SHILLONG: Meghalaya Government has submitted a proposal to setup at least seven borders haats along the Indo-Bangla border in the state.
Border Areas Development Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui said that the Government through the department of Commerce and Industries had made the proposal which is lying with the Union Government.
He said that the proposal would be taken up not only by the Government of India but it also has to be approved even by the Government of Bangladesh.
Stressing on the need to develop the international border villages, he added that the same villages were well off before the Partition when trade was taking place freely. He informed that the Meghalaya Government had undertaken some roads and school building projects for the border areas.
“The schemes are demand-driven and we allot funds as and when funds are available,” he said.
Talking about the poor road and mobile connectivity in the international border areas, he added that the Government of India was aggressively pursuing the case by installing mobile towers.
As far as road connectivity is concerned, he added that despite limited resources, State Government had taken up some internal road projects but the terrain and topography in these areas were difficult.
It may be mentioned that the core programme implemented by the Department is the Border Area Development Programme (BADP). The BADP was a 100% centrally funded programme till 2015-16. However, since 2016-17, under the rationalization of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, BADP has been classified as Core Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) following the funding pattern of 90:10% by the Central and State Government respectively.
The main objective of the programme is to meet the special developmental needs of the people living in remote and inaccessible areas situated near the International border.
The schemes/works like construction/maintenance of roads, water supply, education, sports, filling gaps in infrastructure, security, organization of early childhood care and education centre, education for physically handicapped and backward sections etc. are being undertaken under the BADP.
Preference is given to the villages/habitations which are closer to the international border.