GUWAHATI
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.
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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 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 Programmes are being equally distributed to the border districts and it is for the elected representatives to ensure that the funds are utilised properly,” he said.
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Mr Khandu, however, said 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.
“The proposal has cleared the ministry’s vetting and is pending with the Union Cabinet. Once it is cleared, the border areas will be developed with all amenities so that migration can be stopped,” the Chief Minister said and promised to pursue the matter with the Centre on his next visit to Delhi.
The migration issue was raised by BJP’s Koloriang legislator Lokam Tassar. He said there were several cases of intrusion by people from Tibet across the McMahon Line – the boundary between India and China – into his constituency bordering China. “The government should take steps to make our people go back to their villages by providing basic amenities,” he said, adding that this would go a long way in ensuring vacant villages are not occupied.
The then Tribal Affairs Minister, Kalikho Pul, in October 2014 warned of a “Kargil-like situation” if border residents were not provided basic amenities and incentives to stay back and “guard the borders”.
As the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh in May 2017 expressed concern over migration of people from border areas. He called residents of border areas “strategic assets” and directed the State governments and paramilitary forces to carry out welfare activities for them.