KOLKATA, 1 Nov: Eastern Army Commander Lt General RP Kalita on Tuesday said that civil-military cooperation has helped accelerate infrastructure in the Northeast, where India shares borders with five countries.
Noting that infrastructural development is taking place in the Northeastern states, he said such activities constitute two categories – certain things which are confidential in nature, and basic infrastructure which can be used by all.
“As of now, we have reached a very good stage as far as synergy and civil-military fusion is concerned… towards infrastructure development,” he said while speaking to media persons after a wreath-laying ceremony at the eastern command headquarters here on its raising day.
Lt Gen Kalita, general officer commanding-in-chief, eastern command, said that various agencies are involved in infrastructure development in the Northeast region.
“In addition to whatever the ministry of defence develops, we have the ministry of home affairs because of the border guarding forces, and the state governments which come out with various projects and proposals,” he said.
Apart from these, infrastructure development in the NE region is driven by the North Eastern Council, which is part of the DoNER ministry, Kalita said.
They together decide what should be the priority in projects that are being driven by various agencies.
“Apart from roads, we are developing airports, helipads as also logistics capability in various areas which are included as part of the overall capability development programme of the nation,” he said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 28 October launched 75 infrastructure projects, including bridges, roads and helipads, constructed by the Border Roads Organisation, spread across six states and two union territories during his visit to Ladakh.
Of the 75 projects, 18 are in Arunachal Pradesh, and a few are in Sikkim.
The eastern army command is responsible to ensure the safety of India’s borders with five neighbouring countries, which includes more than 8,000 kilometres of the international boundary, Kalita said.
India shares borders with China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar in the eastern theatre.
At the solemn wreath-laying ceremony, the GOC-in-C paid tribute to all the bravehearts of the eastern command who made the supreme sacrifice and laid down their lives for the safety of the nation. (PTI)