New Delhi [India] Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, announced on Tuesday that the central government has released ₹146.42 crore to the West Bengal government under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) since 2019-20.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Rai stated that the remaining central share of committed liability for all concerned states and union territories under ongoing BADP projects stands at ₹53.34 crore, including ₹1.933 crore allocated for West Bengal.
“Under BADP, the fund is released for the approved works/projects to the concerned State Governments/Union Territory Administrations. Allocation to the respective district administrations is done by State Governments/UT Administrations,” he said.
Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that BADP is being implemented through state governments as part of a comprehensive border management approach and aims to address the development needs of people living in remote areas near international borders.
This initiative seeks to enhance border areas with essential infrastructure through schemes introduced by central, state, and local government bodies. BADP was first launched during the Seventh Five-Year Plan to ensure balanced development in border regions and to instill a sense of security among residents, particularly in western border areas.
“Presently, the Programme covers 457 blocks in 117 border districts across 16 states and 2 Union Territories adjoining the international boundary, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. Under this programme, priority is given to areas closer to the border,” the MHA said.
According to the MHA, a significant portion of the funds allocated in 2024-25 was directed to Sikkim.
“In Assam, BADP covers 28 border blocks across eight districts—Dhubri, Cachar, Karimganj, Kokrajhar, Baska, Chirang, Udalguri, and South Salmara-Mankachar. The State Government has utilized BADP funds mainly for constructing school buildings, public health centers (PHCs), community centers, roads, pathways, culverts, bridges, social infrastructure, and drinking water facilities,” the statement added.