Bill to provide Sashastra Seema Bal an armed force status passed

The Parliament today passed the Sashastra Seema Bal Bill, 2007 to provide armed force status to Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and give it legal backing to strengthen policing of borders with Nepal and Bhutan.

New Delhi, Dec 1 : The Parliament today passed the Sashastra Seema Bal Bill, 2007 to provide armed force status to Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and give it legal backing to strengthen policing of borders with Nepal and Bhutan.

The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha today. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil told the House that the legislation would expand the size and responsibility of the SSB's armed combatised wing.

He ruled out the possibility of a single command for the SSB, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), saying they face borders of different countries and are placed in different situations.

The SSB, with 41 battalions, guards almost 1800-km border with Nepal and 700-km border with Bhutan.

Policing of this porous border would be strengthened with the Centre's proposal to raise 21 more battalions, Patil said.

The Rajya Sabha has already passed the Bill.

The SSB was earlier called Special Services Bureau when it was formed in 1963 after the Sino-Indian war.

ANI