Sashastra Seema Bal - SSB 4.91

In the wake of the Chinese conflict in 1962, it was felt that the country’s borders cannot be protected by the force of rifles alone, it requires the backing and resolute will of a committed border population. A need was realized for the creation of a unique, unconventional, specialized organization which would function in the far away, vulnerable, strategic, remote, climatically and topographically difficult border areas and motivate the border population across several states for the cause of protecting our national sovereignty. The SSB (Special Service Bureau) was created in March, 1963 with the objective of achieving ‘Total security preparedness’ in the remote border areas for performing a ‘stay-behind’ role in the event of a war. It was started in North Assam, North Bengal, hill districts of Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand), Himachal Pradesh, part of Punjab and Ladakh area of J&K. Later its jurisdiction was extended to Manipur, Tripura & Jammu (1965), Meghalaya (1975), Sikkim (1976), Rajasthan (1985), South Bengal, Nagaland and Mizoram (1989). Its area of coverage included 15 states.SSB in the erstwhile role was covering a population of more than 5.73 crores living in about 80,000 villages and about 9917 Kms of India’s international borders. The main thrust of the SSB was on generating a sense of national belonging, security and vigilance. The SSB trained more than two lakh volunteers which were the eyes and ears of the organization.

The area covered by SSB comprised 10 SSB Divisions, 49 Areas, 117 Sub Areas and 287 Circles. It had 32 Group Centres, 14 Training Centres and 3 Storage Depots. Training Schools were set up in various parts of the country starting with Frontier Administrative Officer’s Training Centre at Mahabaleshwar in October, 1963. Besides, Group Leaders Training School was opened in Gwaldam (UK). Two Advanced Training Schools were started for volunteers in Sarahan (HP) and Haflong (Assam). By 1990, SSB had seven Major Training Centres and seven Women’s Advanced Training Schools. Training was imparted to population in the border areas of HP, Punjab, part of J&K, UP, North Assam, North Bengal and South Bengal and NEFA region.

The resources of the Central Govt. and State Govt. were pooled and efforts were made through SSB to improve the lot of the border population which came out in large numbers to repair the roads, bridges and drains, clean up tanks and wells, lay water supply lines and build public toilets, sports grounds, school buildings, community centres, etc. SSB personnel took the scheme to the villager’s doorsteps. They used tape recorders, 16 mm film projectors and gramophones to educate and motivate. They lived with the villagers and addressed their day to day issue. Need for unity and integrated action was emphasized. Economic development of the regions was attempted. Villagers were trained in the use of small arms and the art of self defence to develop a spirit of resistance. SSB’s efforts bore fruit slowly but steadily. A large number of women volunteers were trained and this augmented the SSB’s endeavours greatly. In 1965, SSB undertook the task of providing medical support in the border areas where primary health centers were largely non existent. This move turned the tide in favour of the Govt. as the border men felt they had much to gain from being a part and parcel of the Indian Union. By 1998, SSB Medical Staff were treating an average of 16 lakhs patients every year. In the year 1989 SSB augmented its services through a veterinary support system for the border population wholly dependent on cattle and livestock for their livelihood. SSB veterinary staff provided free veterinary health care to as many as 5 lakhs livestock every year by organizing camps in far-flung border villages. SSB played both its overt and covert roles in an exemplary manner and grew in strength as a people’s force, guided by its motto of Service, Security and Brotherhood. When epidemics or disaster struck in the form of earthquake, cloudburst, floods, landslides, riots, SSB was the first to rescue the border population. SSB can claim that it was the first force to take on empowerment and emancipation of women by conducting weapon training, awareness generation programmes and skill development courses to enable them to become self reliant. SSB also enriched the social fabric, embellished the secular milieu of the nation and rejuvenated dying arts in all the areas it was deployed. Infact, the spread of Hindi in Arunachal Pradesh is credited to SSB. By our work and efforts we retrained many youngsters from not only falling into the hands of fissiparous elements but also from falling prey to drugs and bad habits.