New Delhi, Sep 7 (UNI) Considering border population as a strategic asset, the Home Ministry has been working out special schemes to improve the living conditions of people living close to the International Border, along with China and Pakistan.
Official sources said these scheme are part of an ambitious multi-pronged strategy to strengthen the border management and security of the people, who are ‘eyes and ears’ of security forces.
Recently, Border Management Secretary in the Home Ministry, Sanjeev Kumar, visited Ladakh to review the implementation of livelihood schemes, along with infrastructural development projects, along the border with China, sources added.
‘The Home Ministry has asked the state and Union Territory governments having land boundaries with neighbouring countries, to prepare detailed plans for improving standard of living of people living in the frontier areas in consultation with the border guarding forces and submit the plans to the Centre for required fund allocation”, the sources said. They also said the new schemes will be in addition to what have been formulated under Border Area
Development Programme (BADP).
The Union Home Ministry is giving special impetus to development of all weather infrastructure like better housing facilities, power supply either through transmission line or solar power, drinking water, schools, hostels, primary heath centres in the areas between zero to 10 km from the IB to prevent their migration for more than four to five months during harsh winter, the officials said who are privy to these developments.
They also said the States and UTs Governments have been asked to send proposals for these schemes and adequate funds are being pumped in for speedy implementation of the livelihood plans.
‘People living in border areas can play a key role in border management and efforts are on to make them stakeholders in border management.
