BADP: MHA allocates Rs 37.625cr to J&K, Rs 45.359 crore to Ladakh

Jammu:The Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affair (MHA) has sanctioned a financial allocation of Rs 37.625 crore for the year 2020-21 in favour of Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir and Rs 45.359 crore for the Union Territory of Ladakh under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP).
BADP is an important intervention of the Central Government to bring about development of border areas by supplementing the State Plan Funds to bridge the gaps in socio- economic infrastructure on one hand and improving the security environment in border areas on the other.
“The Central Ministry while releasing funds had asked the authorities of Union Territories to ensure proper utilization of funds sanctioned under BADP,” official sources here said.
They said that even the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) had ranked J&K UT low on people’s satisfaction over the development of infrastructure in border areas, adding, “in its evaluation report, NITI Ayog revealed that the medical facilities were also below par due to lack of health awareness programmes and staff inadequacy.”
In 2017, pertinently, following reports of mis-utilisation of funds, the Centre Government had asked the J&K Government to strictly follow the guidelines to check alleged misuse of the money.
Sources said that the report claimed that in most of the villages, there were no officially appointed committees to monitor the BADP work.
It said there was a lack of coordination between panchayats and BADP officials, the report further mentioning that the status of women was low, financially as well as socially, claiming that these areas were mired in traditional mores.
As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, the districts and blocks where BADP is being implemented in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir included Akhnoor, Bishnah, Khour, Marh, R S Pura, Satwari in Jammu District, in Samba district, Vijaypur and Ghagwal, in Kathua district, Barnoti, Hiranagar, Kathua, in Poonch district, Balakote, Mandi, Mendhar, Poonch, in Rajouri district, Manjakote, Nowshera, Rajouri, Sunderbani and Doongi, in Baramulla district, Booniyar, Tangmarg, Baramulla, Ruhama, Dangiwacha/ Rafiabad, Uri and Wagoora, in Bandipora district, Gurez, Bandipora, in Budgam, Block Khag, in Kupwara district, Kralpora, Kupwara, Langate, Rajwar, Ramhal, Sogam, Tangdar, Teetwal and Trehgam.
Similarly in the UT of Ladakh, Kargil district, Drass, Kargil and Shaker Chikten blocks, in Leh District, Khaltsi, Nobra, Durbuk (Indo-China border) and Nyoma (Indo-China border) blocks,
The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir administration in December 2020 had constituted a UT level Screening Committee on BADP headed by the Chief Secretary to approve the Five Year Plan/Annual Action Plans duly recommended by the District level Committees under BADP as per guide-lines issued by MHA.
“The panel was constituted to review and monitor the progress of schemes under BADP, which was initiated in the border areas of the western region during that Seventh Five Year Plan period for ensuring balanced development of border areas through development of infrastructure,” sources expressed.
The main objective of the BADP, an official said is to meet the special developmental needs and well-being of the people living in remote and inaccessible areas situated near the International Border (IB) and to provide the border areas with essential infrastructure by convergence of BADS/other Central/State/UT/Local Schemes and through a participatory approach especially in six thematic areas - Basic Infrastructure, Health Infrastructure, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development.
However, presently, the programme covers 396 Blocks of 111 border Districts in 16 States and two Union Territories.

Updated On 2/28/2021 10:57:08 AM