Important Facts For Prelims
60th Raising Day of BSF
- 02 Dec 2024
- 3 min read
Why in News?
On 1st December, 2024, Prime Minister extended his greetings to the Border Security Force (BSF) on their 60th Raising Day, emphasizing the importance of the force in safeguarding India's borders.
What is BSF?
- About: BSF was established in 1965 following the India-Pakistan war to enhance border security.
- The BSF has an air wing, marine wing, an artillery regiment, and commando units.
- It works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Deployment: The BSF, comprising approximately 2.6 lakh personnel, is deployed on the Indo-Pakistan International Border, Indo-Bangladesh International Border, Line of Control (LoC) along with the Indian Army and in Anti-Naxal Operations regions.
- Specialized Operations: The BSF plays a crucial role in safeguarding areas such as Sir Creek in the Arabian Sea and the Sundarbans delta in the Bay of Bengal, utilizing a modern fleet of watercraft.
- Additionally, it contributes to the UN peacekeeping Mission by deploying trained personnel to various global locations each year.
- Jurisdiction of BSF: The BSF secures India’s borders and is empowered to arrest, search, and seize under various laws, including the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973, Passports Act 1967, Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920, and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), 1985.
Note
Under Article 355, the central government has the authority to deploy its forces to safeguard a state from external aggression and internal disturbance, even in cases where the state has not requested assistance from the Centre and is hesitant to accept central forces.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)
Prelims:
Q. Department of Border Management is a Department of which one of the following Union Ministries? (2008)
(a) Ministry of Defence
(b) Ministry of Home Affairs
(c) Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways
(d) Ministry of Environment and Forests
Ans: (b)
Q. Which one of the following is the best description of ‘INS Astradharini’, that was in the news recently? (2016)
(a) Amphibious warfare ship
(b) Nuclear-powered submarine
(c) Torpedo launch and recovery vessel
(d) Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
Ans: (c)
