Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir — Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday visited the forward areas along the International Border in Kathua district, launching a series of welfare initiatives for the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. The visit, marking the start of his two-day tour of Jammu and Kashmir, comes amid intensified anti-terror operations in the region that have recently seen the neutralisation of several hardcore terrorists.
During his visit to the Bobiya border outpost in the Hiranagar sector, the Home Minister e-inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for six welfare and infrastructure projects worth ₹249 crore. These include newly constructed solar power plants, solar water heaters, and an officers’ mess aimed at improving the living conditions of the troops stationed in challenging terrains. Addressing the “sentinels of the border,” Shah announced that the 61st year of the BSF’s establishment would be dedicated to both the modernization of the force and the welfare of the jawans and their families.
Interacting with the personnel at the Gurnam and Bobiya outposts, Shah lauded the BSF as an “impregnable wall” that has protected the nation for six decades. He specifically recalled the bravery displayed during ‘Operation Sindoor,’ where the Jammu-Kashmir Frontier successfully destroyed over 100 enemy posts and several terrorist launch pads. The Home Minister emphasized that while the vigilance of the soldiers remains the primary defense, the government is committed to backing them with advanced technological solutions to counter modern threats like infiltration and drone activity.
Accompanying the Home Minister were Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and top officials from the Intelligence Bureau and BSF. Following his interaction with the troops, Shah paid floral tributes to the fallen heroes at the ‘Ajey Prahari’ memorial and planted a sapling at the Bobiya post. Later in the day, he distributed compassionate appointment letters to the families of martyrs at Lok Bhawan in Jammu, reinforcing the government’s commitment to supporting those who have made the supreme sacrifice for the country.
