Govt releases Rs 400 crore for development of forward areas along int’l borders

Nearly Rs 400 crore 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.

Nearly Rs 400 crore 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 1,100 crore released in 2017-18 for the all-round development of villages located along the international borders in 17 states.

An amount of Rs 399.44 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 13,400 crore 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).

Newsletter

Prime Minister Modi inaugurates Atal Tunnel - longest tunnel above 10000 ft

Ladakh: The Prime Minister today inaugurated the Atal Tunnel and took the inaugural drive through in the 9km long tunnel...

Orissa High Court Order regarding migrant workers entry into Orissa put on hold by the Supreme Court

The Orissa High Court order to permit the entry of migrant workers only if they tested Negative for COVID-19 was put on...

Coronavirus Lockdown - First Flights To Bring Back Indians Stranded Abroad Land In Kerala

On Monday, the central government announced plans to begin a massive repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad, dubbe...

Reacting to Trump's retaliation threat India allows Hydroxychloroquine export

In a move after Trump's threat to retaliate if India fails to send medicines, India has lifted ban of export of ess...

All Domestic Passenger Flights Suspended from Midnight Tomorrow

The operations of all domestic schedule commercial airlines will stop operations from 23.59pm on March 24, a government...

Iran says it ‘unintentionally’ shot down Ukrainian plane, blames ‘human error’

Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft. But then the US and Canada, citing intelligence, sa...