Arunachal governor launches youth employment mission to secure China border

Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], Mar. 27 (ANI): Arunachal Pradesh Governor B D Mishra has launched a mission to recruit 2000 Arunchalee youth in 2018 for securing Indian border with Bhutan, China and Myanmar.

Efforts are on to select youth as home grown soldiers, said Brigadier (Retired) Mishra, a 1962 war veteran in a DDK-AIR interview here.

Mishra said the army, backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had forced PLA soldiers to stop road building in Docklam near Sikkim in July last year,sending out a loud message to Beijing.

Brigadier (Retired) Mishra pointed out that Arunachalee youth joining security-related drills would be an advantage for the army and urged parents and officers to help in this mission.

Later in a teleconference with district collectors, he apprised them of the strategy being worked out for these recruitment rallies.

Army soldiers guarding the border in Arunachal Pradesh face tough challenges due to a tough topography and uncertain weather. The youth of Arunachal Pradesh were well versed about these two aspects, he said in response to a question.

He said the three proposed army recruitment rallies would be conducted at Jairampur between May 10 and 13. Three non-commissioned officers (NCOs) of the Army's Education Corps would be deployed in ten district headquarters to conduct coaching between April 9 and May 10 on all aspects of these rallies to ensure their success.

Coaching would be conducted at Bomdila (for East Kameng and Tawang districts), Seppa (East Kameng), Daporijo (Upper Subansiri and Kamle), Itanagar (Papum Pare, Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi, Lower Subansiri), Likabali (East and West Siang), Pasighat (East, West and Upper Siang), Roing (Lower and Dibang Valley), Tezu (Lohit and Anjaw), Namsai (Namsai and Changlang) and Longding (Longding and Tirap) while two NCOs would be deployed to help on online registration of willing candidates, he said.

When asked about steps to halt migration of border inhabitants to rural areas in search of a livelihood, he said the Government of India has given priority to border area development for which nine villages were identified to provide all basic necessities, including road, water, electricity, health, education, livelihood opportunities to grow cash crops and take up diary/poultry firms to sell their products to army units deployed along the border.

He said the objective will always be for Ek Bharat, Shresta Bharat.

On former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's dream project PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas), he said, "It is upto border residents to decide to shift to a centrally-located place developed under PURA or remain in their places of birth, toeing the adage: Janani Janma-bhoomi-scha Swargadapi Gariyasi (Mother and motherland are superior to heaven).