Border villages are India’s first, not last: J&K LG

Jammu, Aug 20 (IANS) J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said border villages are India’s first, not its last, emphasising their role as the frontline of the nation’s identity and development.

Sinha visited Karol Krishna, a border village in Kathua district, along with Rathua, Gujjar Chak, Gajnal, Bobiya and Kadiyala, which come under the Vibrant Village Programme‑Phase‑2 (VVP‑2).

He handed over benefits under several government schemes to local families and appointment letters to youth.

Addressing residents from six strategic villages, the L-G said the word “border” for decades carried a sense of distance and neglect. Still, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, border villages have entered the mainstream of development.

“When the story of India’s development is written, its first chapter should begin in villages like Karol Krishna, Rathua, Gajnal, Bobiya, Kadiyala and Gujjar Chak, where India’s border breathes and the tricolour flutters,” he said.

Highlighting progress since 2019, Sinha stated that all 216 border villages of Kathua district are now connected by road, with full electrification achieved. Telecommunication and television access now reach every household.

He said poverty levels have declined sharply, migration to cities has halved, rural incomes have risen by 30 per cent, and unemployment has reduced to nearly half of earlier levels. More than 2,000 individual and community bunkers have been built to protect border families.

He commended the role of Nari Shakti in transforming border economies, noting that under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, over 1,300 self‑help groups have been formed, benefiting more than 12,000 families. Women are engaged in tailoring, embroidery, crafts and small enterprises, strengthening both household and village economies.

Sinha urged the youth of border villages to dream as big as those in metro cities, pointing to improved facilities in government schools, digital classrooms, vocational training and full academic sessions.

“This is not a minor change but a generational transformation,” he said.

Outlining four key resolves for border village development, the L-G stressed self‑reliance by connecting villages to markets; youth empowerment through opportunities in agriculture, tourism, defence‑support services and crafts; improved health facilities with telemedicine; and robust security infrastructure through coordination between civil administration and armed forces.

“Development and security are not separate goals but two pillars of the same goal. Only a secure village can become a prosperous village, and only prosperous villages can build a self‑reliant and developed India,” he said.

Sinha called upon the youth and families of Karol Krishna and neighbouring villages to take responsibility for shaping their future. “

Your ancestors held this soil through difficulties for decades after Independence. Now it is your responsibility to take it forward. Today resources are in your hands, and if there is any shortfall, I promise it will be addressed immediately,” he said.

He assured Kathua residents that he would take prompt action to resolve their issues. During his visit to the Karol Krishna Border Out Post (BOP), the L-G interacted with Jawans and commended their commitment to securing the nation’s borders and their service during Operation Sindoor.

He emphasised the need for continuous vigilance to neutralise hostile attempts.

–IANS

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