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Operation Clean security sweep expanded along Rajasthan border

Source:ians ↗

Why It Matters

Security along the 1,070 km Radcliffe Line border in Rajasthan is highly critical. Understanding the extension of security sweeps (like Operation Clean) to a 50-km radius, the involved administrative levels (district collectors, tehsildars, BSF), and the integration of developmental programs (VVP) is vital for RPSC RAS Prelims questions covering border districts, geography, and security operations.

Summary

Under the directives of the Union Home Ministry, the surveillance sweep of 'Operation Clean' along the India-Pakistan international border in Rajasthan has been widened from a 15-km radius to a 50-km radius. This expansion places 102 villages and hamlets (dhanis) in Bikaner district under close security monitoring. Joint teams of the Border Security Force (BSF), Intelligence Bureau (IB), district administration, and revenue officials are identifying unauthorized permanent structures, checking for forged land ownership and identity documents (such as fake Aadhaar cards), and monitoring suspicious financial transactions. Parallelly, the state is implementing the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in these border settlements to improve local infrastructure, mitigate out-migration, and prevent illicit demographic shifts.

Key Points

  • The Union Government-backed 'Operation Clean' along the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan has been expanded from a 15-km radius to a 50-km radius to tackle cross-border infiltration, narcotics smuggling, and illegal funding networks.
  • A total of 102 border villages and hamlets (dhanis) in Bikaner district have been placed under intensive verification by joint teams consisting of the BSF, IB, district administration, and revenue officials.
  • Revenue teams led by patwaris and tehsildars are validating land records, checking for illegal occupations or forged ownership documents, and surveying unauthorized permanent structures which may face demolition.
  • The security sweep is also monitoring local financial transactions through close coordination with banks to prevent illegal funding, and examining suspicious identity documents like fake Aadhaar cards.
  • The security initiatives are being integrated with the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) to upgrade local infrastructure, prevent out-migration, and closely monitor demographic shifts along the frontier.

Important Terms

Operation Clean

A security and anti-encroachment drive along the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan to identify illegal structures, verify land/identity documents, and curb cross-border crimes.

UPSC context

GS Paper III (Internal Security); tests border surveillance, demographic shifts, and regional security coordination.

Source
Vibrant Villages Programme

A central government scheme designed to comprehensively develop infrastructure, connectivity, and livelihoods in villages along India's international borders to curb out-migration.

UPSC context

GS Paper III (Border Area Development) and GS Paper II (Welfare Schemes); tests border demographic stability strategies.

Source
Border Security Force (BSF)

A Central Armed Police Force of India responsible for guarding the country's land borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

UPSC context

GS Paper III (Security Forces and Their Mandate); tests understanding of border management, territorial jurisdiction, and federalism.

Source
Intelligence Bureau (IB)

India's premier domestic intelligence agency responsible for counter-intelligence, assessing national security threats, and gathering internal security intelligence.

UPSC context

GS Paper III (Internal Security); tests knowledge of intelligence-sharing frameworks and preventive security operations.

Union Home Ministry

The nodal administrative ministry of the Government of India responsible for maintaining internal security, managing borders, and overseeing central police forces.

UPSC context

GS Paper II (Executive) and GS Paper III (Internal Security); tests administrative structures for national security.

Prelims Trap

The BSF's operational jurisdiction was uniformly increased to 50 km across all states, and the Vibrant Villages Programme exclusively targets the Sino-Indian border.

In 2021, the BSF jurisdiction in Gujarat was actually decreased (from 80 km to 50 km) while being increased to 50 km in Punjab, WB, and Rajasthan. Additionally, VVP is no longer exclusive to the China border under Phase II.

Static Concepts Connected

GS3 Security: Border Management

What is the statutory jurisdiction and mandate of the Border Security Force (BSF)?

  • Statutory Foundation: Established under the BSF Act of 1968, it is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) tasked with securing India's land borders during peacetime.
  • Operational Powers: Authorized by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to exercise powers of search, seizure, and arrest under laws like CrPC, NDPS, and Passport Act.
  • Jurisdictional Limits: Amended in 2021 to a uniform 50 km belt inside international borders in Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Rajasthan, and Gujarat (reducing Gujarat's limit from 80 km).
GS3 Security and GS2 Governance

What are the objectives and scope of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)?

  • Core Objective: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched to improve infrastructure, generate livelihoods, and check distress out-migration in remote border settlements.
  • Security Linkage: Recognizes that populated, economically viable frontier villages act as the first line of defense and eyes-on-the-ground for border forces.
  • Geographic Expansion: Initially focused on the northern border (China), Phase II expands coverage to strategic villages along Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar borders.

Cross-Topic Patterns

  • Border Demography & National Security

    Unchecked demographic shifts and land-ownership anomalies along the Radcliffe Line necessitate joint civil-military auditing, linking local revenue administration with national security surveillance.

  • Federalism vs. Central Border Mandates

    Extending central agency jurisdictions (like BSF) inside states triggers federal friction over 'Police' and 'Public Order' (State List Entry 1 and 2), testing cooperative federalism.

BSF's 50km jurisdiction limit and VVP's expanded geographic scope are highly probable targets for a multi-statement Prelims 2026 question.

Linked PYQs · 1

Linked PYQs · 1

  • 2024RPSC_PRELIMSGS1

    Which of the following group of districts/cities of Rajasthan are arranged in ascending order as per their distance from the border with Pakistan?