The Arunachal Pradesh government has sought pilot development projects to stop people living along its international borders, specifically with China, from migrating to faraway urban centres in the State.
Some MLAs representing the border constituencies said depopulation in border villages was posing a security threat, echoing former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul’s contention that foreign armies would find it easy to occupy vacant villages.
Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,080 km border with China, 440 km with Myanmar and 160 km with Bhutan. Twenty of the State’s 60 Assembly constituencies touch the international borders, 13 of them with China.
Discussing the issue in the Assembly on Thursday, Chief Minister Pema Khandu agreed that people were migrating from the border villages but said depopulation in such areas was an exception and not the norm.
“Possible facilities are being provided to border villagers under the Border Area Development Programme being equally distributed to the border districts and it is for the elected representatives to ensure that the funds are utilised properly,” he said.
Mr. Khandu added the issue was serious and advocated selection of 10 census towns along the India-China border as pilot projects for infrastructure development so that people can be dissuaded from migrating for livelihood. He informed the House that the State government has proposed a special package of ₹4.60 crore to the Union Home Ministry for development of infrastructure in the border areas.
