Half of Border Area Development funds to go to villages along China border: Centre

Dehradun: The Centre has allocated almost Rs 20 crore to Uttarakhand – nearly half of the total provided to the state under a core centrally sponsored scheme — for taking up work projects in sensitive areas along the China border, in view of continued tensions between both countries.

The central government has earmarked about Rs 42 crore to the state overall in financial year 2020-21 under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) fund for taking up projects along the border with China and Nepal.

However, the practice of allocating a separate fund for development works along the Sino-India border (within BADP funds for Uttarakhand) began two years ago. These funds will have to be utilised within two years and will likely be released next month. Uttarakhand shares a 350-km border with China and 275-km border with Nepal.

The border with China falls in the state’s Pithoragarh, Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts. Uttarakhand chief secretary Om Prakash said the villages that have been identified are located at high altitude. According to him, the government has also taken up animal husbandry, fisheries and horticulture projects to provide livelihood to those living in these villages.