Uttarakhand has agreed upon providing to the tune of 23 thousand acres land to Army for its crucial strategic projects in the hill state that shares boundary with Nepal and China. Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar asked officials to spot land as per Army’s requirement.
“No objection certificate will be issued to Army in 10 days time and accordingly land will be allotted as per availability” told CS Kumar after meeting with senior government and Army officials in state capital on Thursday. CS asked commissioner Kumaon and Garhwal regions to conduct joint survey with the field officers of Army.
Five districts of Uttarakhand share boundaries with China and Nepal. The Hill state has 80.5 kilometers long pores border with Nepal and 344 kilometers long border with China.
As per officials Army has specific need of land to build helipads at different locations and especially in the higher reaches of the state including Tedang, Nelang, Malari, Mana, Munsyari, Chealekh, Dharasu, Joshimath, Harsil, Kausani, Sibla, Dharchula, Pithoragarh and 13 other places.
Exodus of people from border districts of state has emerged as a major concern for security forces and intelligence units. The two neighboring districts – Chamoli and Pithoragarh that share boundaries with China has witnessed mass migration in the last few years.
Migration has hit hard Chamoli districts. Dimmir, Rayal, Deoura, Gvad, Khandura, Dimmir, Jhirkoti, Kevar and many more villages have experienced migration. For example Dimmir village, some 20 kilometers from Karnprayag town till 10 years back had population of more than 600 people but now it has less than 300 live here.
Exodus of people from border districts of state has emerged as a major concern for security forces and intelligence units. The two neighboring districts – Chamoli and Pithoragarh that share boundaries with China has witnessed mass migration in the last few years.
Migration has hit hard Chamoli districts. Dimmir, Rayal, Deoura, Gvad, Khandura, Dimmir, Jhirkoti, Kevar and many more villages have experienced migration. For example Dimmir village, some 20 kilometers from Karnprayag town till 10 years back had population of more than 600 people but now it has less than 300 live here.
State receives funds for development of border villages under Border Area Development Programme (BADP). The funds released under BADP for Uttarakhand was Rs 4.16 crores in 2001-02 which rose to Rs 32.98 crores in the current financial year.