MHA releases Rs 174 crore to six states for border development

NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry has released Rs 174 crore to six states having an international border for development of infrastructure in forward areas, an official said.

The states that will be benefited include Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

"An amount of Rs 174.32 crore was released to Assam, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP)," the official said today.

The fully centrally funded BADP programme covers all villages which are located within the 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 speedy development of infrastructure.

The schemes permissible under BADP include activities relating to 'swatchhta aabhiyan', 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/scientific technique in farming, organic farming are other areas which come under the BADP.

Assam shares International Border with Bangladesh, West Bengal shares border with Nepal and Bhutan, Gujarat with Pakistan, Manipur with Myanmar, Uttar Pradesh with Nepal and Himachal Pradesh with China and Nepal.