The Union Home Minister speaking at the Seemant Vikas Utsav – 2020 held today at Dhordo (Kutch) in Gujarat, said the aim of the Seemant Vikas Utsav is to bring good governance and development to border areas. Citizens living in border villages should get the same facility as citizens living in our cities. Along with this, the aim of the Seemant Vikas Utsav is to sensitize the population of these areas to the importance of national security and share the sensitivity of the security aspect and strategic importance of border areas.

Shri Amit Shah said the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has decided that work will be done to develop border areas through the Seemant Vikas Utsav. This will not be limited to the border areas of Gujarat, but after today’s launch, the Prime Minister himself will be involved in development programs and I will also visit borders in the coming days, to spend time with our soldiers who guard our borders. This activity will continue.

The Union Home Minister said that it is the primary duty of every citizen to protect the nation’s borders and the boundaries of the states, as they are like a Mother’s protective cover. Shri Amit Shah said that Sarpanches, MLAs, MPs from villages in the border areas are vigilant guards of our border. Shri Shah said that until the importance and awareness about border security does not spread amongst the people and public representatives, security of borders cannot be ensured. We cannot secure borders until every person living in border areas becomes aware. Shri Shah said that unless internal security in the country is strengthened, it will be difficult to take the country ahead on the path of development. The priority of the Modi government is to ensure that every inch of our land is protected. He said that today our security forces and Jawans have the capability of standing eyeball to eyeball with one of the biggest powers of the world. Whether it is the Jammu and Kashmir border or the Pulwama attack, the government has given a befitting response.

Shri Amit Shah said it is necessary to reduce migration from border areas for the protection of our borders, which would be important for bringing the same type of development to border villages as is being brought to villages inside our borders.

The Union Home Minister said that while going through writings of Sardar Patel, it becomes clear that he had then said that road, water, electricity should be provided to border areas and migration from border areas should be stopped. Ever since the Modi Government has come to power at the Center, it has started to implement all the things mentioned by Sardar Patel.

Shri Amit Shah said that the Modi government has secured our borders within six years. Arrangements are being made to equip our forces with modern weapons and for training them. The work of providing electricity, bank accounts and toilets in the homes of every poor has been completed. The work of delivering gas stoves to every kitchen has also been done and health expenses up to Rs 5 lakh have been provided for every poor citizen of the country, as all poor citizens are now being treated under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme.

Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, all State Governments along with the Government of India and the nation’s 135 crore people are standing firmly against the Corona virus. Shri Shah said while there is joy with upcoming Diwali celebrations, but it is very important to be cautious.

Shri Amit Shah said there are some negative minded people in the country who point out mistakes in everything that is done, but people are intelligent. They are aware that earlier plans were limited to files, but now government schemes under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, are reaching every door and recent election results testify to this belief in the public.

Shri Shah said that from 2008 to 2014, the speed of re-surfacing of border road was 170 kilometers, which has been increased by the Modi government from 170 kilometers to 480 kilometers. From 2008 to 2014, 230 km of road cutting and formatting was being done annually along the Indo-China border, between 2014 and 2020 it was increased from 230 to 470 km. Only one tunnel was built between 2008 and 2014, and between 2014 and 2020 we have made six new tunnels and started work on 19. This shows how much border security is a priority for the Modi government. Shri Amit Shah said that between 2008 and 2014, a budget of Rs 3,300 crore was allocated and during the Modi government the budget for 2017-18 was Rs 5,400 crore which was increased to Rs 6,700 crore in 2018-19 and in 2020-21 work for Rs. 11,800 crore has been done.

Earlier, the Union Home Minister held and interaction with Sarpanches of the three border districts. Shri Amit Shah also inaugurated an exhibition of the work done for the development of border areas by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Government of Gujarat under the Border Area Development Program.

The program was attended by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Food Processing Industries, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Rupani and several ministers of the Government of Gujarat, the Union Home Secretary, the Director General of BSF, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Senior officials of the Gujarat government were also present.

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