Centre approves raising of seven ITBP battalions along China border

In decisions aimed at sprucing up security and put a break on migration from villages on the contentious India-China border, the Narendra Modi government on Wednesday approved the raising of seven battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to man 47 new Border Outposts and a Rs 4,800 crore scheme to develop border villages in five states and union territories.

Another decision with security dimensions was the green signal for the construction of the 4.1-km Shinkun La tunnel on the Nimu-Padam-Darcha road link to provide all-weather connectivity to the border areas of Ladakh, which also provides for faster deployment of military as it is the shortest route to border areas.

The decisions to raise seven ITBP battalions and tunnel were taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) while that of the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' (VVP) aimed at villages bordering China in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Ladakh were taken at a meeting of Union Cabinet.

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These moves come against the backdrop of a recent assessment by a senior Ladakh Police official that India has lost access to almost half of the patrolling points on the border with China in eastern Ladakh. The official had also said China is using 'Salami Slicing' tactic to grab control of Indian territory "inch-by-inch".

The raising of seven battalions and 12 staging camps with a strength of 9,400 personnel comes as a follow-up to the January 2020 CCS decision to establish 47 BOPs and 12 Staging Camps. The work on the new BOPs, which are in addition to the existing 176 BOPs, are nearing completion and the raising of battalions are meant to man these facilities.

“There is a need for deployment of people in these new BOPs and staging camps. So seven battalions are being raised. For supervising these battalions, there is also a need for setting up a Sector Headquarters,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur told a press conference.

For building offices, residences and land acquisition, he said, a non-recurring Rs 808 crore has been allocated while a recurring expense of Rs 963 crore for salaries will also be needed every year.

On the VVP, Thakur said it would cover 19 districts in four states and a union territory with an outlay of Rs 4,800 crore for four fiscals till 2025-26 and aims to "encourage people to stay in their villages in border areas and reversing the outmigration from these villages adding to improved security of the border".

"You can see this linking it with national security or the development of these villages, there can be different perspectives, but these villages will become developed and it is also important from the security perspective," he said.

The government made it clear that the new scheme will not overlap with the existing Border Area Development programme. Key outcomes that have been attempted are connectivity with all-weather roads, drinking water, 24x7 electricity – solar and wind energy to be given focused attention, mobile and internet connectivity, tourist centres, multi-purpose centres and health and wellness centres, an official statement said.

The scheme will be implemented in a phased manner and the major focus will be on the road network, which has been allocated Rs 2,500 crore. In the first phase, 663 villages will be taken up in the programme.

"The centrally sponsored scheme is aimed at bringing in villages that are not part of the country's development story. Through this scheme, the aim is to stop forceful migration from these villages for employment," Thakur said.

Funds will be provided for development of essential infrastructure and creation of livelihood opportunities in 19 districts and 46 border blocks in four states and one union territory along the northern land border of the country which will help in achieving inclusive growth and retaining the population in the border areas.

The scheme will also "identify and develop" the economic drivers based on local natural human and other resources of the border villages on the northern border.

It is also aimed developing growth centres on “Hub and Spoke Model” through promotion of social entrepreneurship, empowerment of youth and women through skill development and entrepreneurship, leveraging the tourism potential through promotion of local cultural, traditional knowledge and heritage and development of sustainable eco-agribusinesses on the concept of “One village-One product” through community based organisations, Cooperatives, self-help groups and NGOs among others.

Vibrant Village Action Plans will be created by the district administration with the help of Gram Panchayats and 100 % saturation of central and state schemes will be ensured, an official statement said.