Rs 1,850 crore package to rehabilitate new citizens on the eastern border

NEW DELHI: The government has proposed an allocation of Rs 1,850 crore to rehabilitate new citizens of the country who have opted for Indian citizenship on the eastern border following the historic Land Border Agreement between Dhaka and New Delhi signed recently.

Sources said that the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has moved the Cabinet proposal to rehabilitate the 51 enclaves detailing the works that need to be carried out for rehabilitating about 7,500 families having around 37,000 people. TOI has learnt that the scheme of things include providing flats (each measuring 750 sq ft) to each family and building a new bridge on river Teesta connecting Haldibadi and Mekhliganj.

Incidentally, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who will implement the package funded by Centre, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday .

The package will be implemented in 3-5 years and financial allocation will be made for both temporary and permanent rehabilitation of the new citizens.

Sources said the other major infrastructure development proposed include upgrading the Cooch Behar-Dinhata-Gitaldah road to a National Highway , building four bus terminus, setting up facilities for medical care and police infrastructure.

The package has also been worked out assessing the need for other necessary facilities such as power and water supply and establishing schools.

“Some portion of the financial package will be utilized for recurring expenditure on the facilities that would be created for the new citizens," a government official said.