To uplift Kandi area, fund norms tweaked

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 5

In what may change the dynamics of development in 3,500 villages, located in the sub-mountain Kandi area and in places along the International Border with Pakistan, the Punjab Government has reworked the criteria for the allocation of funds under the newly constituted Border and Kandi Area Development Board.

Giving priority to health, education and water supply and sanitation, the total area and population of the districts will attract weightage in the fund allocation varying between 20 per cent and 60 per cent.

Headed by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, and comprising several Cabinet ministers, the Border and Kandi Development Board, along with the MPs and MLAs concerned on board, is scheduled to hold its first meeting next week. The main objective is to uplift the border and Kandi areas by creation of new economic and social infrastructure.

Manish Tewari, MP from Anandpur Sahib, said the per capita income in the Kandi area was the lowest as compared to other districts in the state. “The Kandi area desperately needs eco-friendly industrial zone in the places close to the land blocked under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA)-1900 and fencing all along the 205-km sub-mountain forest area to protect crops of farmers from wild animals,” he added.

Revival and realignment of the Kandi canal is also a priority for the Anandpur Sahib MP.

Amritsar MP Gurjeet Aujla said self-sustaining village industries that would include agro-processing based on farm produce would be beneficial.

A government functionary said the Punjab Government was also pushing with the Centre, the funding pattern under the Border Area Development Programme. On the pattern of the hilly and Northeastern states, Punjab is seeking the revision of the funding pattern from 60:40 to 90:10. The state has also sought acquisition of 21,500 acres lying beyond the border fence, by the Centre.

Govt for more area under border belt

For the border area-specific development schemes to cover a much larger population, the state has requested the Centre to double the width of the belt classified as ‘border areas’. The state wants all land up to 30 km from the IB under the ambit of ‘border areas’. At present, it is up to 16 km. The Centre is yet to reply to the proposal.

Expanse of Kandi, border region

• Kandi: In all, 1,414 villages in Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Ropar and Mohali districts
• Border: 553-km IB comprising 2,107 villages in Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Pathankot