Centre releases Rs 4 bn to develop villages along international borders

Border Area Development Programme covers 111 border districts in 17 states to meet special development needs of border population with focus on people living within 50km of the International Border

Nearly Rs 4 billion has been released by the Centre to 10 states, having international borders, for developing forward areas as part of an ambitious plan to ameliorate the problems of those living in these isolated locations, officials said Monday.

The funds released so far this fiscal were in addition to Rs 11 billion released in 2017-18 for the all-round development of villages located along the international borders in 17 states.

An amount of Rs 3.9944 crore has been released to the governments of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and West Bengal under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) so far during 2018-19, a Home Ministry official said.

The BADP covers 111 border districts in 17 states to meet special development needs of border population with a focus on the people living within 50 kilometres of the International Border.

The BADP schemes include construction of primary health centres, schools, supply of drinking water, community centres, connectivity, drainage, to enable sustainable living in border areas.

It now covers schemes or activities relating to Swachhta Abhiyan, skill development programmes, promotion of sports activities in border areas, promotion of rural tourism, border tourism, protection of heritage sites, construction of helipads in remote and inaccessible hilly areas, which do not have road connectivity.

Skill development training to farmers for the use of modern and scientific techniques in farming, organic farming is also part of the BADP now, another official said.

As many as 61 model villages are also being developed under the BADP to improve the quality of life for the border population.

A total of Rs 134 billion has been released since the BADP programme was initiated in 1986-87. India shares borders with Pakistan (3,323 km), China (3,488 km), Nepal (1,751 km), Bhutan (699 km), Myanmar(1,643 km) and Bangladesh(4,096 km).