M A I N   N E W S

Modi men join office, spell out their priorities
Think out-of-box, Rajnath tells officials
Home Minister asks them to prepare blueprint to resolve border disputes, focus on internal security
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 29
Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his deputy, Minister of State Home affairs Kiren Rijiju, today assumed charge at the North Block.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh with MoS Kiren Rijiju after taking charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi on Thursday. Tribune Photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Rajnath Singh, however, avoided the customary media interaction. At a meeting with officials, Rajnath asked them to come up with out-of-the-box ideas for internal security and better coordination between the Centre and states. He asked the ministry to prepare an actionable blueprint, that he said should contain ideas to resolve border disputes with neighbouring countries without compromising national interests, sources said. Rajnath told officials that internal security was his top priority and asked them to think innovatively. Divisions such as internal security, naxal management, border management, centre-state, North East and Jammu and Kashmir have been directed to prepare a separate roadmap to improve internal security architecture in the next few days.

Each division was asked for individual presentations. The Home Minister told officials to let him know what kind of intervention he can make for inter-ministerial coordination, sanction of funds and ensuring cooperation of Central and state governments.

Rajnath was briefed about the problems along the international border, like infiltration from Bangladesh and dispute with Pakistan on Sir Creek, and how to resolve them.

Before assuming charge, Rajnath paid floral tributes to the country’s first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, at his statue near Parliament. “The contribution of Sardar Patelji to the unity of the country has been tremendous. The country cannot repay what he has done for it. Sardar Patel was the first Home Minister of the country and I came here to take his blessings before taking charge,” he told reporters.

As the Home Minister, BJP president Rajnath Singh will be part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security, the country’s highest decision-making body on security matters.