Govt picks norms for border area development

The Centre on Wednesday came out with the modified guidelines for the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) for development of villages located near the International Border involving 17 States. While representatives of some more Ministries have been included in the Empowered Committee, the list of schemes under BADP has been expanded. 

“Department of Border Management of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has issued modified Border Area Development Programme guidelines in consultation with all stakeholders viz. concerned Ministries/Departments of Government of India, State Governments implementing the BADP, Border Guarding Forces and NITI Aayog,” said Home Ministry in a statement.

The areas selected for development will be identified by the Border Guarding Forces. “Representatives of some more Union Ministries viz. Ministry of Rural Development; Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs; Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; and Ministry of Human Resources, have been made Members of the Empowered Committee (EC) on BADP under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Border Management, MHA, to ensure convergence with the schemes of these Ministries with BADP schemes,” said the statement.

State Governments will have the monitoring of the BADP schemes by the existing District level Monitoring/ vigilance Committee where local Members of Parliament and MlAs are represented. Provision for Third Party Inspection and Quality Control Mechanism under MHA for random inspections of the BADP schemes by independent Monitors (Individual/ Agency) to be designated as National Quality Monitors too has been made. 

“Special/Specific area schemes such as composite development of at least one village of sizeable population surrounded by five-six or more villages close to the Border as Model Village; Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan: Construction of toilets in schools, public places particularly for women; warehouses for food grains and fodder in hilly areas particularly in snow bound areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, E-chaupals, agrishops, mobile media vans etc. have been made,” said Home Ministry.

The current Budget has allocation of `990 crore for the development of Border areas. The main objective of the BADP is to meet the special developmental needs and well being of the people living in remote and inaccessible areas situated near the international Border and to provide entire essential infrastructure in the locality.