India’s Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has decided to celebrate Diwali – the festival of lights – with the jawans of Army personnel in Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh which shares the international border with China.
Informing this the Meghalaya-based Defence PRO on Sunday tweeted: “Raksha Mantri Smt N Sitharaman to celebrate Diwali with troops in Dibang Valley, Arunanchal Pradesh.”
The defence PRO further stated that the Defence Minister during her stay in Arunachal Pradesh would also review the progress of infrastructure including defence preparedness.
“RM would also be reviewing the progress of infrastructure including Defence preparedness,” tweeted the defence PRO.
A report published on Saturday by Zee News quoting a defence official stated that Defence Minister Sitharaman will celebrate Diwali with the jawans of the Indian Army posted along the China border and will spend November 6 and November 7 with the jawans at a post in Arunachal’s Upper Dibang Valley district.
There are military posts separated from the nearest road-head by at least 30 km. The sparsely populated area has an average density of about one man per km.
The report further quoted the official as saying, “Infrastructure has been a major challenge in the area. Several steps have been taken to improve roads in the forward areas.”
Defence Minister Sitharaman last year celebrated the Diwali festival with the military personnel at tri-services command in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In her first visit to the strategically important command after assuming charge as the Defence Minister, Sitharaman had also reviewed its security preparedness and other operational matters.
#DiwaliWithFamily Raksha Mantri Smt @nsitharaman to celebrate Diwali with troops in Dibang Valley, #ArunanchalPradesh.
RM would also be reviewing the progress of infrastructure including Defence preparedness.@SpokespersonMoD @DefenceMinIndia @PemaKhanduBJP pic.twitter.com/eIz5xd1kFl
— PRO Defence Meghalaya (@proshillong) November 3, 2018