Six-Fold Hike In Budget For Security Of Areas Along Indo-China Border Since Last Year: Govt In Lok Sabha

India shares a 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. At the same time, Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,126 km long border with China.

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel patrolling along the barbed wire fence (File photo: getty)

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday informed Lok Sabha that the government has allocated six times more funds for infrastructure development along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. 

It has been increased from Rs 42.87 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 249.12 crore in 2021-22. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha that Rs 602.30 crore in the year 2021-22 and Rs 355.12 crore in 2020-21 has been allocated for improving infrastructure along the international border under the Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) scheme.

He said in a written reply to a question that Rs 42.87 crore was allocated under BIM for the India-China border in the Northeast in 2020-21, but Rs 249.12 crore has been allocated for it in 2021-22. India shares a 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. At the same time, Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,126 km-long border with China.

There has been a standoff in Ladakh between the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China since April 2020. Rai said Rs 17.38 crore was allocated under BIM for the India-Myanmar border in 2020-21 while Rs 50 crore was allocated for it in 2021-22. He said that Rs 294.87 crore has been allocated under BIM for the India-Bangladesh border in 2020-21 and Rs 303.18 crore for 2021-22.

According to the minister, the government has taken a multi-pronged approach to strengthen security along the international borders, which includes deployment of border security forces, effective domination of borders by patrolling, putting up checkpoints, monitoring of surveillance posts and a holistic review. It also includes periodic deployment, setting up of new border posts, deployment of surveillance equipment, strengthening of the intelligence network, and fencing along the border.