Writeup AP 2011-12 - Punjab State Planning Board

fertility and irrigation facilities. However, with the passage of time, these districts have
lagged behind in development due to their proximity to the border and particularly the long
spell of cross border terrorism. Farmers living in the border areas face acute hardships as they
cannot cultivate tall crops which can ensure them better remuneration. Moreover, the
farmers of the border belt are handicapped to accord proper attention to their crops due to lot
of restrictions on their movement. Rivers Ravi and Sutlej are passing through the border
districts of Gurdaspur and Ferozepur respectively and often wash away the crops of these
areas during the rainy seasons by way of flooding. In addition, there are a number of choes/
distributaries of these rivers, which also cause damage to the crops of this area.
10.5.2 Punjab has a special place in India due to its geographical conditions. The
total border area of the state is 6369.82 Sq. kms (approx). The total population of the 4
border districts as per 2001 census is 2019604. Since independence, there has been a
substantial amount of trans-border activities of smuggling, border crossings. The problem
became more serious with the advent of cross-border terrorism.
Objectives
10.5.3 The main objective of the programme is to meet the special developmental
needs of the people living in remote and inaccessible areas situated near the international
border and to saturate the border areas with the entire essential infrastructure through
convergence of BADP/ Central/State//Local schemes and participatory approach.
Coverage
10.5.4 By virtue of this definition, in Punjab the following 19 blocks (1870 Villages
as per Annexure –A) abutting the international border are being covered under the BADP:-
Amritsar: Ajnala , Chogawan and Attari( 360 villages).
Tarn Taran: Bhikhiwind, Gandiwind, Valtoha (148 villages).
Ferozepur: Fazilka, Ferozepur, Guruharsahai, Jalalabad, Khuian Sarvar, Mamdot
(629 villages)
Gurdaspur: Bamial, Dera Baba Nanak, Dina Nagar, Dorangla, Gurdaspur, Kalanaur,
Narot Jaimal Singh (733 villages).
10.5.5 The border block will be the spatial unit within which the state government
shall arrange to utilize the BADP funds only in those villages of the blocks, which are
located ‘within 0-15 km’ from the international border. Those villages, which are located
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