Centre releases Rs 167 cr to 9 states for border development

New Delhi: The Home Ministry has released Rs 167 crore to nine states with an international border for the development of infrastructure in forward areas, an official said today.

The states which will benefit include Rajasthan and Punjab, both having an international border with Pakistan, and West Bengal and Assam, which share a boundary with Bangladesh.

An amount of Rs 167 crore was released recently by the Home Ministry to Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Sikkim, Tripura, Assam, Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP), the official said.

The fully centrally funded BADP programme covers all villages which are located within 0-10 km of the International Border in 17 states. However, priority is given to those villages which are identified by border guarding forces for the speedy development of infrastructure.

The schemes permissible under the BADP include activities relating to the cleanliness mission, skill development programmes, promotion of sports activities, promotion of rural tourism, border tourism and 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 are other areas which come under the BADP.

While Rajasthan and Punjab share a border with Pakistan, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya share boundary with Bangladesh. Bihar shares border with Nepal, Sikkim shares border with Nepal and Bhutan and Himachal Pradesh share a border with China.

Earlier, the Home Ministry had released Rs 174 crore to six states having international border under the same programme.