NABHIDANG (Uttarakhand), Oct 19:
India will build world-class infrastructure along its borders, including telecommunication facilities, to strengthen territorial security and facilitate security forces, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said today.
Explaining the reasons behind government’s thrust in developing the border areas, Rijiju said China has developed their areas by building highways and providing communication facilities.
“Government will develop world-class infrastructure along its borders that will include telecommunication facilities for our soldiers as well as for local population,” the Minister, who is on a two-day visit to border out posts of Indo Tibetan Border Police in Uttarakhand, said.
Asked if India’s plans to develop infrastructure along the border areas may lead to a competition with neighbouring countries, Rijiju replied in the negative.
“We need to secure our border areas. It’s not the competition with neighbouring countries but it’s all about securing our border, territory and soldiers. Not just strategically but also for our soldiers and locals, government must act in this direction. We must feel the pain of our soldiers who stay here all the time to secure our borders,” he said.
Rijiju said funds will be released from the Border Area Development Programme to develop the border areas for the betterment of security forces and locals.
“I will call an immediate Border management meeting with the officials of the Ministries of Home, Defence, Road Transport, Telecommunications, and others to chalk out plans for revamping the entire border areas of the country,” he said.
Rijiju, who undertook an 8-Km long journey on foot from SSB BoP at Kalapani to ITBP BoP at Nabhidang, expressed disappointment over lack of basic facilities for security forces and local residents.
“I have to say that in the last 68 years after Independence, the subsequent governments have failed to provide basic infrastructure and communication facilities to their soldiers who secure the country’s border all the time. The Governments should have been pro-active,” he said.
He said that it is his priority to develop telecommunications and road facilities at the border areas.
Rijiju, who was accompanied by SSB DG BD Sharma and SSB IG (Ranikhet Frontier) Shyam Singh, met SSB and ITBP Jawans at the BoPs at Kalapani and Nabhidang and assured them of all help in providing requisite facilities.
“Our security forces serve the country 24×7 by guarding our borders. It is because of their services that citizens feel safe at home. Their demands of better service conditions and access to facilities must be taken care of. I will take up their issues,” he said. (PTI)
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