kishanganj district for the establishment of Urdu schools.
