Leh, Sept 8: Secretary Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Dr Rajendra Kumar chaired a meeting to review the progress of Border Infrastructure Works and Vibrant Village Programme in UT Ladakh, at conference hall, DC office Leh, on September 7. Commissioner/ Secretary Planning Dr Laltinkhuma Franklin, Deputy Commissioner Leh Santosh Sukhadeve, Sr Superintendent of Police Shruti Arora and officers from BRO (HIMANK), PROJECT VIJAYAK, CPWD, NHIDCL, ITBP along with officers/ officials from different department attended the meeting.

During the meeting, presentations were given by Chief Engineer BRO (HIMANK), Chief Engineer Project Vijayak, Chief Engineer CPWD Ladakh and Executive Director NHIDCL Ladakh sharing their works. Each officers gave a detailed report on the status of work they have been carrying out. The officers spoke about progress achieved, status of achievable timelines of the work, and challenges being faced in terms of weather, machinery and equipment and so on.

Deputy Commissioner Leh also shared a presentation and gave report on the status of works under Vibrant Village Programme and Changthang Border Development Package. He mentions that 35 border villages are adopted under Vibrant Village Program in Ladakh, where the villages are being developed in terms of economic growth, road connectivity, housing infrastructure, telecom connectivity, skill development, financial inclusion and tourism.

He also spoke about key concerns that needs attention of MHA such as high cost of construction, approval of proposals on time keeping in view of the limited working season, inclusion of skill development and purchase of machinery equipment under VVP guidelines and non-release of funds under Border Area Development Programme. In addition to this, Commissioner Secretary, Dr Laltinkhuma Franklin raised the issue of gap funding of the centrally sponsored schemes in the border areas during the meeting.

Reviewing the meeting, Secretary, BM MHA Dr Rajendra Kumar spoke about the projects under ICBR schemes to improve the Border Infrastructure. He added that he will take note of issues like limited working season and assured to consider it through MHA. He also spoke about the poor connectivity issue that is being faced by people in the border regions. He stressed on completion of connectivity projects and providing seamless connectivity to the regions which is immensely required in today’s time and age that focus mainly on digital format.

He instructed the local administration to ensure that clearances such as wildlife clearances are given to the projects that will help develop the border regions so that all the works can be done within the given timeline. He also asserted to achieve the targets in a unified manner to secure our borders. The Secretary added that this visit helped him understand the perspective of works that is being done here and requirements of border areas.