New Delhi, Jul 9 (IANS): Net cross-border infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir has reduced to 43 per cent in the first half of 2019 while the barbed wire fencing along the India-Pakistan border will be completed by March 2020, the Parliament was told on Tuesday.

The government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance towards cross-border infiltration, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

"Due to concerted and synergised efforts of security forces, the security situation in the state has witnessed an improvement in the first half of this year over the corresponding period of 2018. Net infiltration has reduced by 43 per cent," he said to a question from Bharatiya Janata Party member Ramesh Chander Kaushik.

"The government, in tandem with the state government, has adopted a multi-pronged approach to contain cross-border infiltration, which, inter-alia, includes multi-tiered deployment along the International Border and Line of Control, border fencing, improved intelligence and operational coordination, equipping security forces with improved technological weapons and taking pro-active action against infiltrators," Rai added.

About the status of fencing along Indo-Pakistan border, the Minister said the government has sanctioned the fencing of 2,069.046 km, out of which the fencing of 2,004.666 km has been completed and work is in progress on the remaining 64.38 km and will be completed by March 2020.