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Border villages are India's first line of defence, residents first in PM Modi's priorities: LG Sinha

Jammu: "Border villages are India's first line of defence, and the residents are the first face of India that any outsider sees. Border residents are not only first in courage, sacrifice, and patience, but they also stand first in the priorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said Wednesday. The LG observed that the residents of border villages are serving the nation every single day. That service must not be honoured only in words, but reflected clearly in the quality of life of every family, he said. The LG was speaking at a public event, organised under the Phase-II of Vibrant Villages Programme, at the border village of Makwal in Jammu, an official press release informed. It said the LG directed the officials to ensure that no family is left out and no genuine need goes unnoticed. "Where existing schemes fall short in Makwal and other border villages, solutions must be created on priority, because for me, the development of border villages is a sentiment, a resolve, and a responsibility," he said. The LG said there must be no gap between what the government promises and what people actually receive. "While planning or executing any scheme, always remember that every family in Makwal and in our other border villages is not just living on the border, but standing guard for India," the LG said. The LG observed that a border village is not the last but first village of India. "To live here, to build a prosperous society here with complete dedication in the service of nation-building and national security is an act of extraordinary courage. Every moment of residents of border villages is the most powerful symbol of patriotism. "More than decade ago, border villages were routinely neglected. That time is over. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, whether it is Jammu & Kashmir or the border villages of the North-East, the distance from Delhi has shrunk in a real sense," the LG said. The LG directed that all government officials must remove obstacles and ensure that Makwal and all other border villages receive every required resource. "Our effort will be to ensure that more resources reach Makwal and other border villages than even the cities of UT. The number of villages formally notified as Vibrant Villages in Jammu district may be limited, but it is the clear effort of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Home Minister Amit Shah that all 541 border villages of Jammu district develop with the same energy and vision," the LG said. He further directed for dedicated Nodal officers for border villages and submission of monthly progress report of the villages under Vibrant Villages programme. The LG reiterated his resolve to ensure every border village is connected with better roads, fully functional schools, and abundant opportunities for the youth. With this mindset, we must work together to transform all our border villages into model villages, he said. "We want every child in Makwal to receive the same standard of education that a child in any major city of India receives. We want every farmer here to have access to better seeds, assured irrigation, and reliable markets," the LG said. Assuring all the necessary support and assistance to the youth, the LG said that there is no shortage of talent in Makwal and other border villages. "What is needed today is the right direction for that talent. We must strengthen youth entrepreneurship and women's self-help groups so that our youth, mothers and sisters are not only the backbone of their own families but also drivers of social and economic progress across the region. "Our aim is to make Makwal and other border villages such model villages that young people can see their future here instead of migrating to the cities. For this, all stakeholders must come together to promote entrepreneurship and provide our youth with training, financial support, and consistent mentoring," the LG said. The LG highlighted that the Government of India is reaching the doorstep of every family in border villages with all the central schemes, and in the last 5-6 years "we have tried to ensure that every border village in Jammu & Kashmir becomes more prosperous, more vibrant, and truly inspiring. "Before 2019, around one-third of families in our border blocks were below the poverty line. In the last 5-6 years, a significant proportion of these families has moved out of poverty, and we have sharply expanded road connectivity to nearly every border village. Electricity, which earlier reached only a part of our border hamlets, has now reached almost every home. Telecom connectivity, once limited to a few villages, has now been ensured in all 541 villages, so that no border family remains cut off from the rest of the country," he said. The LG stated that since 2020, "we have placed special focus on agriculture, dairy, allied sectors, and tourism, leading to notable growth in farm and dairy output and a visible rise in local incomes through initiatives such as fairs and border tourism events. "Earlier, a sizable number of families migrated to cities in search of livelihood; after 2019, with new opportunities in self-employment, self-help groups, agriculture, and allied sectors, migration has reduced and village incomes have risen significantly," he further said. Responding to the demands, the LG assured that appropriate action will be taken to address the issues of the residents of Makwal. On land ownership rights of POJK displaced persons, LG said that the directions in this regard issued in 2024 are under implementation. He entrusted upon the Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to ensure their timely implementation. On the occasion, the LG initiated various development works through Own Sources of Revenue (OSR). These include: Model Anganwadi Centre, Synthetic Volleyball and Badminton Court, Community Hall with provisions of Library and Computer Lab, Health Sub-Centre at Makwal and Veterinary Dispensary at Sohajana. The LG also handed over a handheld X-Ray Machine to the Health department, and also felicitated TB warriors, progressive farmers and a land donor for the establishment of the Model Anganwadi Centre. Appointment orders and sanction letters were also handed over to various youth of the village and beneficiaries under Mission Yuva and other schemes. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today directed for adopting a 'Zero Tolerance' Policy against the drug menace in Jammu & Kashmir, an official press release informed. It said chairing a high-level meeting with Deputy Commissioners, SSPs and senior officials of the civil and police administration at Lok Bhavan, Jammu, the LG emphasized on a multi-pronged strategy: strengthening law enforcement to dismantle trafficking networks; intensive mass awareness campaigns to deter potential users; and enhancing treatment and counselling and rehabilitation to make Jammu & Kashmir drug-free Union Territory. "Action against drug abuse must be our top priority. We need a collective mechanism to safeguard our youth and ensure a healthy future for Jammu & Kashmir," the LG said. The LG also directed for strengthening grassroots intelligence and coordinated and stringent action against drug smugglers. The meeting discussed the series of activities planned for a dedicated three-month campaign under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. The LG exhorted the senior officials to lead the campaign from the front and ensure participation of every section of the society and stakeholders to make this campaign a people's movement. The meeting was attended by Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Nalin Prabhat, DGP; Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary Home; S.J.M Gillani, Special DG (Coordination); M.K. Sinha, ADGP Headquarters; Nitish Kumar, ADGP CID; Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Principal Secretary to LG; Divisional Commissioners, IGPs, DIGs, Deputy Commissioners, Director Information, SSPs and other senior officials.

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