Women troops on border duty to get better facilities, says Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Women security personnel deployed at border posts will be provided with a better infrastructure and logistical facilities. Speaking at the Raising Day event of paramilitary Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), home minister Rajnath Singh said it was important to have “gender-friendly” facilities in these remote areas for women as the present support system is deficient.

“There should be gender-friendly infrastructure at border posts where women are deployed. I believe there is a deficiency in this regard. This needs to be improved. I believe those border posts where women personnel are deployed, more facilities should be provided there,” Mr Singh said.

Apart from SSB, Border Security Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police has also deployed women security personnel at remote border locations. Speaking on the occasion the minister said the home ministry will give a serious thought to SSB’s pending proposal to have its own intelligence wing. “Despite not having a dedicated intelligence wing, you have been quite successful in your operations along the two borders you guard,” Mr  Singh said.

The home minister said was surely “not an easy” task to secure the two borders of Nepal and Bhutan which are guarded by SSB since these are not fenced and are fully open which leads to heavy movement across the frontiers.

While describing SSB as a “multi-dimensional” force, Mr Singh welcomed the forces’ proposal to get at least ten FM radio towers erected in the border areas along Nepal.

Also speaking at the event SSB Director-General Archana Ramasundaram said the force was facing vacancies in the officer cadres and has taken some of them on deputation from other sister forces.