Post-bright officers in border dists: PM Modi to chief secys

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Friday urged the chief secretaries of state governments to post bright and best officers in the districts in border areas for at least 2-3 years in view of the emerging geopolitical situation. He also suggested that other senior officials should visit the border areas more frequently, reports Dipak Dash.
Chairing the second conference of state chief secretaries in Delhi, the PM, TOI learnt, also urged the top bureaucrats of all states and UTs to take firm steps against the drug menace among youth, which has become a major cause of concern. Sources said deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri made a detailed presentation on the geopolitical situation and suggested how the states also need to keep track of the activities in areas across the border and take necessary steps.
They added that chief economic adviser V Anantha Nageswaran spoke about how India can do well when both the Centre and states do well financially. “The PM mainly spoke about border areas, the need to take whatever steps needed for prevention of drug abuse and strengthening cyber security in the light of emerging challenges,” said a source. The PM will address the chief secretaries on Saturday.
Modi spent the full day in the conference and sat through all the presentations made on different issues including “Five Years of Goods and Services Tax (GST) – Learnings and Experience”, Thrust on MSME and the economy.
Sources said Modi said deploying the best officers in border areas will help them have better understanding of the issues. Officials said the PM’s message is significant, considering that so far posting in border areas has been seen as a ‘punishment’ and officers often try to get out of these areas. “Once we have the mechanism in place where other senior officers also keep visiting these areas and spend days there, it will not be seen as punishment posting anymore. This will also ensure more economic and social activities in these areas, which are now witnessing migration,” said a senior official.
It may be recalled that while visiting Mana, considered the last Indian village at the India-China border in Uttarakhand, the PM had said that “it (Mana) is not the last but the first village ... For me, every village at the border is the first village of the country. The people living at the border make for the country’s strongest guards”.
Earlier in the day, Modi tweeted, “Attending the conference of chief secretaries. This is a wonderful forum to exchange views on important policy-related subjects and to strengthen team spirit to take India to newer heights.”