India-China border infrastructure

Border infrastructure in the borderlands of India and China encompasses irrigation, roads, railways, airports, natural gas and oil pipelines, electricity grids, telecommunications, broadcasting. In the context of the border tensions between India and China, many of these infrastructure projects in the borderlands are considered strategic in nature. Commentators have noted the infrastructure gap that existed and still exists between the infrastructure on borderlands of India and China.[1] For many decades, the approach taken to the construction of border infrastructure by China and India was significantly different,[2] however, in terms of utilizing the natural resources of the borderlands for the needs of the country, both countries are said to have a similar approach.[3]

India

Border Area Development Programme

The Border Area Development Programme (BADP) was initiated in the 1980s along the western border with Pakistan. By June 2020, the scheme covered nearly 400 blocks in 111 border districts in 18 states and union territories.[4] This scheme extends to development projects within 10 km of the border.[lower-alpha 1] Projects can include roads, bridges, health facilities, primary schools, irrigation and sports facilities.[4] In 2019-20, the scheme was allotted ₹825 crore (US$120 million) while in 2020-21 it was allotted ₹784 crore (US$110 million).[4]

In 1997, BADP started in Arunachal Pradesh. It first applied to the Indo-Myanmar Border and in 1998 was extended Indo-China and Indo-Bhutan borders.[6] Even after ten years, BADP was unable to provide development to the over 1500 villages in the border blocks of Arunachal Pradesh; "the border blocks are yet to be opened up and are in utter backwardness due to their isolation and inaccessibility".[6] A NITI Aayog evaluation study for the period 2007-2011 and published in 2015 found that while the heads of Gram Panchayats (GPs) gave positive feedback related to BADP, and while people have benefitted in some ways, the requirement of border villages in Arunachal Pradesh were so great that they couldn't be met by BADP in one go:[7]

...of the 21 GPs surveyed, only six were connected by all-weather roads; electricity was available in only seven of them; tap water was available only in five; none of the GPs surveyed had fixed line telephones. Only two of the 21 GPs had PDS shops; some villages were almost 25 kms away from these shops. Several villages did not even have primary schools and anganwadi centres.

See also

References

Notelist

  1. Development work in the area beyond 10 km is to start under BADP only after completion of the first 10 km.[5]

Citations

  1. Kurian 2014, p. Closing the Infrastructure Gap.
  2. Rajagopalan 2013, p. 13.
  3. Mukherjee 2019, Chapter 6.
  4. Singh, Vijaita (2020-06-03). "India to boost infrastructure in areas along China border". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  5. NITI Aayog 2015, p. 5.
  6. Border Area Development Programme in Arunachal Pradesh. Status on October 2009. Department of Planning, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Retrieved on 19 January 2021.
  7. NITI Aayog 2015, p. 42.

Bibliography

Further reading
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