India has taken another step in developing the nation’s capital according to needs and aspirations of a new India in the 75th year of India’s independence: PM
A big step towards the construction of a modern defense enclave in the capital: PM
The capital of any country is a symbol of the thinking, determination, strength and culture of that country: PM
India is the mother of democracy, the capital of India should be such, in which there are citizens, people at the center: PM
Modern infrastructure has a big role in the government’s focus on ease of living and ease of doing business:PM
When policies and intentions are clear, will power is strong and efforts honest, everything is possible: PM
Before-time Completion of the projects is a manifestation of changed approach and thinking: PM

Present in the program are my senior colleagues in the Union Cabinet Shri Rajnath Singh ji, Hardeep Singh Puri ji, Ajay Bhatt ji, Kaushal Kishore ji, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chiefs of three services, senior officers and other dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen.

In the 75th year of independence, we are taking an important step towards developing the capital of the country according to the needs and aspirations of the new India. This new Defence Office Complex will help our forces function more conveniently and effectively. I congratulate all the colleagues associated with the defenceservices for these new facilities.

Friends,

You all are aware that till now all the defence related work was being done from the hutments built during the Second World War. These hutments were then built to suit the needs of horse stables and barracks. In the decades after independence, such hutments were converted into the offices of the Ministry of Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force, and minor repairs were carried out from time to time. And if some higher officials were to come, a fresh coat of painting was done. And it went on like this. When I saw it closely, the first thought that came to my mind was how so many important army personnel work for the security of the country in such bad conditions. Why did our media in Delhi never write about this?A thought would come to my mind that such a place would naturally attract criticism that what the Indian government was doing? But I don't know, nobody took note of it. You are also well aware of the problems in these hutments.

Present in the program are my senior colleagues in the Union Cabinet Shri Rajnath Singh ji, Hardeep Singh Puri ji, Ajay Bhatt ji, Kaushal Kishore ji, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chiefs of three services, senior officers and other dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen.

In the 75th year of independence, we are taking an important step towards developing the capital of the country according to the needs and aspirations of the new India. This new Defence Office Complex will help our forces function more conveniently and effectively. I congratulate all the colleagues associated with the defenceservices for these new facilities.

Friends,

You all are aware that till now all the defence related work was being done from the hutments built during the Second World War. These hutments were then built to suit the needs of horse stables and barracks. In the decades after independence, such hutments were converted into the offices of the Ministry of Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force, and minor repairs were carried out from time to time. And if some higher officials were to come, a fresh coat of painting was done. And it went on like this. When I saw it closely, the first thought that came to my mind was how so many important army personnel work for the security of the country in such bad conditions. Why did our media in Delhi never write about this?A thought would come to my mind that such a place would naturally attract criticism that what the Indian government was doing? But I don't know, nobody took note of it. You are also well aware of the problems in these hutments.

Today, when we are engaged in modernizing the military might of the 21st century India in every respect, equipping (our armed forces) with modern weapons, modernizing the border infrastructure, ensuring better coordination through the Chief of Defence Staff of the forces, speeding up the procurement of the requirements of the army which used to go on for years,then how can this be possible that the work related to the defence and security of the country continues through decades-old hutments. Therefore, it was necessary to change these conditions. I would also like to point out that those who were criticizing the Central Vista project would remain silent on the complex being developed for more than 7,000 army officers, because this is also a part of the Central Vista project. They knew that their intention to spread confusion and lies would be exposed if they talked about this complex. But the country is watching our intentions behind this Central Vista. These modern offices at KG Marg and Africa Avenue will go a long way in effectively carrying out all the work related to the security of the nation. This is a big and important step towards the creation of a modern defence enclave in the capital. Every necessary facility has been provided for our jawans and employees in both the complexes. And I also want to tell the countrymen about what was going on in my mind.

