Modi prioritised border areas, termed last village as 'first village': Jitendra Singh
Jammu, May 30 (UNI) Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Friday said that over the last 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prioritised border areas and sought to do away with the terminology "Last Village" to replace it with "First Village" vision, placing border development at the heart of the nation's growth.Addressing a gathering of farmers, youth, and entrepreneurs during "Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan" in the border area of R.S.Pura sector near here, the Minister emphasised that there has been a paradigm shift in the mindset and approach towards the aspirations of citizens in remote and border regions.Highlighting India's leap from the world's fifth to the fourth largest economy, Jitendra Singh rebuked false narratives of economic downfall due to assertive defence strategies.He cited Operation Sindoor as a testament to India's balanced approach — maintaining strategic strength while propelling economic growth.
'This rise is a befitting reply to so-called intellectuals who doubted India's capability to sustain economic growth with a robust defence policy,' Dr. Singh asserted, crediting the leadership of PM Modi over the last 11 years for the economic resilience.
He quoted Prime Minister Modi's core governance mantra of serving the Women, Poor, Farmers, and Youth, and affirmed that 26 crore citizen have risen above the poverty line over the last decade through initiatives such as Fasal Bima Yojana, Nano Urea, and direct support for marginal farmers, especially in conflict-affected border regions.
He also recognised the role of the Ministry of Home Affairs in ensuring insurance coverage for fields exposed to cross-border shelling.
Singh referred to the Purple Revolution, spearheaded from Bhaderwah under the Aroma Mission, which has expanded to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Singh shared that over 3,000 lavender-based startups are now active, engaging with perfume industries in Mumbai and redefining the concept of agri-entrepreneurship.
He also spotlighted tulip cultivation—once seasonal, now being harvested off-season. The CSIR-Srinagar is poised to lead cultivation of saffron and marigold, opening new vistas in floriculture.
Underlining the role of cutting-edge science, Dr. Singh announced that biotech-based value addition projects will enhance the shelf life of produce, with a notable rise in apple production and SHG involvement.
Jitendra Singh announced the operationalisation of Biotech Industrial Park in Kathua, Biotech Kisan Hub under Aspirational Districts Programme, upcoming AI-based agricultural decision-making system in Srinagar
In a landmark announcement, Jitendra Singh revealed that Group Captain Shukla, India's astronaut heading to the International Space Station (ISS) in June, will carry biotech kits for scientific experiments in plant research and seedling growth in the Space milieu, showcasing India's fusion of space science and agriculture.
Furthermore, four Agromet Observatories under the Gram Krishi Seva Yojana have been set up in Ladakh, Srinagar, Jammu and Poonch and four new district-level Agromet units launched in Kupwara, Baramulla, Kathua, and Reasi, with support from SKUAST. UNI VBH GNK SSP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
28 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Civil defence mock drill held across 33 Gujarat districts
The second civil defence mock drill, which was postponed on May 29, took place today across all 33 districts in the state. According to officials, this particular exercise was conducted in a more strategic and organised manner. While black outs and exercises were conducted across all the border districts including Kutch, Patan and Banaskantha, the black outs were imposed only at select locations in inland districts. 'In Ahmedabad, the mock drill and accompanying black outs took place only in the Army Cantonment area in the city, and just Viramgam town in the rural swathe of the district,' said Collector Sujeet Kumar. Senior civil defence officials in Gujarat confided that this mock drill, the second one after the one conducted on May 7, was carried out with specific objectives and taking into consideration high risk areas and possible targets for potential air attacks. In the coming days, the government has asked for a comprehensive report to be prepared on the outcome of the exercises so that the preparation levels can be judged and better with each iteration of future mock drills. Following the horrific Pahalgam attack on April 22, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, decimating terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan. The two nations announced cessation of hostilities on May 10.
