SASHASTRA SEEMA BAL

3rd March, 2023 Security

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Context: Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rashmi Shukla has been appointed Director-General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Details:

About CAPF:

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) refers to seven security forces in India under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Assam Rifles (AR):

The Assam Rifles came into being in 1835, as a militia called the ‘Cachar Levy’, to primarily protect British Tea estates and their settlements against tribal raids.
This Force significantly contributed to opening the region to administration and commerce and over time they came to be known as the “right arm of the civil and left arm of the military”.

Border Security Force (BSF):

BSF is a Border Guarding Force of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is a paramilitary force charged with guarding India's land borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The BSF has an air wing, marine wing, an artillery regiment, and commando units. It currently stands as the world's largest border guarding force. BSF has been termed the First Line of Defence of Indian Territories.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF):

The CISF came into existence in 1969 with a modest beginning, having three battalions, to provide integrated security cover to the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
With globalization and liberalization of the economy, CISF is no longer a PSU-centric organization. Instead, it has become a premier multi-skilled security agency of the country, mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure installations of the country in diverse areas.

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF):

The Central Reserve Police Force came into existence as Crown Representative’s Police on 27th July 1939.
It became the Central Reserve Police Force on the enactment of the CRPF Act on 28th December 1949.
The mission of the Central Reserve Police Force is to enable the government to maintain the Rule of Law, Public Order and Internal Security effectively and efficiently, to Preserve National Integrity and Promote Social Harmony and Development by upholding the supremacy of the Constitution.

Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP):

ITBP was raised on 24 Oct 1962.
Presently, ITBP is deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3488 km of Indo-China Border and manning Border Outposts on altitudes ranging from 9000’ to 18700’ in the Western, Middle and Eastern sectors of the Indo-China Border.
ITBP is a specialized mountain force and most of the officers and men are professionally trained mountaineers and skiers. Being the first responder to natural disasters, ITBP has been carrying out numerous rescue and relief operations across the country.

National Security Guard (NSG):

The National Security Guard (NSG) is a counter-terrorism unit.
It was raised in 1984, following Operation Blue Star and the assassination of Indira Gandhi, "for combating terrorist activities to protect states against internal disturbances.
NSG formally came into being in 1986 by an act of parliament.

Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB):

The Special Service Bureau (now Sashastra Seema Bal) was thus conceived in November 1962 and eventually created in March 1963.
The sole objective of achieving ‘Total security preparedness in the remote border areas for performing a ‘stay-behind’ role in the event of a war.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Which of the following statements is/are correct with reference to Central Armed Police Forces?

a. Sashastra Seema Bal is a counter-terrorism unit.

b. It has an air wing, marine wing, an artillery regiment, and commando units.