Rajnath Singh Highlights Major Infrastructure Boost for Border Villages at Delhi Conclave

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh outlined government initiatives for socio-economic upliftment and infrastructure development in India's border villages. Emphasizing projects like the Vibrant Village program, Singh detailed efforts involving road, bridge, and tunnel construction, electricity distribution, and high-speed internet connectivity aimed at transforming these areas into model villages.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh underscored the central government's significant strides in improving infrastructure and socio-economic conditions in border villages during the Border Area Development Conclave in Delhi. He spotlighted the Vibrant Village programme, aimed at transforming underdeveloped northern border villages into 'Model Villages' by enhancing connectivity and infrastructure.

Singh highlighted the construction of over 8,500 kilometers of roads and more than 400 permanent bridges in the past decade with the Border Roads Organisation. Notable projects include the Atal Tunnel, Sela Tunnel, and the forthcoming Shiku-La Tunnel, anticipated to be the world's highest tunnel, marking substantial milestones in border area development.

The government launched the 220-kilovolt Srinagar-Leh Electricity Line to integrate Ladakh's border areas into the National Electricity Grid. Infrastructure improvements in the northeastern states are also underway, along with the Bharat-Net broadband project providing high-speed internet to over 1,500 villages. Singh noted that from 2020 to 2023, tourism in Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh surged by 30%, aiding job creation and local economy improvement. He emphasized the continued efforts to transform J&K into a tourist hotspot and the economic benefits such initiatives bring.