Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh dedicated 35 infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to the nation, built at a cost of Rs 670 crore. He commended the BRO for strengthening the country’s border infrastructure and emphasized the importance of connectivity to every border area through roads, bridges, and tunnels. Singh highlighted the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s approach towards border area development, which differs from previous governments.
He emphasized that the current government considers border areas as the face of India and is committed to developing them in line with the nation’s security needs.
The Raksha Mantri also highlighted the government’s approach to border areas, stating that they are not considered buffer zones between the plains and potential adversaries. He emphasized that the government is developing infrastructure on the mountains and deploying troops on hill borders to ensure the safety of the people there and help the military effectively deal with adversaries.
Sri Rajnath Singh also drew attention to the increasing number of natural disasters in some border States/UTs, including Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim, stating that climate change is a serious issue related to national security. He called for cooperation from friendly countries in this regard.
Shri Rajnath Singh, the Prime Minister of India, has praised the British Royal Engineers (BRO) for their role in the Silkyra Tunnel operation, which rescued trapped labourers in Uttarakhand. He commended the BRO personnel, particularly women workers, for their hard work and congratulated the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) team for their efforts during the crisis. The BRO personnel, including Armed Forces personnel, Permanent Civilian employees, and Casual Paid Labourers (CPLs), are seen as a unique workforce that works together to strengthen the border framework. The government has changed its mindset towards CPLs, recognizing that it is only through collective efforts that the nation can progress.
The Ministry of Defence has taken steps to enhance the quality of life and well-being of BRO personnel, including CPLs, and their next of kin. These include increasing the Risk and Hardship Allowance for permanent civilian personnel, increasing ex-gratia compensation for casual laborers, and providing insurance for CPLs. Out of 35 projects inaugurated by Singh, 29 are bridges and six are roads, with 11 in Jammu & Kashmir, nine in Ladakh, eight in Arunachal Pradesh, three in Uttarakhand, two in Sikkim, and one each in Mizoram & Himachal Pradesh.
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