Borders to be fenced in a year

The government on Friday said fencing work on both the eastern and western borders will be completed in about a year's time.

It also said that infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir has come down significantly largely due to the fence erected on the border.

Informing the meeting of Consultative Committee on Home regarding the progress in fence construction on borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said it was essential to expeditiously complete the fencing work in other areas also, an official release said.

The home minister emphasised the need to strengthen the Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Assam Rifles, protecting the various stretches of the country's borders, by providing them with more men, modern equipment and intelligence support.

Favouring construction of more security posts and a road all along the porous Indo-Nepal border to ensure effective patrolling, Patil stressed the need for proper co-ordination and co-operation between the Centre and the states in the border-management task. He said the Centre was also taking steps to beef-up coastal security by giving funds to the states for construction of police stations near the coast-line and also for acquiring fast boats and modern equipment.