Arunachal Pradesh to build three model villages, India's first all-women Sainik School along China border

The Arunachal Pradesh government has announced a plan to develop three model villages close to the border with China as part of its efforts to check "foreign misadventure".

The plan was announced by the state's Finance Minister Chowna Mein while presenting the budget on Wednesday.

This comes weeks after reports of China building a village on "Indian territory" in Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. The Centre had later clarified that the area has been under China's occupation since the 1960s.

Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,129-km-long border with China but the areas on the Indian side lack connectivity and basic facilities.

Read: Construction in ‘our own territory’ normal, says China on report of building village in Arunachal

"It is of critical importance that the areas near the international border are rapidly developed so that a permanent and patriotic border population acts as a check against any foreign misadventure. I am happy to announce a major initiative to develop three model villages on a pilot basis in the Indo-Tibet China border areas – one each in the Eastern, Central and one Western part of the state," Mein said in his budget speech.

The budget proposed an expenditure of Rs.30 crore for the construction of the three model villages. "These model villages would serve as a pilot project which will be further expanded to cover many more such villages. The scheme would encompass innovative ways to dovetail social-economic-cultural needs of village life while establishing the model villages," he said.

Also read: BJP, Congress engage in war of words over 'Chinese village' in Arunachal Pradesh

Mein said the development of border villages would remain an important priority of the government.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the last few years have witnessed an unprecedented focus on border area infrastructure development, especially the road connectivity. We will continue to work for the comprehensive development of border villages by providing them good road connectivity, power, water supply, health, and education," Mein said.

The budget also announced a plan to set up the country's first all-women Sainik School at Tawang, a town that shares a border with China.