Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, Aug 6
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday praised the Territorial Army’s contribution in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the force has strengthened the government’s ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign while continuing to support border security and internal stability.
Speaking at a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence in New Delhi, Singh said the Territorial Army embodied the “Citizen-Soldier” concept, with its members balancing civilian professions while serving in uniform to safeguard the country’s borders and assist in maintaining internal security.
Senior defence officials briefed members of the committee on the Territorial Army’s mandate, role and achievements, while lawmakers offered suggestions to further strengthen the force and improve its effectiveness.
Singh said the Territorial Army played a significant role in advancing the government’s vision of a developed India by contributing not only to national security but also to environmental conservation and social welfare.
He said the force provided surge capacity to the armed forces by maintaining a pool of trained personnel who could be mobilised quickly during emergencies.
After completing their service, Territorial Army personnel return to civilian life and serve as a link between the military and society, encouraging young people to join the armed forces, he added.
The Territorial Army comprises about 44,400 personnel organised into 59 units and has been deployed in relief and rescue operations during natural disasters, including floods in Assam, Kerala and cyclones in Odisha, Singh said.
Highlighting its environmental initiatives, Singh said the Ecological Task Forces of the Territorial Army had planted around 100 million saplings with a survival rate of 80 to 85 percent, contributing to climate change mitigation and environmental conservation.
Singh commended Territorial Army personnel deployed in J&K for helping expand the reach of the government’s “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign.
MoS Defence Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff General N S Raja Subramani, Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Finance) Vishvajit Sahay, and other senior officers attended the meeting.
