Stating that all border areas need to be developed, the Defence Minister, Mr A.K. Antony, on Monday said secure and non-porous international borders must remain the topmost priority of the Centre.

“We are aware of the challenges which people living in border areas face and it is our collective duty to ensure that our border areas are developed as any other part of the country,” he said here.

Referring to the highly-sensitive nature of the State, he said, “Arunachalees have always been known to be fiercely patriotic and yield to none in their love for the motherland,” while addressing the silver jubilee celebration of Statehood day of the frontier State.

The proposals submitted by the State government to the Prime Minister's Office and Planning Commission to provide connectivity to 22 unconnected administrative centres, construction of foot suspension bridges, log bridges and porter tracks in border areas, as well as providing drinking water facilities in border areas are highly relevant and will definitely be given a serious consideration, he added.

Considering the strategic importance of the State which shares 1,680 sq km of international border with China, Myanmar and Bhutan, the Defence Ministry had taken a decision on the funding of land acquisition for the company locations of the first battalion of the Arunachal Scouts and early operationalisation of all the Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in the State, the Minister said.

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