GUWAHATI: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai on Saturday lauded the country’s oldest paramilitary force, Assam Rifles, for playing a pivotal role in guarding the national frontiers and facilitating various Ggovernment schemes in North Eastern States leading to infrastructure development.
Addressing the Special Sainik Sammelan held on the occasion of the Annual Assam Rifles Commanders’ Conference, comprising of all ranks of Assam Rifles in Shillong, the Union minister complimented the efforts of all Assam Rifles battalions engaged in skill development of the youth leading to employment generation opportunities under Skill India Mission and also towards organising sports related activities like local tournaments and coaching camps for talented youths, according to an official source.
The Minister lauded the Force for spreading awareness about Swaccha Bharat, Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Fit India Movement in the entire region.
He lauded the efforts of the Assam Rifles for the selfless service in far flung border areas like Vijaynagar in Arunachal Pradesh and remote areas of Nagaland and Manipur.
The Minister was given the ceremonial Guard of Honour by the mixed contingent comprising of Male and Female soldiers of Assam Rifles earlier in the day. He later paid homage to the martyrs of the force at the Laitkor War Memorial.
The Minister exhorted the troops of Assam Rifles to continue their good work in all spheres in being an ever alert and oldest Border Guarding Force and countering Insurgency in the most challenging terrain of the North East.
Later in the day the Minister also inaugurated the newly constructed OPD wing of Assam Rifles Multi-Speciality Hospital at Laitkor (Shillong).
During the Conference, Lt Gen Sukhdeep Sangwan, DG Assam Rifles, briefed the Minister about the general security situation in the North East, the activities of the Force while guarding the Indo Myanmar border and about counter insurgency operations being undertaken. The DGAR also highlighted various developmental and welfare initiatives taken by Assam Rifles in the region.
Later, talking to the media in Shillong, the Minister said that the development of North East region has been the priority for the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
“North East is today competing both at national and International level in different spheres and there has been efforts to bring this region at par with rest of the country in different spheres; be it sports, art and culture, infrastructure, production of essential commodities, education, industrial development among others,” he added.