Hundreds of residents in Jalpaiguri district near the international borders of Bangladesh and Bhutan are facing inconveniences because of the lack of basic infrastructure such as roads and bridges as the Narendra Modi government has stopped providing funds to the district under the BADP (Border Area Development Project) scheme.
Funds under BADP are provided to build and repair roads, culverts, bridges, toilets, drinking water supply and school infrastructure such as boundary walls and others in border villages.
"As funds weren't allocated, residents near the borders are facing multiple problems," said a source in the Jalpaiguri district administration. “Some funds reached us in 2020-21 fiscal year. Since then, no more funds under the BADP were allocated for the district. As a result, a slew of infrastructure works could not be taken up. In some cases, work had to be halted even after inviting tender.... The central government didn’t approve proposals sent from the district,” the source said.
Jalpaiguri, a district in northern parts of Bengal, shares a 39km border in its Rajganj and Sadar blocks with Bangladesh and 55km border in its Banarhat and Nagrakata blocks with Bhutan.
“Projects were drawn up to build certain roads and bridges in areas close to both the international borders. We had sent detailed project reports to the Centre but funds were not approved in the past two fiscals. Hence, we have not sent any project in the current fiscal (2023-24),” the source added.
In 2020-21, the administration had taken up projects worth Rs 21.86 crore.
“However, the Centre didn’t pay Rs 16.86 crore in that fiscal. We carried out work with the remaining Rs 5 crore and also sent the utilisation certificate but the (rest of the) fund was not provided. Some projects are lying unfinished,” an official said.
In 2021-22, proposals of projects worth Rs 5 crore and in 2022-23, poposals of projects worth Rs 19 crore were sent to the central government under the BADP scheme.
“Not a penny came to the district. We don't know why funds are not being given for development work in bordering areas,” the official added.
Mahua Gope, the Jalpaiguri district Trinamul president, said it is yet another glaring example of the Centre’s apathy towards Bengal.
“Along with stopping funds to Bengal for MGNREGS (100-day job scheme) and Awas Yojana (housing scheme), the BJP government has also stopped funds for the development of bordering villages. This clearly indicates BJP's political vendetta,” she said.
Khageswar Roy, the Trinamul MLA of Rajganj, a block that shares borders with Bangladesh, said they have started underscoring the issue during political activities.
“People living close to the India-Bangladesh borders are already beleaguered by the highhandedness of the BSF. Now, they are being deprived of basic amenities like roads, culverts and drinking water. The BJP MP in our district is silent on the issue,” said Roy.
BJP leaders flagged "corruption" as the reason for the funds freeze.
“Funds of different central schemes provided to the Bengal government have been siphoned. That is why the Centre stopped giving funds. People know this,” said Bapi Goswami, the BJP president of Jalpaiguri district.