New Delhi [India], February 11 : Rajya Sabha MP Ajeet Gopchade paid a courtesy visit to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday and submitted detailed memoranda on key national and regional issues, including rural development, development of the Marathwada region, and border security.
The memoranda addressed broad themes such as national inclusion, strengthening the rural economy, internal security, and border management. Gopchade specifically urged the Centre to recognise Indian Sign Language (ISL) as the 23rd official language. He emphasised that such recognition would ensure equal rights, dignity, and justice for persons with disabilities, while enabling their effective participation in education and public services.
Referring to the Lok Sabha discussion held on March 23, 2021, he cited examples of countries like Kenya and South Africa that have granted constitutional recognition to sign language.
Focusing on regional development, Gopchade proposed the establishment of an independent cooperative milk union in Nanded district to strengthen the rural economy of the Marathwada region.
He noted that dairy farming is a vital supplementary source of income for small and marginal farmers and said that an organised cooperative structure would boost production, ensure fair pricing, generate rural employment, and promote sustainable growth. He also sought technical and financial assistance for the project through the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
From a national security standpoint, Gopchade highlighted the need to strengthen the Integrated Border Management System for more effective monitoring of India's 15,106.7-kilometre land border and 7,516.6-kilometre coastline. He stressed the need to enhance coordination among various security agencies to further strengthen border security.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the issues raised would be considered seriously. Gopchade said, "Through this meeting, substantive and well-articulated representations on issues of national importance were placed before the central government. "
Gopchade also submitted a detailed report of his parliamentary and organisational work over the past year, which the Home Minister reviewed and expressed satisfaction over.
The report included his contributions toward strengthening the organisational structure of the BJP, successes achieved in local self-government institutions, and development works carried out in rural areas through funds received from the central government. It also documented the party's electoral successes in the Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation and various municipalities and municipal councils in Nanded district.
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