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SSB gets powers to arrest, search

LUCKNOW: The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) deployed on the Indo-Nepal border has been given powers to search, seize and arrest within 15 kilometres on this side of the porous border in Uttar Pradesh. Until now the SSB could only intercept but not conduct searches or arrest the suspicious elements crossing into the State.

A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the State Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary, Shailesh Krishna, told newspersons on Thursday that the SSB had been given the powers to conduct search, seizure and make arrests under the relevant sections of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). He said the Union Government had urged the State Government to grant powers of search, seizure and arrest to the SSB.

SSB is deployed in Pilibhit, Lakhimpur-Kheri, Bahraich, Balrampur, Siddhartnagar and Maharajganj districts .

Another decision taken by the Cabinet pertained to operating the accounts of the Centrally-sponsored National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP). Besides, the Government will build cheap houses for the shelterless belonging to the Schedules Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Costing around Rs. 500 crore, the scheme is patterned on the Indira Avas Yojana of the Central Government.

The UP Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary stated that around 2 lakh houses would be built under this scheme with each house costing Rs. 27,500 to the beneficiaries in the seven districts of Bundelkhand region and Rs. 25,000 elsewhere in the State.

Selection of the beneficiaries and construction of the houses will be in accordance with the norms finalised by the Central Government for the Indira Avas Yojana.

Meanwhile, the bio-fertiliser unit at the Biotech Park in Lucknow will be established in the State capital. The previous regime had decided to set up the unit in Kannauj district.

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