Big infrastructure push for villages on border; 7 new ITBP battalions

Taking to Twitter later, Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote: “For the first time a government is working in such committed way for the development of border areas and to uplift the standard of living of people there. The Cabinet approved Vibrant Village Programme will transform 663 border villages which will stop migration and strengthen border security.”

सीमावर्ती क्षेत्रों के विकास और वहाँ के लोगों के जीवनस्तर को ऊपर उठाने के लिए पहली बार कोई सरकार इतने संकल्पित भाव से कार्य कर रही है।

कैबिनेट द्वारा स्वीकृत ‘वाइब्रेंट विलेज प्रोग्राम’ से 663 सीमावर्ती गाँवों का कायाकल्प होगा जिससे पलायन रुकेगा और सीमा सुरक्षा अधिक मजबूत होगी। https://t.co/Z5iBWBiaq0

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 15, 2023

The ITBP decision, meanwhile, will entail the raising of seven new battalions and a new sector headquarters. With ITBP being the first line of defence on the China border, sources said this will strengthen the security grid on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It will also provide a window for the ITBP to rest, recuperate and train its personnel, they said.

“This was a long-pending proposal from the ITBP, and has been there since 2013-14. Initially, it was envisaged to raise 12 new battalions, but that has now been decreased to seven battalions. This is in conjunction with the decision to increase the number of border outposts and staging camps along the LAC,” said a Home Ministry official.

The village development scheme was first announced in the 2022 Budget. It will cover 2,963 villages with 663 of them to be covered in the first phase. “We have already held discussions with all stakeholders in this regard,” Thakur said.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the programme will “help in encouraging people to stay in their native locations in border areas and reversing the outmigration from these villages adding to improved security of the border”. The total outlay is for financial years 2022-23 to 2025-26.

“Key outcomes that have been attempted are: connectivity with all-weather road, drinking water, 24×7 electricity – solar and wind energy to be given focused attention, along with mobile and internet connectivity,” the Ministry said, apart from tourism, and health and wellness centres.

“Traditional knowledge practices, NGOs and self-help groups will be encouraged, with a special focus on youth and women,” Thakur said.

With respect to tourism, regular field trips will be held for students as part of a Seema Darshan programme. Since many of these border areas require permits and permissions to access, the idea is to start with organised trips and gradually extend the scope to include domestic tourists, Thakur said.

Officials from the Central and state governments will be sent to these villages on a regular basis for stock-taking during various stages of the programme.

The ITBP currently has 176 border outposts. In January 2020, the Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the establishment of 47 new outposts and 12 staging camps on the LAC. Sources said the induction of 9,400 personnel, at an estimated cost of about Rs 2,800 crore, was envisaged to operate these border outposts and staging camps.

While salaries will make up just over one-third of the total cost, over Rs 1,800 crore will be spent on land acquisition, building construction and arms and ammunition, sources said.

The Cabinet has also cleared a 4.1-km Shinku-La tunnel on the Manali-Darcha-Padum-Nimmu axis to allow all-weather connectivity to Ladakh. This comes in addition to under-construction Zoji-La tunnel, and the Atal Tunnel, which was opened in 2020. The Shinku-La tunnel project will cost approximately Rs 1,681 crore, and will be completed by December 2025. This will connect Ladakh to other parts of the country through Zanskar Valley.