Agartala, June 7: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the implementation of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ CCTV surveillance model in Tripura on a pilot basis and ordered the upgradation of all Border Security Force (BSF) cameras with integration into district administration networks to strengthen border management.
The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting on border security held at Salbagan on June 5. The meeting was attended by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, Director General of Police Anurag, senior state officials, security personnel, and District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police from all eight border districts.
Sharing an 856-km international boundary with Bangladesh, Tripura remains a critical region for border security operations and efforts to curb smuggling and illegal cross-border activities.
According to an official statement, Shah emphasised that border security should not be viewed solely as the responsibility of security forces and advocated a comprehensive territorial defence framework involving the civil administration, local representatives, technology and the BSF.
“Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, the Government of India is strengthening every border area, with border security as its highest priority,” Shah said.
The Home Minister stressed the need for a secure and foolproof border management system, stating that fencing alone would not be adequate. He called for stronger coordination among District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, revenue officials, local representatives and security agencies to ensure effective monitoring and response mechanisms.
Shah also directed authorities to organise awareness and training programmes for residents living in border areas to help address challenges posed by narcotics and arms trafficking. He said local police, BSF personnel and revenue officials should actively participate in these initiatives.
Seeking intensified action against organised crime, the Home Minister instructed agencies to conduct regular operations against drug and arms smuggling networks and take stringent action against all individuals involved in such activities.
He further ordered enhanced monitoring of financial activities in border districts, including property transactions and the construction of large buildings. Officials have been asked to review land records from the past five years along the international border to identify any irregularities.
Additionally, Shah directed the training of district collectors and GST officials and called upon the Central Board of Direct Taxes to conduct a survey on fake currency circulation. He also stressed the need for strict scrutiny of financial transactions in border regions.
The meeting focused on improving coordination between the state administration and security agencies with the objective of strengthening surveillance, curbing cross-border crime and enhancing overall border management along the Tripura-Bangladesh frontier.
