Rajnath Singh inaugurates 12 new roads in northern, eastern border areas

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated 12 roads constructed by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) in the northern and eastern border areas. At a function held in Lakhimpur district, Singh inaugurated “a 20-km-long double lane Kimin-Potin road, along with nine other roads in Arunachal Pradesh and one each in the union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir”. . A statement from the Ministry of Defense. Speaking at the event, Singh paid tribute to 20 soldiers who were martyred in a clash with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley on June 15 last year and said that “India is a peace loving nation, but its response to aggression is firm”. Singh lauded the work of the BRO, the statement said, “for its contribution to the development of infrastructure in the remote border areas of the country”, especially during the restrictions due to the pandemic. They said, “These roads will be helpful in meeting the needs of our armed forces and in reaching the far-flung areas of necessities like medicines and rations.” Singh said the Northeast was “geographically unique” and strategically sensitive. He said that the region has faced many challenges including extremism and smuggling and added that these problems are being solved with increasing development. Highlighting some of the reforms undertaken by the government – ​​a day after the Union Cabinet disbanded the Ordnance Factory Board to set up seven 100 per cent government-owned corporate entities – Singh said “these reforms are proving to be a game Military preparedness has changed in rapidly changing times. “We are actively working towards making India a defense manufacturing hub. Self-reliance in defense production will reduce our dependence on imports, Exports will increase and our economy will strengthen. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Ministers of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat were present at the event. (with ENS, Guwahati).