Vigil up: 18 new border outposts in Sikkim, Arunachal since Doklam standoff

New Delhi, Dec 19: The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has built 18 new border outposts in Sikkim since the resolution of the Dolkam crisis between India and China. The SSB which guards the India-Nepal and India-Bhutan border put up the new outposts in Sikkim and Arunachal since the Doklam standoff ended.

Currently, 53 battalions are deployed on the borders with Nepal and Bhutan. The SSB has established and operationalised 708 border out=posts which are instrumental in fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding the security of India's borders to promote a sense of security among the people living in the border areas and also to prevent trans-border crimes, Surjeet Singh Deswal, the Director General of SSB said.

In addition to this, five SSB battalions are also deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for counter-terrorism duties, while seven have been deployed in Naxal-affected areas of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and two in Assam for counter-insurgency operations and counter-insurgency operations. Two SSB battalions are also deployed with the NDRF on deputation for undertaking rescue and relief operations during national calamities and disasters.

Further the home ministry also sanctioned the creation of 419 posts for the RTC Supaul. In 2018, the government conferred the status of Group A-Central Services to the SSB, he also said.