Hingalganj (WB), Nov 8 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday said his government will introduce ‘Seema Mitra’ award for BSF, SSB and state police personnel from 2027 to recognise their exceptional work related to guarding the country’s border.
He said a selection committee will be set up to decide the awardees from the forces.
“We will give the ‘Seema Mitra’ award from next year for BSF, SSB and West Bengal police personnel,” Adhikari said while addressing Border Security Force jawans in the Hingalganj area of North 24 Parganas, which shares a boundary with Bangladesh.
The BSF guards the India-Bangladesh frontier, while Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) jawans are posted at the borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
The chief minister visited the Hingalganj border outpost to greet jawans on the occasion of Diwali and Kali Puja.
Adhikari accused the previous government of making derogatory remarks against the BSF and the Central Reserve Police Force.
“I, as the chief minister of the state, apologise to you for the derogatory remarks and behaviour of the previous regime towards BSF and CRPF,” he said, while attacking the then TMC government.
He said that the previous Mamata Banerjee government had not given the required land to the BSF for fencing nearly 600 km of the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.
Adhikari said that soon after taking over the reins of the state, the BJP government ensured that the required land for fencing the porous border was handed over to the BSF.
He claimed that the people gave their “appropriate retort” through the democratic process. The Trinamool Congress lost to the BJP in the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal.
“We have to move ahead and ensure the security of the country,” he said.
The chief minister said the state’s civil administration and the BSF and the SSB are working in close coordination under the BJP government.
Noting that West Bengal shares over 2,200-km-long border with Bangladesh, Adhikari said his government will work in coordination with the Centre to set up more police stations in the frontier districts and provide infrastructural support, logistics and manpower.
The CM asserted that every infiltrator should be traced and sent back the way they came.
“This country is for Indian citizens, and we are committed to them and the people of West Bengal,” he said.
The CM said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a three-day visit to north Bengal in August, had held meetings for strengthening border security and coordination between central and state agencies.
He said coordination meetings should be held between the border guarding agencies and the local police, not just at the district level but also at police station levels, for logistical, manpower and other requirements.
Adhikari, who also holds the Home portfolio, said West Bengal has only 105 police personnel per one lakh population, against a national average of 155.
The CM said his government will work towards job creation for youths in the border areas, noting that the state administration has already adopted the central government-introduced ‘Vibrant Village’ programme for comprehensive development.
He said the state government will work to ensure optimum utilisation of various existing welfare schemes and projects in the border areas.
Adhikari asserted that his government has started recruitment of police personnel, and he handed over appointment letters to more than 11,600 recruits.
The chief minister said the state cabinet has so far approved 29,000 police recruitments since May.
Adhikari said two India Reserve Battalions (IRBn) would be raised in the state with assistance from the central government.
“Verbal discussion for this has been held, and official papers will be prepared soon,” he said.
“It is my duty to come and greet you. When the whole country is celebrating Diwali, you are guarding the frontiers of the country,” the chief minister said, addressing BSF jawans at a programme here on the occasion.
Adhikari said he was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been visiting border outposts on Diwali every year to meet the armed forces, the paramilitary or the state police forces since he was the chief minister of Gujarat.
The PM celebrated this Diwali with security personnel at a CRPF camp in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district. PTI AMR BDC
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