When you gave me the privilege to serve the country in 2014, I knew that the condition of government offices is not good. The condition of Parliament House was also not good. I could have done this work (of Parliament) in 2014, but I chose not to do it. The first thing I decided was to build a memorial for the brave soldiers of our country, who fought for India’s pride and were martyred for the motherland. The work which should have been done soon after independence began after 2014. It is only after its completion that we took up the work of the Central Vista to improve our offices. We first thought of the brave martyrs, the brave soldiers of our country.

Friends,

Along with this construction work that has taken place for official use, residential complexes have also been built here. Necessary arrangements like accommodation, kitchen, mess, modern facilities related to treatment have also been developed for the jawans who are engaged in the important security work 24x7. Proper connectivity has been kept in mind for thousands of retired soldiers who come here from all over the country for their pending official work so that they do not face much trouble. The best part is that the buildings that have been built are eco-friendly and the ancient look of the buildings, which is an identity of the capital, has been retained. Fascinating artworks of artists of India and symbols of AatmaNirbhar Bharat have been placed in the complexes here. By retaining the vitality of Delhi and protecting its environment, everyone will experience the modern form of our cultural diversity here.

Friends,

It has been more than 100 years since Delhi became the capital of India. In this period of more than 100 years, there has been a huge imbalance as far as the population and other conditions are concerned. When we talk about the capital, it is not just a city. The capital is a symbol of the thinking, determination, strength and the culture of that country. India is the mother of democracy. Therefore, the capital of India should be such that in the center of which should be its people. Today, when we are focusing on Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business, modern infrastructure plays an equally important role in this. This spirit is at the core of the work that is being done on Central Vista today. The details of this in the website linked to Central Vista which was launched today are on the display.

Friends,

Over the years, a lot of emphasis has been given to new constructions in Delhi keeping in mind the aspirations of the capital, whether there are new houses for elected representatives from all over the country, efforts to cherish the memories of Ambedkar ji, or many new buildings. It also includes national monuments related to the honor of our army and our martyrs. After so many decades, the national memorials for the martyrs of army, paramilitary forces and police force are making Delhi proud today. And an important feature is that most of them were completed before the stipulated time. Otherwise,delays are synonymous with the governments. The delay of 4-6 months is considered natural. We have made sincere efforts to introduce a new work culture in the government so that the country's wealth is not wasted; work is done in a time-bound manner and in less than the projected expenditure. We are emphasizing professionalism and efficiency and a great example of efficiency in this approach is evident today.

The Defence Office Complex has been completed in a record 12 months instead of 24 months i.e., 50 percent time has been saved. That too at a time when there were all kinds of challenges from labour shortage to others due to Corona. Hundreds of workers got employment in this project during the Corona period. All the labour companions, engineers, employees and officers deserve appreciation. The entire country congratulates all the people who have contributed to this sacred work of nation building at a time when there was so much fear of Corona and there were question marks between life and death. It shows that when the policy and intention is clear, the will is strong, the efforts are sincere, then nothing is impossible, everything is possible. I am sure, the construction of the new Parliament building of the country, as Hardeepji was confidently saying, will be completed within the stipulated time.

Friends,

The new construction technology has also played a big role in the rapid pace of construction. Instead of the conventional RCC construction, light gauge steel frame technology has been used in the Defence Office Complex. These buildings are safer from fire and other natural calamities due to new technology. With the construction of these new complexes, the annual cost of maintaining the old hutments spread over dozens of acres will also be saved. I am happy that there is focus on modern construction technology not only in Delhi but also in other cities of the country to develop smart facilities and to provide pucca houses to the poor. The ongoing lighthouse project in six cities of the country is a big experiment in this direction. New start ups are being encouraged in this sector. The speed and scale at which we have to transform our urban centers is possible only through the widespread use of new technology.

Friends,

These defence office complexes are a reflection of yet another change in the work culture and priority of the government. The priority is to utilize the available land. And it is not only the land, it is our belief and it is our endeavor that there should be optimum utilization of whatever resources or natural resources that we have. Unnecessary wastage of such wealth is no longer appropriate for the country and as a result of this approach emphasis is being laid on moving ahead with perfect planning on proper and optimum utilization of the lands held by different departments of the government. The new campuses have been built in about 13 acres of land. The countrymen should listen to this in the backdrop of those who keep on criticizing our every work. In such an important place like Delhi, these hutments were built over 62 acres of land. Now instead of 62 acres, the best and modern arrangements have been created in just 13 acres of land. This is the utilization of the country’s wealth. That is about 5 times less land has been used than before for such large and modern facilities.

