Uttarakhand Repopulation Measures | 15 Jul 2024

Recently,Uttarakhand's Rural Development and Migration Prevention Commission submitted a report to the Chief Minister revealing that 11 villages near the Indo-China border have no residents remaining.

The report was submitted following a ground survey of 137 border villages in 2023.
- Out Of the 11 villages, six are in Pithoragarh district- Gumkana, Lum, Khimling, Sagri Dhakdhauna, Sumatu, and Poting.
- Three are in Chamoli district- Rewal Chak Kurkuti, Fagti, and Lamtol and two are in Uttarkashi district- Nelang and Jadung.
The report submitted by the commission comprises several suggestions for the government, such as:
- Promoting border tourism in those areas by relaxing accessibility norms.
- Providing 200 days' employment instead of 100 days under the MGNREGA program in the border villages.
- Develop the places situated near the 51 border villages identified as 'Vibrant Villages' by the Centre.

It is a Centrally sponsored scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 (to 2025-26) for development of villages on the northern border, thus improving the quality of life of people living in identified border villages.
It will cover the border areas of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Ladakh.
It will cover 2,963 villages with 663 of them to be covered in the first phase.
Vibrant Village Action Plans will be created by the district adminstration with the help of Gram Panchayats.
There will not be overlap with the Border Area Development Programme.

Launched in 2005 by the Ministry of Rural Development, MGNREGA stands as one of the world's largest work guarantee programs.
This initiative provides a legal guarantee, ensuring a hundred days of employment each financial year for adult members of any rural household.
- Participants engage in unskilled manual work related to public projects, earning the statutory minimum wage.