Jalpaiguri Residents Suffer as Modi Government Stops Border Area Development Funding

The absence of basic infrastructure, like roads and bridges, is causing hardship for hundreds of residents in Jalpaiguri district, which is close to the borders of Bhutan and Bangladesh. This is because the Narendra Modi government has stopped funding the district under the Border Area Development Project (BADP) scheme.

In border settlements, funds under the BADP are given for the construction and maintenance of roads, culverts, bridges, restrooms, drinking water supplies, and school infrastructure, including boundary walls and other items.

According to a source in the Jalpaiguri district administration, "residents near the borders are facing multiple problems as funds weren't allocated." "We received some funding in the 2020–21 fiscal year. Since then, the district has not received any more funding under the BADP. Numerous infrastructure projects could not be undertaken as a consequence. In several instances, the need to stop work arose even after requesting tenders. Proposals provided by the district were not approved by the central government, the person added.

Jalpaiguri, a district in northern Bengal, borders Bangladesh 39 km to the north in the Rajganj and Sadar blocks and Bhutan 55 km to the north in the Banarhat and Nagrakata blocks.

Plans were created to construct specific roads and bridges in locations near the two international boundaries. Although we submitted thorough project reports to the Center, funding was not authorized for the previous two fiscal years. Therefore, for the current fiscal year (2023–24), we have not submitted any projects,” the source continued.

The government has projects totaling Rs 21.86 crore in 2020–21.

But in that fiscal year, the Center failed to pay Rs 16.86 crore. With the remaining Rs 5 crore, we completed the job and submitted the utilisation certificate, but the remaining funds were not given. A representative said, "Some projects are lying unfinished."

Under the BADP program, the national government received proposals for projects totaling Rs 5 crore in 2021–2022 and Rs 19 crore in 2022–2023 (Poposalides).

"There was no money in the area. The official said, "We are unsure of the reason for the lack of funding for development projects in adjacent regions.

The president of the Trinamul district in Jalpaiguri, Mahua Gope, said that it is just another stark illustration of the Center's disregard for Bengal.

In addition to withholding cash for the 100-day employment initiative MGNREGS and the housing project Awas Yojana for Bengal, the BJP administration has also withheld funds for the development of neighboring villages. This blatantly displays the political resentment of the BJP," she remarked.

The Trinamul MLA for Rajganj, a district that borders Bangladesh, Khageswar Roy, said that they had begun bringing up the matter in political events.

"People who live near the borders between Bangladesh and India already face hardships due to the BSF's dictatorial actions." They are now being denied access to necessities like drinking water, culverts, and roadways. Our district's BJP MP remains mute on the matter, according to Roy.

Leaders of the BJP pointed to "corruption" as the cause of the funding restriction.

"The Bengali government received funds from many central projects, but those funds have been embezzled. The Center discontinued providing funding for this reason. People are aware of this, according to Jalpaiguri district BJP president Bapi Goswami.