News- The Prime Minister extended greetings to Sashastra Seema Bal personnel on their Raising Day, praising their dedication and vigilance in difficult terrains.
About Sashastra Seema Bal
The Sashastra Seema Bal is a Central Armed Police Force responsible for guarding India’s international borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
Established: The force was established on 15 March 1963 as the Special Service Bureau after the Sino–Indian Conflict of 1962.
Ministry: The Sashastra Seema Bal functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Headquarters: The headquarters of the force is located in New Delhi, with frontier headquarters at Lucknow, Patna, and Guwahati.
Motto: It has the motto of “Service, Security, Brotherhood“.
Responsibility
- SSB guards India’s borders with Nepal (1,751 km) and Bhutan (699 km).
- It prevents trans-border crimes such as smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal migration.
- It checks anti-national activities and supports peace and stability in sensitive border regions.
- It gathers intelligence linked to border security and internal stability.
- It assists local people through civic action and development initiatives, supports internal security with other forces, and
- It undertakes disaster relief operations.
- It also performs additional tasks such as UN missions, law and order duties, counter-uprising operations, and election duty, as assigned by the Central Government.
Powers
- SSB has been conferred powers under the Criminal Procedure Code of 1973, the Arms Act of 1959, the NDPS Act of 1985, and the Passport Act of 1967.
- The Government also contemplates additional powers under the Customs Act of 1962.
- These powers operate within a 15 km belt along the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and in any other SSB operational area.
Organisation structure
- The organisation is headed by a Director General.
• It includes infantry-style battalions, specialised units such as engineering, signals, medical units, dog squads, and training centres.
Achievements: The force received the President’s Colours in 2004 for its significant contribution to national security and border management.
