Antony to arrive Imphal today
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 18 2011:
Union Defence Minister, AK Antony who is on his two day tour in the Northeastern states will be arriving in Imphal tomorrow from Nagaland's Ranga Pahar where he arrived today.
The Union minister will arrive at 12.45 pm at Tulihal airport by a special Indian Air force flight where he along with his entourage will be taken to Leimakhong Army Camp.
The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen VK Singh, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Bikram Singh, his office OSD and APO, etc.
will accompany him.
At Leimakhong, he will attend a briefing on "Operational and Interaction by GOC, 57 Mountain Division.
He will leave Imphal for his onward journey at 2.15 pm, an official source said.
Meanwhile, agency reports from Ranga Pahar (Nagaland) said that it was an unusual request to defence minister AK Antony from the jawans when he visited 3 Corps headquarters --'Give us new pair of shoes more frequently' .
Deployed in the rugged terrain of the Northeast, the jawans said they should be given a new pair of shoes every year and not after 26 months as is the practice.
The defence minister, who is on a two-day visit to the Northeast, has agreed to the suggestion made during an interaction with the army personnel and asked the ministry officials to implement it at the earliest, the report said.
The jawans also requested the minister to provide a chartered aircraft service for providing a better connectivity to the region.
During a similar meeting with jawans at Leh last year, the defence minister had promised supply of better ration provisions and kept his word.
Antony asked the military personnel to establish a healthy relationship with the local populace, win the hearts and minds and to project the Army in a positive light.
Describing honesty and loyalty as the basic traits of a soldier, the defence minister conceded that some recent instances of corruption in high places in the Army have brought harm to its credibility and image.
He urged the Army personnel to ensure that the sense of pride and dignity of the Army is maintained at all times.
"I want to emphasize one issue for each one of you.
A soldier is the pride of the nation.
Honesty and loyalty are the basic traits of a soldier.
Some recent instances of corruption in high places in the Army have brought some harm to its credibility and image.
All of you must perform duties with sincerity and ensure that the sense of pride and dignity of the Army is maintained at all times.
We will take very strict action whenever any case of corruption comes, or is brought to our notice" .
Earlier, on arrival at the 3 Corps HQ, Shri Antony reviewed the security situation at the border and the progress made in the development of infrastructure in the North East region, with senior Army and MoD officials.
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