Jammu: “Our border villages are the inheritors of a rich tradition of courage and resilience. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have shifted the narrative. These are no longer the ‘last villages’ of India; they are our ‘first villages’,” Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday.
The LG was addressing a public rally during his visit to the border village of Regal in the Samba district today, where he initiated and laid the foundation stones for several development projects, an official press release informed.
It said the projects include the establishment of a Digital Library at Government Primary School Regal, the construction of a Community Hall cum Recreation Centre at Regal, the development of Amrit Sarovar at Regal along with a Drainage Channel, the installation of 03 Open Gyms and the installation of Solar Street Lights.
In his address, the LG reaffirmed that the administration is resolute to elevate the border settlements from the periphery of neglect to the forefront of national progress.
“Border villages like Regal are the backbone of India. Our glorious history was forged in the arduous paths of these border villages.
“We are committed to safeguarding the dignity of every border village family, ensuring that those who have faced the greatest neglect are now accorded the highest priority in the new era of Jammu Kashmir’s progress,” the LG said.
The LG highlighted the Government of India is implementing a comprehensive strategy under the Vibrant Villages Programme, which aims to integrate border populations into the national mainstream with focus on livelihood generation, infrastructure and connectivity.
He said that the programme also aims to saturate all villages in four thematic areas: all-weather road connectivity, telecom connectivity, television connectivity and electrification through convergence under existing scheme norms.
“Every effort is being made to ensure that the aspirations of every single citizen are fulfilled, that the development demands of border residents are met. Furthermore, by adopting a ‘whole-of-government approach’, we aim to ensure that every target set under the Vibrant Villages Programme is achieved,” he said.
The LG directed the officials to ensure that every household in the border villages has access to electricity, mobile connectivity, and economic independence.
“We must ensure that by 2030, not a single family in the border villages of Samba remains below the poverty line,” the LG said.
Responding to the demands raised by Member of Legislative Assembly Ramgarh, the LG reiterated that the administration is committed to providing land ownership rights to displaced persons from PoJK and WPRs.
He also stated that the completion of the Shahpur Kandi Dam would provide a massive boost to the region’s agricultural productivity.
The LG lauded Regal for becoming a TB-free village and urged continued vigilance regarding clean drinking water and the collective fight against drug abuse.
The LG also handed over appointment orders to SPOs and sanction letters to various youth of the village and beneficiaries under HADP, Mission Yuva and other schemes.
During his visit to the Regal Border Out Post (BoP), the LG interacted with the Jawans and lauded their unwavering determination in guarding the nation’s frontiers and commended their exemplary role in Operation Sindoor.
