Rajasthan Survey to Scrutinise Unauthorised Constructions and Funding in Border Areas
Rajasthan has launched a comprehensive survey to scrutinise unauthorised constructions and their funding sources within 15 kilometres of the international border, following directions issued by Union
What happened
Rajasthan has launched a comprehensive survey to scrutinise unauthorised constructions and their funding sources within 15 kilometres of the international border, following directions issued by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a high-level security review meeting in Bikaner. The exercise targets the India-Pakistan border belt, a strategically sensitive zone historically associated with infiltration, smuggling, and cross-border terrorism. Unauthorised structures in border areas pose dual threats: they can serve as hideouts for anti-national elements and may indicate illicit foreign funding channelled through hawala or other covert networks. The survey aligns with India's broader border management strategy, which includes the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) and the Border Area Development Programme (BADP). For UPSC aspirants, this development intersects internal security, federalism in law enforcement, and the constitutional framework governing border management and Centre-State coordination.
Border area surveys in India are governed by a layered framework involving the Ministry of Home Affairs, Border Security Force (BSF), state police, and district administrations.
●The BSF's jurisdiction was expanded in 2021 from 15 km to 50 km in Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam — though Rajasthan retained the 15 km limit — making the specific 15 km threshold in this survey legally significant.
●The Border Area Development Programme (BADP) funds infrastructure in these zones, and any unauthorised construction bypassing BADP norms raises both security and financial irregularity concerns.
●Hawala transactions and foreign-funded NGOs operating near borders are monitored under FEMA and FCRA respectively.
●The Bikaner review meeting signals a shift toward proactive, intelligence-led border governance rather than reactive patrolling alone.
The 15 km border belt in Rajasthan is a legally defined security zone where construction and funding scrutiny directly intersects internal security law, Centre-State coordination, and anti-infiltration strategy.
◎ In Simple Words
Imagine your neighbourhood is right next to a country that sometimes causes trouble — the government would want to know exactly who built what and where the money came from. That is what Rajasthan is doing near its border with Pakistan: officials are checking every building within 15 kilometres of the border to see if it was built legally and who paid for it. This is like a big safety inspection ordered by the Home Minister after a special security meeting. The goal is to make sure no suspicious people are hiding or getting money from outside India to cause harm.
Factual Pointers
Practice · 1 question
With reference to the Border Security Force (BSF) jurisdiction expansion in 2021, which of the following states saw the BSF's operational limit extended from 15 km to 50 km?