Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 30: Laying required focus on the developmental needs of people living in the areas along Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Ladakh region, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs is working out a much-needed special package and the same would be announced within next few months. Financial assistance for construction of houses and fixed monthly honorarium for each family would be the major components of the package.
Highly placed sources in Ministry of Home Affairs told EXCELSIOR that the Ministry has minutely ascertained the developmental requirements of all the areas along the LAC with China by carrying out detailed exercise during the past several months. Based on the outcome of this exercise, it has finally come to the conclusion that unless special package is worked out the people of these areas would remain deprived of basic amenities.
“The package is being worked out by the Rehabilitation Division of the Ministry and the same would be announced within next few months”, sources said, adding “this package would have nothing to do with the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) being implemented by the Border Management Division of the Ministry”.
They said that under BADP scheme the development needs of the areas on LAC with China are not being fully met with mainly due to diversion of funds to other villages. “It has also been felt by the Ministry that funds under BADP are not sufficient to take care of all the developmental needs of these areas inhabited by thousands of people”, sources added.
It has also been observed by the Ministry that due to inadequate basic amenities the people of areas along LAC are getting compelled to shift to Leh and other adjoining towns and such a practice is required to be checked so as to keep watch on the designs of the neighboring country.
The broader contours of the special developmental package have already been discussed in a meeting convened by Union Home Secretary and in the recent past Joint Secretary of the Rehabilitation Division of MHA, K K Pathak visited Leh and had detailed deliberations with various officers on different aspects, sources said.
Construction of network of roads, water supply schemes, development of pastures and agricultural land, irrigation facilities, electrification through solar energy and creation of health facilities etc would be taken care of under the special developmental package. “Financial assistance for construction of houses and fixed monthly honorarium to each family would be the major components of the package”, sources informed.
Disclosing that groundwork for roll out of the package has already been initiated, they said that Ministry has issued directions for opening of bank accounts of these families under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) and this exercise would be completed by middle of next month.
“Even estimates are being prepared for important roads, water supply schemes, irrigation schemes and development of pastures and agricultural land in these areas”, sources said while disclosing that implementation of this special package would be directly monitored by the Rehabilitation Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs so that earmarked funds are utilized for the intended purpose and developmental profile of the areas along LAC is improved up to the expectations of the people.
It is pertinent to mention here that for the first time since independence that such a package is being worked out for the villages along LAC and this would go a long way in ameliorating the lot of people residing there. It is a matter of serious concern that people of LAC areas are still crying for basic amenities despite contributing a lot in defending the sovereignty of the country in most tough terrain.
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