Minister of State for Planning and Development Ajay Nanda on February 8 informed the Legislative Council that the Centre had sanctioned Rs 716.85 crore under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) in the last five years. He said the scheme was being implemented in 44 blocks of 11 border districts.

Replying to a question of MLC Surinder Choudhary, the minister said the main aim of the BADP was to address the problems of the people living in inaccessible, remote and border areas of the state.

Intervening during the reply, Legislative Council Chairman Haji Anayat Ali asked the government to include the leftover border areas of Leh and Kargil under the BADP for their development. The minister promised the eligible left-over border villages would be identified and included in the programme.