Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu Saturday said lack of infrastructure, basic amenities and employment opportunities are the major reasons for large scale migration of people from border areas in the state.
Responding to a short duration discussion in the assembly moved by senior BJP MLA Lokam Tassar on impact of de-population across the Indo-Tibetan (China) border region of Kurung Kumey district, Khandu informed that the state government has initiated several measures to stop migration from the border areas through various central schemes.
Migration is alarming in Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi and Upper Subansiri districts which share borders with Tibet region of China and MLAs from these areas are trying their best to stop it.
"Developing border areas is very difficult due to the challenging terrain. Moreover the allocation under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) of the Centre has been decreasing over the years," Khandu said.
He said people residing in the border areas are the first line of defence for the country's security. "We should work to provide them all required facilities. We will approach the Home Ministry for providing more fund under BADP".
The Arunachal Pradesh government will plan in a synchronized manner to take back the people who have already migrated, he said and disclosed that investments in agri and horti sectors and development of model villages would help in minimizing the problem.
Khandu said the state government has proposed a special package of Rs 4195 crore involving five line departments to the union home ministry for development of infrastructure in the border areas.
"The proposal 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," he said and promised to pursue the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Delhi next month.
In a bid to boost the state's economy through agriculture and horticulture the state cabinet recently approved two credit-linked schemes, which will facilitate Rs 300 crore investments in the agro-based sectors.
The state government has earmarked Rs 60 crore of subsidies each for Atma Nirbhar Krishi Yojana for agriculture and Atma Nirbhar Bagwani Yojana for horticulture during the 2021-22 fiscal which would be launched on September 3.
The programme will have 45 per cent government subsidy, 45 per cent bank loan and ten per cent investment by the farmer.
Khandu said that earlier schemes for border area development are being sent separately by the state government, army, ITBP and BRO which have confused the central government. To ease it schemes have now been drawn up through proper coordination among them so that early approval could be accorded.
The chief minister appealed to the MLAs of Kurung Kumey and Kra Daadi districts to motivate the people to return to their villages and avail the government schemes.
Development will soon start in the border areas as many schemes submitted to the Centre are under consideration, he said.
Earlier moving the discussion, Tassar pointed out that de-population from border areas also affect the military and para military forces guarding the border.
The border areas are being deprived of all basic facilities, he said and urged the government to initiate steps to check migration.