Friends,

This mission of building a new self-reliant India in this epoch of independence, i.e. in the next 25 years, is possible only with the efforts of everyone. The new buildings support the initiative of the country to increase the productivity and efficiency of the government and instill confidence to realize that resolution. Be it a Common Central Secretariat, inter-connected conference halls, accessible connectivity through public transport like the metro, all these will go a long way in making the capital people friendly. With this wish that all of us achieve our goals rapidly, I once again wish you all the very best!

Many thanks!

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PM attends 59th All India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector Generals of Police
December 01, 2024
PM expands the mantra of SMART policing and calls upon police to become strategic, meticulous, adaptable, reliable and transparent
PM calls upon police to convert the challenge posed due to digital frauds, cyber crimes and AI into an opportunity by harnessing India’s double AI power of Artificial Intelligence and ‘Aspirational India’
PM calls for the use of technology to reduce the workload of the constabulary
PM urges Police to modernize and realign itself with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’
Discussing the success of hackathons in solving some key problems, PM suggests to deliberate about holding National Police Hackathons
Conference witnesses in depth discussions on existing and emerging challenges to national security, including counter terrorism, LWE, cyber-crime, economic security, immigration, coastal security and narco-trafficking

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended the 59th All India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector Generals of Police at Bhubaneswar on November 30 and December 1, 2024.

In the valedictory session, PM distributed President’s Police Medals for Distinguished Service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau. In his concluding address, PM noted that wide ranging discussions had been held during the conference, on national and international dimensions of security challenges and expressed satisfaction on the counter strategies which had emerged from the discussions.

During his address, PM expressed concern on the potential threats generated on account of digital frauds, cyber-crimes and AI technology, particularly the potential of deep fake to disrupt social and familial relations. As a counter measure, he called upon the police leadership to convert the challenge into an opportunity by harnessing India’s double AI power of Artificial Intelligence and ‘Aspirational India’.

He expanded the mantra of SMART policing and called upon the police to become strategic, meticulous, adaptable, reliable and transparent. Appreciating the initiatives taken in urban policing, he suggested that each of the initiatives be collated and implemented entirely in 100 cities of the country. He called for the use of technology to reduce the workload of the constabulary and suggested that the Police Station be made the focal point for resource allocation.

Discussing the success of hackathons in solving some key problems, Prime Minister suggested deliberating on holding a National Police Hackathon as well. Prime Minister also highlighted the need for expanding the focus on port security and preparing a future plan of action for it.

Recalling the unparalleled contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to Ministry of Home Affairs, PM exhorted the entire security establishment from MHA to the Police Station level, to pay homage on his 150th birth anniversary next year, by resolving to set and achieve a goal on any aspect which would improve Police image, professionalism and capabilities. He urged the Police to modernize and realign itself with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

During the Conference, in depth discussions were held on existing and emerging challenges to national security, including counter terrorism, left wing extremism, cyber-crime, economic security, immigration, coastal security and narco-trafficking. Deliberations were also held on emerging security concerns along the border with Bangladesh and Myanmar, trends in urban policing and strategies for countering malicious narratives. Further, a review was undertaken of implementation of newly enacted major criminal laws, initiatives and best practices in policing as also the security situation in the neighborhood. PM offered valuable insights during the proceedings and laid a roadmap for the future.

The Conference was also attended by Union Home Minister, Principal Secretary to PM, National Security Advisor, Ministers of State for Home and Union Home Secretary. The conference, which was held in a hybrid format, was also attended by DGsP/IGsP of all States/UTs and heads of the CAPF/CPOs physically and by over 750 officers of various ranks virtually from all States/UTs.