Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the newly constructed residential premises built at a cost of Rs 27 crore at Jogbani Integrated Check Post of Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) in Araria, Bihar.

Shri Amit Shah also virtually inaugurated the newly constructed office buildings of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) of worth Rs 35 crore at Bathnaha. On this occasion, many dignitaries including Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai, Secretary Border Management, Shri Atul Dulloo, Director General, Sashastra Seema Bal, Smt. Rashmi Shukla and Chairman, Land Ports Authority of India, Shri Aditya Mishra were present.

In his address, the Union Home Minister said that today is the death anniversary of the brave son of India, Param Vir Chakra awardee Shri Tarapore ji. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given a forever memory of Shri Tarapore ji in the map of India by naming an island in Andaman Nicobar as Tarapore Island.

Shri Amit Shah said that there are many border related issues in Bihar, like infiltration, land grabbing and illegal trade. He said that all the problems of the border areas can be solved by the Central and State governments together and with strict measures without the policy of appeasement. He said that all these problems will be solved in the near future.

Union Home Minister and Minister Cooperation said that India shares more than 15,000 kilometers long land border with neighbouring countries. He said that this land border can be used not only to increase trade but also to strengthen cultural, social and trade relations with neighbouring countries. Shri Shah said that in this direction, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has taken several steps to make the Land Ports Authority of India more efficient. He said that in the coming 5-6 years, all the institutions of this LPAI will also work as our cultural and commercial ambassadors on the Indian borders with neighbouring countries. He added that Land Ports Authority of India is India's first communication centre for our neighbouring countries. The objective of Land Ports Authority of India is to use modern facilities and technology and create an efficient system for smooth running of transport and trade.

Shri Amit Shah said that houses built by the Land Ports Authority of India at a cost of Rs 27 crore for security personnel and other personnel in Jogbani have been inaugurated today. Apart from this, office premises built at a cost of Rs 35 crore in SSB, Bathnaha have also been inaugurated. He said that Sashastra Seema Bal along with maintaining security on the border of our two friendly countries, Nepal and Bhutan, also works to increase cultural relations. Shri Shah said that from the India-China war of 1962 till today, the dedicated soldiers of India's border security forces have not only secured the borders but also further strengthened the cultural identity of the villages located in the border areas and their connection with India. He said that all the border security forces of India also work with full enthusiasm for the implementation of all the schemes being run for the poor and underprivileged people by the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said that whether it is the Covid-19 pandemic or floods, everywhere our border security forces have always conveyed the message of humanity to the border areas.

Union Home Minister said that the average business figure of Land Ports Authority of India, spread across an area of about 7,485 square kilometers, is Rs. 10,500 crore. He expressed confidence that this figure will increase further in the coming days with the construction of the remaining three land-posts connected with Nepal. Shri Shah said that there has been a lot of progress in our coordination, collaboration, and cooperation with Nepal through the land port. He said that over 7,000 trucks move through the post every day and over 14 percent of the total trade between India and Nepal takes place through this check post of the Land Port Authority.

Shri Amit Shah said that earlier governments never cared about the infrastructure development on border. He said that after Shri Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, significant progress has been made in border area infrastructure and Prime Minister has ensured transformation of the last village of India into the first village. Shri Shah said that the Modi government has removed connectivity bottlenecks and taken the welfare schemes to the villages. He said earlier, trade across land borders was nearly impossible, and was mostly illegal. However, legal trade has now increased, while illegal trade has significantly decreased. Additionally, people-to-people relations have become stronger, which is crucial. He said that it is very important to increase people to people connect with our neighbouring countries and Land Ports Authority is a one-step solution for all these tasks. Shri Shah said that all these objectives are being fulfilled at one place through Land Port Authority.

RK/AY/AKS/ASH/AS