India needs bespoke plans for ‘bustling villages’ on the border so China doesn’t cross the line

The timing of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget announcement on the Vibrant Villages program was appropriate. It came ahead of schedule – to be precise, exactly a month after China enacted a controversial law through which it seeks to assert its territorial claim to areas near its borders. In addition, this law covers Chinese “xiaokang” (pattern) border defense villages, many of which are rapidly advancing alongside the outskirts of India along the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), across from the east of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Both had given way to fresh concerns for India amid an ongoing military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.

Not much is known at this time about the Vibrant Villages program as the government is still preparing its exact roadmap.

What is known is that it will cover villages on the northern borders, mainly those that India shares with the TAR, and will aim to strengthen infrastructure, connectivity and the economy there.

What is unclear is the final form it will eventually take.

Although this is probably an update and better version of the existing Border Area Development Program (PDBA) piloted by the Ministry of Interior – with other border development plans converging towards him – the overall amount of funds earmarked for this exercise, the implementing agencies and their responsibility are awaiting a decision or perhaps clarification.

While the Center will work to design the finer details of this new program, it is essential that the government take a closer look at a few key aspects alongside, to ensure its success.

The story so far

In his budget speech, Sitharaman said program activities will include “construction of village infrastructure, housing, tourist resorts, road connectivity, decentralized renewable energy supply, direct door-to-door access for Doordarshan and educational channels, and support for the generation of livelihoods”. .

The existing BADP, which covers all border areas and is implemented by MHA through state governments, has a similar mandate.

However, budget documents show that the funds allocated to the program have almost halved from Rs 1,100 crore in the 2017-18 financial year to Rs Rs 565.72 crore for 2022-23.

What is also worrying is a drastic drop in the use of funds by states. In 2020-21, the actual expenditure under this was only Rs 63.97 crore, out of an initial budget allocation of Rs 783.71 crore that year.

The actual expenditure for the following financial year 2021-22 has yet to be made public, but revised estimates for the year paint a grim picture with a reduction to Rs 221.61 crore from Rs 565.71 crore originally allocated.

The reasons for weak state spending could be manifold, such as a small work window of a few months in many border states, the involvement of multiple agencies employed at scattered borders, and also a pandemic in the past two years.

But only a thorough internal evaluation of the regime could shed light on the complex reasons. This was also suggested by a parliamentary standing committee on home affairs in 2018 after finding widespread illiteracy, backwardness, poverty, lack of amenities such as poor infrastructure, connectivity and transport in border areas and noted that the BADP target had not been met.

Lessons learned from the evaluation should be incorporated into the Vibrant Villages program.

Strengthen the border radio network, involve all stakeholders

Efforts should be made to establish a strong radio network in border areas, either community-based or through private initiatives. In these remote areas, no other medium can play a greater role in educating and entertaining the vulnerable border population.

Under the old 11th Five-Year Plan, India’s border areas were to be dotted with radio stations, with at least one FM transmitter every 100 km, which could not be implemented within the specified time frame.

Once done, the content to be broadcast should also be made hyperlocal and exclusive to the specific population. Additionally, solar-powered FM transmitters could be installed to ensure transmission continuity in uncertain weather conditions.

The government had granted the Border Roads Organisation, controlled by the Ministry of Defence, a budget increase of 40% to Rs 3,500 crore for the creation of border infrastructure.

Additionally, under the new scheme, the government may seek to incentivize private actors so that they can invest in businesses – from tourism to fishing or agriculture – that would thrive in certain border areas. Many projects can also be developed in public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

For overall development, the new program is expected to ensure better coordination between all stakeholders – such as the BRO, armed forces and paramilitary forces, state government and local people – bringing them all together on a platform. -common form.

The Center can also take inspiration from the Government of Arunachal Pradesh which has already planned and is in the process of executing three model villages with modern amenities in Kibithoo, Kaho and Musai, as reported earlier by this correspondent during from a visit to the state last year.

No one-size-fits-all approach

Currently, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh continue to see their border populations migrating to the hinterland in search of a better life and job opportunities.

Their absence has also been a key reason why China continues to repeatedly attempt to breach the Line of Effective Control (LAC) in many border areas, such as Chumar in Ladakh.

The first line of defense of the borders is the people who physically claim the land there. Thus, improving living conditions to stop this trend should be a top priority for the government.

Finally, instead of a single planning approach for all border areas, there needs to be separate micro-level planning for each area and a bottom-up approach.

This means that special emphasis must be placed on the fact that the program includes the opinion of the affected local population, to involve them in the decision-making process, which in turn will ensure that every aspect of border development is adapted. to their specific needs and aspirations.

The main thing here is to integrate the border population of India without integrating their problems.

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