The State Level Screening Committee on Border Area Development Programme (BADP) headed by Chief Secretary, B R Sharma Tuesday reviewed the implementation of the programme in the State.Financial Commissioner, Planning, Development & Monitoring Department, B B Vyas, Principal Secretary Forests, R K Gupta, Principal Secretary, Home, R K Goyal, administrative Secretaries of School education, PDD, PHE, Health, RD etc, DDCs of 11 border districts and other senior officers of Army/Para military/BRO were present.The Committee finalized the list of schemes for implementation under BADP and approved the Annual Action Plan (AAP) of Rs 120 Cr for the year 2016-17. The Committee also reviewed the progress of BADP works undertaken during 2015-16.BADP is a 100% centrally funded programme and covers villages located close to the border. The main objective is to meet the special development needs and well being of the people living in remote border areas and to provide them essential infrastructure through convergence of Central/State and BADP schemes.The programme is under implementation in 11 border districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Shopian, Leh and Kargil.
Chief Secretary received brief from DDCs regarding ongoing and completed works under BADP with directions to ensure that projects taken up under BADP are completed within 3-4 years. He also underscored the need to focus on convergence and dovetailing of BADP with schemes like MGNREGA etc to create productive assets in the border villages for the benefit of the people. Chief Secretary also urged special focus on taking up innovative skill development initiatives for the youth of border villages under BADP.Chief Secretary said that inspection, verification of schemes and 3rd party monitoring should continue under BADP and all concerned DDCs should pay special attention in this regard adding that android mobile based ‘JK Pulse’ introduced to monitor the BADP works should remain functional round the year.Director, CSS/BADP, Mr S S Jamwal informed the meeting that 3rd Party monitoring of 58 BADP works was done in 2015-16 and their report was shared with the DDCs for feedback. He also gave a detailed presentation of ongoing and completed BADP works in all the 11 border districts of the State.