Guwahati: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday dedicated 12 roads, built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in the Northern and Eastern border, to the nation in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Minority Affairs and AYUSH Kiren Rijiju and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat.
Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region and Minister of State PMO Dr Jitendra Singh was among the dignitaries who attended the event virtually. At an event organised in the Lakhimpur district of Assam, the Defence Minister virtually inaugurated a 20-km Kimin-Potin double lane road, along with nine other roads in Arunachal Pradesh and one each in the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
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The roads have been constructed under ‘Arunank’, ‘Vartak’, ‘Brahmank’, ‘Udayak’, ‘Himank’ and ‘Sampark’ projects of BRO. Speaking on the occasion, Rajnath Singh lauded BRO for its contribution to infrastructure development of remote border areas of the nation, especially amid the Covid-19 restrictions. He said that the roads inaugurated on Thursday hold strategic and socio-economic importance as they will play an important role in strengthening national security as well as promoting the development of the North-East region.
“These roads will help fulfil the needs of our Armed Forces and transporting necessities like medicines and ration to remote areas,” he added. The Defence Minister also said that these road projects are part of the ‘Act East Policy’ of the government wherein special emphasis is being laid on the overall development of the border areas.
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He reiterated the resolve of the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the development of the northeast, describing the region as the gateway to not only the overall development of the country but also to the nation’s relations with East Asian countries.
Rajnath Singh paid tribute to the soldiers who showed exemplary courage during the Galwan Valley clash last year and made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation. He said India is a peace-loving nation but its response to aggression has been resolute.
He also touched upon some of the major reforms undertaken by the government, including the appointment of Chief of Defence Staff, measures to boost self-reliance in defence manufacturing and the Corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). These reforms are proving to be a game-changer in military preparedness in the rapidly changing times, he said.
Singh underlined the constant efforts of the government to make India self-reliant in defence manufacturing under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ envisioned by the Prime Minister. “We are actively working towards making India a defence manufacturing hub. Self-reliance in defence production will reduce our dependence on imports, increase exports and strengthen our economy,” he said.
In his address, DG Border Roads Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry gave a brief overview of the achievements of BRO and reiterated the commitment of the organisation towards the infrastructural development of border areas.
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