Jammu, 01 April (H.S.): “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 you also stand first in the priorities of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji,” the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said this on Wednesday.

The Lieutenant Governor observed that the residents of border village 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 Lieutenant Governor was speaking at a public event, organised under the Phase-II of Vibrant Villages Programme, at the vibrant border village of Makwal in Jammu.

The Lieutenant Governor directed the officials to ensure that no family is left out and no genuine need go 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 Lieutenant Governor 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 Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor 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 Hon’ble 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 Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor 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 Lieutenant Governor 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 Lieutenant Governor 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 Lieutenant Governor said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar