Only 6 villages taken up for development of Model villages in J&K

Srinagar: As many as six villages in Jammu and Kashmir have been taken up under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) to be developed as Model Villages while 11 other Villages have been taken-up for development of infrastructure from the year 2009-10 till date under state sector.
Replying to the question raised by Naresh Kumar Gupta in Legislative Council today, the Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar said for minimising the backwardness, poverty and uplift of the area, 119 villages (one in each recognised block) were taken up under Prime Ministers Reconstruction Programme to be developed as Model Villages.
He said 15 villages have been taken up under state sector in the state from 2005-2010 with the objective to create necessary infrastructure so as to cater to the urgent development needs of the identified villages which could serve as model for extending the developmental activities to other nearby villages in a phased manner.
The minister said till date, 71 villages have been identified and recommended to be taken as Model villages by the MLA and MLC’s and accordingly the Department have enlisted for Infrastructure Development of these villages under State Sector subject to availability of funds.
He said the criteria adopted under BADP includes Development of villages as model villages in a cluster approach, adding that it should fall in the border district in close proximity to the border and the villages are taken up after approval by State Level Screening Committee on BADP, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
He said Government of India allocates funds to the States on the basis of, length of international border, LOC, population of the border blocks and Area of the border blocks.
He said the government is developing infrastructure on the analogy of Model village subject to availability of funds.
In this regard the matter was also brought under the notice of Prime Minister during his tour to the State in 2009 by Chief Minister and the stress was made that there is an urgent need for immediate initiative to be taken for the development of Rural infrastructure on the pattern of Model villages to be developed in the State.
The Minister said that Planning department has made a projection to spend Rs 3 crore on the development of Model villages.