CHANDIGARH: Villages in Punjab along the Indo-Pakistan border have lagged behind in socio-economic and infrastructure development. Acknowledging this, an official has initiated a project that addresses various issues facing the region and its inhabitants, reports Harpreet Bajwa
Reaching out to the residents of remote villages to ensure their holistic development is a mission Dr Himanshu Aggarwal has committed himself to. The 2014 batch is presently the Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur district.
His passion for comprehensive infrastructure and the overall development of border districts led to the creation of the AaBAD program (Absolute Border Area Development).
Hailing from Ferozepur, Aggarwal told this newspaper that the villages lining the Indo-Pak Intentional border have for decades borne the brunt of geopolitical tensions, which have often translated into socio-economic disparities and infrastructural inadequacies.
“The need for comprehensive development initiatives in these border areas has never been more apparent, as it is necessary to transform the lives of their residents while bolstering the nation’s security and prosperity. Thus I decided to start AaBAD,’’ he says.
The initiative was first implemented in Fazilka, where Aggarwal was DC before being posted in Gurdaspur.
Aggarwal says it has 3 verticals – AaBAD Service Delivery Camps, AaBAD Sanjeevani Camps (Health), and AaBAD Hunar Haat (Skill Development). The AaBAD Camps are aimed at providing public services at the village level in border areas. These camps are focused on creating awareness about government schemes among the local population and providing them with a platform to register their grievances.
Till date, 37,950 people have benefited from the Sanjeevani Camps, 25,000-odd people have benefitted from the Service Delivery Camps and there are 32 Hunar Haat Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed. Products by these SHGs are being sold offline and online – thus generating income for ladies.
These camps facilitate the deployment of government officers from twenty different departments. Various services are provided in these camps – including caste certificate, residence certificate, rural area certificate, border area certificate, pension-related certificate, health department-related services, rural development, and MGNREGA services, provision of job cards, water supply, and sanitation department-related services.
State police as well as BSF personnel are also involved in sensitisation drives among the youth for recruitment in these forces. They also make people aware of how to report on drone and drug activities.
In a welcome change, Aggarwal said, the bureaucratic efforts to advance the benefits of these camps are being furthered by local politicians. MLAs too are participating in these camps and resolving issues of the people, he said.
“The main purpose of these camps is that people especially in rural areas and particularly in border areas find it very difficult to come to the cities for their official work thus they are basically at the mercy of agents for getting their work done. Now they are realizing that these camps are meant for them only and have started coming in large numbers.
In Gurdaspur, AaBAD Camps were started in December last year and till now 50 villages have been covered personally by me while more than 200 villages have been covered by my team. Thus identifying over 25,000 beneficiaries. Also, AaBAD Sanjeevani camps are being organized by the health department and Red Cross Society in border villages,” he said.
“Two ambulances have been stationed at different places along the international border. A team of doctors, pharmacists, Asha and Anganwadi workers visit the villages to provide healthcare services in the border villages,” he added. The Hunar Haat generated Rs 1,88,320 through the sales of products offered by the SHGs.