Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah chaired a high-level security review meeting in Bhuj, Gujarat, to assess border and coastal security issues in districts along the India-Pakistan Border. The meeting was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, senior state officials, and district-level administrators from Kutch, Vav-Tharad, and Patan.
Shah highlighted that border fencing, strengthened maritime security, and the Gujarat government’s strong political commitment have significantly improved the state’s security situation. He stated that infiltration and cross-border smuggling have been effectively brought under control.
Emphasizing the importance of demographic monitoring in border regions, Shah directed District Magistrates to closely track and regularly report demographic changes. He noted that reverse migration resulting from industrial development in border areas is a positive sign for regional growth and stability.
The Home Minister called for a zero-tolerance policy against unauthorized encroachments within a 15-kilometre radius of the international border and urged authorities to maintain strict vigilance on potential centres of radicalization. He also instructed local administrations to develop district-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to tackle challenges such as illegal infiltration, drone activities, and narcotics trafficking.
Shah stressed the need for coordinated efforts by all administrative levels, from police stations to revenue officials, to identify and deport illegal infiltrators already residing in border regions. He further directed the formation of Security Coordination Groups in every district, involving agencies such as the BSF, Coast Guard, Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate, and Lead Bank Managers.
The Home Minister also called for intensified monitoring of hawala transactions, mule accounts, shell companies, suspicious vehicles, and GST-related activities in border districts. He instructed the Income Tax Department and the Reserve Bank of India to undertake extensive survey drives to strengthen financial surveillance.
Additionally, Shah emphasized enhanced coastal security, better coordination with the Coast Guard, and the full implementation of Central and State welfare schemes in border villages under the Vibrant Villages initiative.
