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- India is enhancing its border security to tackle cross-border infiltration, smuggling of narcotics, and circulation of counterfeit currency, particularly from Pakistan.
- Various advanced surveillance technologies are being deployed to secure difficult terrain.
- These include laser walls and fencing systems that use infrared beams to detect intrusions in unfenced areas.
- Electronic surveillance systems are under development, integrating sensors, networks, intelligence, and command-control tools to detect infiltrators and underground tunnels.
- A layered security setup is in place, featuring three-tier fencing, floodlights, thermal imagers, and regular patrolling.
- India is also using drones, tunnel detection tools, and Long Range Reconnaissance and Observation Systems (LORROS) for real-time monitoring.
- Key initiatives include the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS), launched in 2016, to boost border intelligence and surveillance along the Pakistan and Bangladesh borders.
- The Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme supports projects like fencing and lighting, while strategic road development continues under Bharatmala Pariyojana and the Vibrant Villages Programme.
- A recent policy paper titled "A Quantitative Assessment of India’s DBT System" highlights major improvements in welfare delivery through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
- One of the key outcomes is a 16-fold rise in beneficiary coverage, significantly enhancing outreach.
- The Welfare Efficiency Index (WEI)—which evaluates the DBT’s impact—rose from 0.32 in 2014 to 0.91 in 2023.
- This index is driven by DBT savings (50% weight), subsidy reduction (30%), and beneficiary growth (20%).
- Notably, the share of subsidies in total government expenditure has declined from 16% before 2013 to 9% in 2023–24, with ₹1.85 lakh crore saved in food subsidies through Aadhaar-linked PDS.
- Launched in 2013, the DBT initiative aimed to reform the government’s welfare delivery by ensuring better targeting, reducing duplication, and minimizing fraud.
- While Aadhaar is not mandatory, it is preferred. The system relies on the JAM trinity and applies an electronic payment framework across all Central and Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
- The Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT) is India’s largest and most advanced cruise terminal, developed under the Cruise Bharat Mission.
- Launched in 2024, this mission aims to position India as a premier global cruise tourism hub.
- The initiative targets doubling cruise passenger traffic by 2029 and increasing annual cruise calls from 254 in 2024 to 500 by 2030.
- The mission will unfold in three phases from 2024 to 2029, focusing on three key cruise segments: Ocean & Harbour, River & Inland, and Island Cruises.
- To support this vision, several related initiatives are underway. Maritime India Vision 2030 seeks to elevate India’s role in the international cruise market.
- The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is actively promoting river cruise tourism, with cruises operating along the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Kerala’s scenic backwaters.
- Notable examples include the MV Ganga Vilas, the world’s longest river cruise, which began service in 2023.