Border areas to be developed more for better management

New Delhi, July 24 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday informed that border area management is possible only when economic and infrastructural development takes place in the border areas.

Addressing the members of Consultative Committee attached to the Home Ministry here today, Chidambaram mentioned that the guarding of borders is a very complex task as it depends upon several factors.

Referring to the Border Area Development Programme (BADP), he informed the members that Rs. 990 crore has been allocated for BADP for the year 2012-13 which is Rs. 90 crore more than the last year's allocation.

The BADP covers 358 blocks of 96 border districts of 17 States located along the international Land Border. The programme is a 100 percent centrally sponsored scheme. Funds are provided to the states as a non-lapsable special central assistance for execution of projects relating to infrastructure, livelihood, education, health, agriculture and allied sector.

Funds are released to the States in two installments i.e. first installment of 90 percent and second of 10 percent amount of the allocation.

Chidambaram informed the Committee that in pursuance of Group of Ministers' Recommendation to reduce inter-Border Out Post (BOP) distance to 3.5 KM, the Government has approved construction of additional 509 BOPs -383 on Indo Bangladesh Border and 126 on Indo-Pakistan Border.

He said that increased number of BOPs will help in effective monitoring of the Border. He said that the work is targeted to be completed by 2013-2014. He also mentioned that the BOPs are now provided better communication and infrastructural facilities.

Chidambaram also informed the members that the government was exploring use of modern technology in border management by proper fencing, floodlights and other latest technologies available in this field. He further stated that the experiences of advanced countries are also being studied for better management of borders.

He said that the constraint of resources could be a problem for border management earlier but now adequate resources are being provided and low cost technology and better management is being explored for better management.

Chidambaram informed that the fencing is helping a lot in checking the infiltration but the fence also requires repairs wherever it is damaged by the sand dunes in Rajasthan sector and snow in J and K. He also informed the members that the private land beyond the fence is being managed by the border area people with the help and assistance of concerned authorities.

The issues of security of coastal area, Narcotic drugs, Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and insurgency related issues were also discussed by the members.

The following members of Consultative Committee were present at the meeting: Dr. Ashok Sekhar Ganguly, Bhubaneswar Kalita, H.K. Dua, Mohd. li Khan, Om Prakash Mathur, P. Kannan, Rishang Keishing, Thomas

Sangma, and Vinay Katiyar, from Rajya Sabha and D.B. Chandre Gowda, K. Sudhakaran, M. Venugopala Reddy, Dr. Chinta Mohan, N. Dharam Singh, Dr. Rattan Singh Ajnala, Sheesh Ram Ola and Dr. Thokchom Meinya from Lok Sabha.

Ministers of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Mullapally Ramachandran and Jitender Singh and senior officers of the ministry and border guarding force were also present. (ANI)