The Union home ministry has directed all border-guarding forces to install beehives on border fences to generate livelihood for the locals and create goodwill to strengthen security.

Sources said the Border Security Force, which guards the Indo-Bangla border, had last year taken the “beehives on border fence” initiative.

“The initiative has been a success and that’s why all the border-guarding forces have been asked to replicate the BSF model,” a Union home ministry official said.

The Sashastra Seema Bal guards the Nepal and Bhutan borders while the Indo-Tibetan Border Police secures the China frontier.

The directive has raised concerns among a section of officials of the central paramilitary forces. “The forces should be utilised for security duties rather than on such useless exercises,” said an ITBP official.

Ranbir Singh, president of the Confederation of the Ex-Paramilitary Welfare Association, said. “...If the government decides to utilise their energy for bee conservation then who will concentrate on guarding the frontiers?”