Integrated Check-Post (ICP)

WHY IN NEWS?

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, along with Prime Minister of Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli, jointly inaugurated the second Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Jogbani – Biratnagar.

ABOUT ICP

• The ICPs are sanitised zones at border crossings, with adequate passenger and freight-processing facilities.
• They integrate three main border-related functions:
  • Customs: For the clearance of cargo/goods carried by vehicles, valuable personal items of passengers, and currency by monitoring mechanism and installed equipment.
  • Immigration: For the checking of passports, visas and passenger identification.
  • Border Security: For maintaining security, preventing the flow of illegal arms and other lethal weapons, and providing backup support to customs and immigration.
• The ICPs are aimed at facilitating the systematic, seamless and secure cross-border movement of goods and people by ensuring efficient passenger flow, providing adequate passenger facilities, smoothening processes, optimising the use of facilities, systemising support facilities, and improving traffic flow.
• As of 2019, 20 checkpoints have been identified for development as ICPs, of which half are on the India–Bangladesh border.
• The status (as of March 2019) and details of the Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) along the border areas, State / UT wise are given below:

Prelims Question

Q. Jogbani, which has an integrated check-post (ICP) with a neighboring country, is located in:
a. Assam
b. West Bengal
c. Tripura
d. Bihar

Answer to the Prelims Question