NEW DELHI: Home and cooperation minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Modi govt, in its third term, “shall take its efforts for India’s security to the next level and build Bharat as a bulwark against terrorism, insurgency and Naxalism”.
Shah, who took charge both at the ministry of home affairs (MHA) and the ministry of cooperation – the two portfolios he held in the last regime as well – after paying homage to police martyrs at National Police Memorial here, said “MHA remains committed to the security of the nation and its people, as it always has been”.
Among the key and immediate priorities of the home ministry, as per senior officials, would be smooth rollout of the three criminal laws – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam – that come into force on July 1; conducting Census which will be the basis for delimitation of seats ahead of implementation of women’s quota in legislatures; and arranging security and force logistics for holding assembly and local body polls in J&K.
Building on the gains made in countering terrorism in J&K, shrinking the area under the hold of Left-wing extremists and tackling insurgency in the North-East, Shah is expected to ensure that efforts are intensified in the days and months ahead to eliminate these challenges.
Also assuming charge of the cooperation ministry on Tuesday, Shah tweeted that the ministry will continue to work towards strengthening the country’s economy by empowering farmers as per the PM’s vision of ‘Sahkaar se Samriddhi’ (Prosperity via Cooperation). “Our govt is committed to bring positive change in the lives of crores of people associated with this sector by giving new opportunities to them while empowering the idea of cooperation,” he said.
Shah was re-elected from Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency in Gujarat after defeating his Congress rival by over 7.4 lakh votes.