BADP/Border Area Development Programme: Modifications

BADP/Border Area Development Programme: Modifications

Question: Border Area Development Programme has been modified to ensure development of tribal and border areas. Discuss.

- Coverage of BADP has been extended to cover all villages located within 0 to 10 km of the international border, regardless of whether the border block abuts on the international land borders nor not.

- As per the modified BADP, priority will be accorded to villages within 0 to 10 km from the international border and within the villages identified by Border Guarding Forces will be given top priority

- Representatives of Union Ministers have also been made members of the Empowered Committee on BADP under the Department of Border Management’s Secretary to ensure convergence with schemes of these ministries with BADP schemes

List of schemes permitted under BADP have been expanded to include schemes/activities which are as follows.

- Swachch Bharat Abhiyan

- Skill Development Programmes

- Promotion of sports activity in areas in the border

- Promotion of tourism in rural and border areas

- Protection of heritage sites

- Construction of helipads in hilly areas which are remote and inaccessible

- Skill Development training for modern farming, organic farming etc

- Provision has also been made for Third Party Inspection and Quality Control Mechanism under MHA for random inspections of BADP schemes through independent monitors(individual/agency) designated as National Quality Monitors

- State governments will monitor BADP schemes through existing District level monitoring/vigilance committee wherein local members of MLAs and Parliament are represented

- Special or specific area schemes such as composite development of a minimum of one village of sizeable population surrounded by 5 to 6 more villages close to the border as a model village , Swacch Bharat Abhigyan and e-chaupals as well as agrishops have been set up

Facts and Stats

BADP has been implemented through 17 states which are as follows:

- Arunachal Pradesh,

- Assam,

- Bihar,

- Gujarat,

- Himachal Pradesh,

- Jammu & Kashmir,

- Manipur,

- Meghalaya,

- Mizoram,

- Nagaland,

- Punjab,

- Rajasthan,

- Sikkim,

- Tripura,

- Uttar Pradesh,

- Uttarakhand,

- West Bengal,

- These constitute the international land borders

- BADP is implemented in 367 Border Blocks of 104 Border Districts in 17 states

- Main objective of the BADP is to meet special developmental needs and well being of persons living in remote and inaccessible areas near the international border

- Budget allocation for the financial year 2015-2016 is INR 990 crore

- BADP seeks convergence with Central/ State/Local schemes using a participatory approach

- BADP commenced in 1986-1987 for even development of border areas of States bordering Pakistan and it was extended to all land borders subsequently