The Punjab government has asked the Centre to provide a grant of Rs 2,055 crore under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) for provision and maintenance of social and economic infrastructure in the areas bordering Pakistan.
Amritsar, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts lie on the border with Pakistan. These are situated along the 553-km active international border with Pakistan and are covered under the BADP for which the Centre was providing around Rs 20 crore for creation, improvement and maintenance of infrastructure, which the Punjab government finds ?too meager to cater to the basic requirements of border areas?.
The BADP has been stared with twin objectives of balanced development of sensitive border areas through adequate provision of infrastructure facilities and promotion of sense of security among the local population. It is a 100% centrally funded scheme as a special central assistance for execution of approved schemes on a 100% grant basis. Funds are allocated according to the length of international border and population in border belt.
Bikramjit Singh Majithia, information and public relations minister, Punjab told FE that the border districts had suffered a lot and lagged behind due to their proximity to the border. Wars with Pakistan and long spell of cross border terrorism have done an irreparable damage to the pace of economic development in the border areas.