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Amit Shah says government is committed to curbing abnormal demographic growth
Union home minister Amit Shah said that the government is committed to curbing abnormal demographic growth caused by “unnatural factors”, terming illegal infiltration as the primary cause of demographic changes in border areas
Union home minister Amit Shah said that the government is committed to curbing abnormal demographic growth caused by “unnatural factors”, terming illegal infiltration as the primary cause of demographic changes in border areas.
Shah made the statement while speaking at the first Land Border Districts’ Superintendents of Police Conference-2026 in New Delhi, which was attended by 120 district SPs, collectors, police chiefs of the states, intelligence bureau officials, and the heads of the government’s different agencies. During the day, the top police officers and chiefs outlined their challenges, plans on curbing infiltration and best practices.
Shah told the officers that India’s border security system, based on the vision of a Smart Border, would become the most modern in the world in the coming years, as he outlined the government’s strategy to strengthen border management through an integrated security grid and greater coordination among border guarding forces, state governments, district administrations and local communities. He announced at the conference that the Centre, along with border guarding forces, state and district administrations, Union government stakeholders, and local citizens, is building a strong quadrangular security grid that will be unveiled later.
“A strong system is being developed to make the country completely infiltration-free, and the government is addressing problems at their roots to make solutions permanent. The government has shifted its approach from a reactive model to a proactive one by creating an integrated security grid instead of relying on isolated border outposts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Demography Mission to study demographic changes, identify abnormal factors contributing to demographic growth and recommend measures to prevent such changes in the future. The government is committed to curbing abnormal demographic growth caused by unnatural factors. Illegal infiltration was the primary cause of demographic changes in border areas,” he said.
During the conference, Shah emphasised the importance of ensuring that information on demographic changes caused by abnormal factors in border areas is communicated from the grassroots to the highest level at the earliest possible stage.
The government had on May 26 constituted a High-Level Committee to study the demographic changes arising from illegal immigration and other abnormal reasons, and to suggest measures to deal with these demographic changes. Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar (Retired) is the chairman of the committee. In addition to the Census Commissioner three experts—Durga Shankar Mishra (Retired IAS), Balaji Srivastava (Retired IPS), and Shamika Ravi — are committee members. This Committee, which will submit its report within one year, will start visiting the border states.
“The government has increased investment in border infrastructure by 400% and has adopted a scientific approach to strengthening border security. Under the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP), PM Modi has described the country’s last village as its first . Under this initiative, efforts are being made to prevent migration, generate employment, and ensure 100% implementation of government welfare schemes. The government is already fencing the 1,610-km-long India-Myanmar border at a cost of ₹31,000 crore. The government’s objectives are to prevent proxy war, illegal infiltration, the spread of radicalisation, narcotics trafficking, smuggling, drone-related threats, cybercrime, organized crime, and demographic changes, to make border areas more livable and to ensure their security,” he said.
At the conference ,the home minister also said that a similar conference will be held to strengthen coastal security, identify challenges and work towards fixing it. He said that after collective successes in freeing the country from left wing extremism and terrorism in North East and J&K, the government has launched a war on drugs. “In the next three years, we will inflict serious damage on the narcotics menace and achieve victory over it,” he said.
