SHILLONG: The State Government has expressed its keenness to bestow an attention, through developmental activities, on the controversial and disputed inter-state border areas of Assam and Meghalaya.
Border Area Development (BAD) Minister Prestone Tynsong recently told The Shillong Times that Government this year introduced the inter-state border areas development programme for international and inter-state borders with the sole objective of developing those areas.
“We would like to carry out developmental activities along the inter-state border by way of development of roads, agricultural activities and drinking water supply,” Tynsong said.
Reacting to a query, Tynsong said the department has completed the drafting of guidelines for the programme and it would be notified within this year.
According to the minister, the BAD department has proposed to carry out the development activities under the programme from Zero Point to five kilometres inside the boundary but it can be reduced or decreased by the line department.
In the recent past, various complaints of encroachment and forcibly carrying out development activities have been received from both Assam and Meghalaya in the border disputed areas.
However, Tynsong maintained that both the sides have agreed to maintain status quo in the disputed areas, adding that if any confusion arises, the matter will be discussed and resolved at the Deputy Commissioner’s level.
He also stated that the State Government in this current financial year has provided a budget of more than Rs 50 crore for the development of inter-state border areas of Meghalaya.
