Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu addresses the officers at the BSF Frontier Headquarters in Jodhpur on September 29, 2021. (PIB)
Jodhpur: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on September 29, 2021, termed the use of drones for smuggling drugs and arms as a new challenge.
He also said the emerging geopolitical situation in India’s neighbourhood is likely to pose new challenges to the border guarding forces.
He expressed these views while addressing Border Security Force (BSF) officers during his visit to the Force’s Jodhpur Frontier Headquarters.
“The way BSF has been securing the borders of the nation for the last 56 years is highly commendable”.
He expressed confidence that the BSF will continue to thwart the nefarious designs of enemies of peace.
VP Naidu said the BSF had many great achievements since it was raised on 1st December 1965.
“The Force fought valiantly the 1971 war with Pakistan in both Eastern and Western theatres and brought many decorations and laurels to the nation.”
Referring to the inhospitable terrains in which the Force remains deployed ranging from sub-zero temperatures of Jammu & Kashmir to Thar deserts of Rajasthan where the temperature rises up to 55 degrees, the Vice President observed that the Force has proved its capacity to curb insurgencies effectively in different parts of the country.
“I am aware that at present, the Force is fighting Naxals in Chhattisgarh and Odisha,” he added.
He noted many supreme sacrifices in the line of duty by the BSF to preserve the unity and integrity of the country.
The Vice President commended the BSF personnel for extending help to people in distress during natural disasters like earthquakes and floods.
Governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra, Rajasthan Government Minister Dr Bulaki Das Kalla, Rajya Sabha Member Rajendra Gehlot, BSF IG Pankaj Goomer, Madan Singh Rathore, IG, STC, BSF Jodhpur, and other senior officers of the force were present during the visit.
Vice President visits ICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur
Later in the day, the Vice President visited ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) at Jodhpur and interacted with the scientists and staff.
Addressing the scientists at the institute, the Vice President emphasized the need to provide greater outreach to the farmers. “Technologies should not remain confined to laboratories and scientific know-how should be transferred to farmers,” he said.
In this regard, he also called for combining new technologies with our traditional knowledge for making agriculture sustainable and profitable.
The Vice President suggested that the thrust areas for arid zone agriculture must include increasing substantially the area under fruits and vegetables, diversification of farming to reduce the risk of losses due to failure of a single crop, increasing the use of drip and sprinkler irrigation, ensuring timely credit with low interest and availability of quality seed, agri-inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.
He opined that populist measures such as loan waivers are not a long-term solution to farmers’ problems.
“Providing easy and timely credit, assured power supply, and better marketing facilities will make agriculture viable and profitable.”
During the visit, the Vice President was taken to various facilities at the institute and briefed upon the work being undertaken by CAZRI in the areas of arid agriculture, water conservation, cattle breed enhancement, and food processing.
Governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra, Rajasthan Government Minister Dr Bulaki Das Kalla, Rajya Sabha Member Rajendra Gehlot, Director of ICAR-CAZRI OP Yadav and senior scientists were present during the visit. (Press Release)