United News of India
29 minutes ago
- United News of India
Russia to continue military campaign in Ukraine until resolution of core causes
Moscow, May 31 (UNI) Russia will not halt its military campaign in Ukraine until the underlying causes of the conflict are resolved and peace agreements are formally ratified, senior Russian officials have said. Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the Russian State Duma's Defence Committee, ruled out any unconditional ceasefire, stating that Moscow would continue its assault unless things are not 'put into writing'. 'We will not agree to a ceasefire just for the sake of it,' he said on the country's federal TV agency Channel One, according to Russian-state-media-TASS. 'Only if everything is put in writing, passed into law, ratified by parliaments, and becomes part of a genuine, lasting agreement—only then can peace be considered. Until then, the special military operation will continue.' Stating that the Kremlin won't be deterred by any "false assurances", he referenced the West's 'empty promises' to Moscow in prior negotiations, and said Russia would not be 'deceived again by golden illusions". At the United Nations, Russia's ambassador Vassily Nebenzia echoed the same stance, stating that Moscow is willing to consider a ceasefire 'in principle", but only if Kyiv takes tangible steps toward a long-term settlement. 'A simple ceasefire is not enough,' he told the UN Security Council, reports Sputnik. 'We stood at this crossroads before with the Minsk agreements, which were consistently violated by Western-backed Ukraine.' Nebenzia added that Russia's military is capable of escalating operations if necessary. 'The Russian Armed Forces can continue and ramp up military operations for as long as it takes,' he said. Accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of deliberately prolonging the conflict to avoid facing democratic accountability and corruption allegations, Nebenzia said, 'Ending the war means elections, scrutiny, and questions about where the money went.' He also accused some 'warmongers' in Europe of stalling any peace talks, misleading the US and forcing them to stay engaged. 'European warmongers are determined to keep America in this,' he said. UNI ANV RN
India Gazette
34 minutes ago
- India Gazette
CM Rekha Gupta performs Yamuna Aarti at Vasudev Ghat to mark 100 days of BJP govt in Delhi
New Delhi [India], May 31 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta performed Yamuna Aarti at Vasudev Ghat on Saturday to mark the completion of 100 days of the BJP government in Delhi. The Delhi Chief Minister could be seen offering prayers at the ghat alongwith the other party members. Addressing the gathering, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta said, 'The Delhi government and the city's residents have taken the decision to clean the River Yamuna. Social workers also will be part of this.' Taking a swipe at the previous AAP government, Rekha Gupta said, 'The previous governments used to lie about Yamuna cleaning. They did not take a single step towards Yamuna cleaning...' Rekha Gupta participated in the '100 Din Seva Ke' program earlier in the day. The Chief Minister slammed her predecessor, saying they had claimed to be ordinary people who became greedy for power, while her government is working on the streets among the people. 'When the movement started from Ramlila Maidan, thousands and lakhs of people joined it, I joined too, others also supported it, thinking something better would happen in Delhi and the country. Those people who used to say that they are not greedy for power became so greedy that they could not see anything except cabinet, our MLAs, all the public representatives continuously work on the streets among the people...' The Delhi Chief Minister also criticised the previous AAP government for questioning the valour of the Armed Forces. Speaking with actor Anupam Kher, Rekha Gupta said, 'I feel very sad when I think about those people who used to sit in the chair (of Chief Minister) and raise questions on the Indian Armed Forces and used to join hands with the enemies of the Sindoor increased the respect for women. I thank PM Modi for the women of the nation salute the armed forces for destroying the terrorist sites in enemy territory...' She added that the bravery shown by the armed forces had strengthened the pride of Indian women. 'Together we bow down to those who have shown bravery in the Operation Sindoor,' she said. Later, she recited a poem titled 'I am Sindoor too'. 'I am patient in silence, I am brave in challenge. Yes, I am Sindoor too, I am the slaughterer of terrorists, I am the limit of courage, I am Jeevan Daatri, I am Sahar's Sakshi, I am Vermilion. I am the gift of every daughter-in-law. I am India's tomorrow, and today I am Hindustani modesty, yes, I am Sindoor. When Anupam Kher asked why she loved Delhi, Rekha Gupta shared her deep admiration for the city's cultural diversity. 'What I like best about Delhi is unity. This is the form of Ek Mini India, Ek Bharat,' she said. She also explained that people from every part of India live in Delhi, and together they celebrate each other's traditions and festivals. 'Today, if we all celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi of Maharashtra, we also play Garba of Gujarat enthusiastically. When you celebrate the 'Teej' of Haryana, 'Chhath Puja' of Bihar is also celebrated with great ceremony,' she added. Gupta also revealed the first decision of her government, saying, 'We will celebrate the State Day of every state here and the government will always stand in the happiness and sorrow of every state.' Actor Anupam Kher on Saturday joined the Delhi government's special event to mark 100 days of its current term under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. (ANI)
