Gujarat gearing up for Commonwealth Games
*ATS Gujarat equally trained like SOG in J&K
Gopal Sharma
Ahmedabad, Feb 24: The challenges along the International Border (IB) and the coastal areas of Gujarat are no less than those faced along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are also facing the same enemy that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing on that side of the border,” Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi told a visiting media delegation led by PIB from J&K.
Sanghavi said the challenges along the International Border in Gujarat and its 1,630-km-long coastline are similar to those faced in Jammu and Kashmir. Since Gujarat has a vast coastal stretch, the Coast Guard and security agencies have to maintain heightened vigilance to prevent drug smuggling. He said smugglers use similar modus operandi as in the Jammu & Kashmir sector, including the use of drones to drop drugs and weapons across the border.
Appreciating the activities of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Gujarat, the Deputy Chief Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio, said ATS Gujarat has seized more than 1,000 kg of drugs along the border areas in the recent past. He added that ATS Gujarat has also managed to seize narcotics in states such as West Bengal, Delhi and Punjab using its intelligence network.
The Deputy Chief Minister said ATS Gujarat personnel are well trained in handling anti-terrorism operations within and outside the state. He added that ATS personnel frequently undergo training with the National Security Guard (NSG) and are not considered less trained than the Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel in J&K, who are known for handling anti-terror operations.
Referring to the ongoing challenges, he said preventing drug smuggling across both border and coastal areas remains an equally daunting task for security forces in Gujarat and J&K.
Speaking about preparations for the proposed 2030 Commonwealth Games, Sanghavi said Gujarat is developing seven new stadiums for around 30 different sports disciplines. A Commonwealth Games Village (Khel Gaon) equipped with modern facilities is also being created and a significant portion of the state government’s budget has been earmarked for infrastructure development.
Sanghavi revealed that experts in the field of sports, both from India and abroad, are being consulted to develop world-class sports infrastructure in Gujarat. He said the government aims to create facilities that meet international standards and strengthen the state’s sporting ecosystem.
He further stated that, on average, 5,000 to 12,000 police personnel are recruited every year in Gujarat state. With the development of these facilities, new recruits will receive training in nine different games at a special training centre created in Gujarat. The infrastructure will also serve as a dedicated sports training ground for police personnel, promoting a sports culture within the force and encouraging more young players to emerge from Gujarat.
Sanghavi also disclosed that a Sports Sciences University will be established with advanced AI integration to help determine the nature of sports injuries and assist in early diagnosis and recovery. He said the proposed institution would be the first of its kind in the country, offering cutting-edge research and training in sports science.
Highlighting Gujarat’s economic strength, he said the private sector in the state is highly vibrant and offers ample job opportunities for skilled workers. Gujarat alone contributes nearly 30 percent of the country’s total exports. He added that the state manufactures around two million cars annually in a financial year, making it one of India’s leading automobile production hubs.
He further stated that the government has recently provided 30,000 jobs across various departments and plans to offer two lakh more government jobs over the next four years.
Additionally, he said skill development centres across the state will be upgraded to meet the rising demand for skilled manpower in the industrial sector.
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