Himachal villages along China border to be made 'vibrant'

Tribune News Service

Bhanu P Lohumi

Shimla, February 18

Remote and isolated villages in Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts along the China border will be developed as livelihood and tourism oriented “vibrant villages”.

As per the revised Border Areas Development Plan (BADP), there are 198 villages in the vicinity of the 242-km border of Himachal Pradesh with China. To start with, villages within a 10 km distance from the last border village will be taken up on priority.

A complete package

• So far, development plans were confined to capital infrastructure development such as roads, schools, water supply schemes, hospitals, houses.
• Under the revised plan, it will be a complete package, providing for livelihood and filling the critical gaps with focus on strengthening communication, developing tourist centres and sites, better and accessible road connectivity.

The last village on the border will be plotted and an arch will be drawn to cover villages falling within the 10-km distance for development and providing all necessary facilities. This will also help in integrating the border villages and checking the migration of tribal people.

Chitkul, Sumdoh, Chango and Namgia are some of the villages closest to the international border. There are nine passes (two in Lahaul and Spiti and seven in Kinnaur) along the international boundary between China and India.

“Detailed project reports (DPRs) for the development of border villages are being prepared under the Vibrant Villages Programme to avail of the benefits of the scheme in the next financial year (2022-23),” said Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh. “Talks have been held with the Secretary Border Management and the Deputy Commissioners of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts have been sensitized,” he added.

So far, the development plans were confined to capital infrastructure development such as roads, schools, water supply schemes, hospitals, houses. However, under the BADP, it would be a complete package, providing for livelihood and filling the critical gaps with focus on strengthening communication, developing tourist centres and sites, better and accessible road connectivity, a provision of renewable energy, DTH services and other facilities.

The programme fully funded by the Union Government is aimed at countering increasing infrastructure building activities and model villages being developed along the international border by China.

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