In a powerful outreach to the frontier communities, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday described border villages as the country’s “first line of defence” and their residents as its true ambassadors, asserting that their daily sacrifices must be matched with visible improvements in their quality of life.
Addressing a gathering in the Makwal border village under the Vibrant Villages Programme, the LG emphasised that development of border areas is not just a policy priority but a national responsibility.
The Lieutenant Governor 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 added.
He said there must be no gap between what the government promises and what people actually receive and 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”.
The number of villages formally notified as Vibrant Villages in Jammu District may be limited, but it is the clear effort of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 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.
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 Lieutenant Governor said.
“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,” he noted.