india

Updated: Oct 25, 2019 14:30 IST

Union minister of state for home affairs Kishan Reddy on Thursday, said that the central government has approved 18 roads stretching over 1,600 kilometers in Arunachal Pradesh to make the otherwise porous Sino-Indian border foolproof from infiltration from other side and to make patrolling easier.

Speaking at the 58th Raising Day of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at the 39 Battalion at Greater Noida’s Lakhnawali, Reddy said it is a matter of pride for the whole country that the ITBP has raised and deployed mechanised columns of power vehicles and machines for speedy mobilizsation of troops along the Indo-China border. “We have already sanctioned Rs 1,175 crore for construction of 18 local tracks stretching 1,607km in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.

He added that taking cognisance of “evil designs” of enemies, the ITBP should be ready for larger roles in the future. “Our government has decided to give more strength and delegate more responsibilities to the ITBP. The force is to get two helicopters to operate successfully in remote and inaccessible areas, the purchasing process for which is in the final stage,” Reddy said.

Claiming that his government’s commitment to make security forces well-equipped to handle all kinds of critical situations, Reddy said any requirement raised by the forces will be fulfilled. “We cannot think of being safe in our homes without making security forced fully-equipped. In the last four-odd years, we have spent over Rs 50 crore on providing them a series of all-terrain vehicles, sports utility vehicles and snow scooters so that our soldiers can work even in the most adverse weather conditions,” he said.

The minister further said that besides giving a free hand to the ITBP in modernisation, his ministry has always been committed to the welfare of its brave soldiers. “New weapons are being procured in place of old and outdated ones. We cannot take chances with the lives of our soldiers,” he added.