Leh: Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena laid the foundation stone of Ladakh’s first model border village at Chumur, located on the India-China border, under the ambitious Vibrant Village Program (VVP) of the Government of India. Presently 24 families and 91 people live in Chumur village, located near the India-China border at an altitude of 16 thousand 700 feet, whose livelihood is mainly based on pashmina rearing and production. This project is being considered an important step towards realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of strong and self-reliant border villages.
Development will take place on four main pillars
Let us inform that in the first phase, 10 border villages including Chumur will be developed as model border villages. Chumur Model Border Village Project is based on four key pillars-
- infrastructure development
- Employment and livelihood creation
- All Weather Functionality
- civil-defense force integration
The objective of this project is to develop Chumur as a self-reliant, climate-friendly, tourism based and economically empowered border township.
Every family will get modern housing
Under the scheme, every family in the village will be provided with passive solar houses facing south, which will get maximum solar energy in winters and provide protection from temperatures falling up to -35 degrees Celsius. Every family will get-
- accommodation with attached toilet
- Additional room for homestay operations
- land for kitchen garden
- sheep shed
- storage facility for animal feed
Let us tell you that if the weather remains favourable, the target has been set to complete the construction of these houses by September 2026.
Tourism and Pashmina industry will get a boost
Chumur will be made the major center of Korjok-Hanle tourism circuit. According to this-
- Setting up a community café
- Promotion of local handicrafts
- Development of pashmina based industries
- Manufacturing of value added pashmina products
Initiatives like these will be taken, which will create new sources of income for the local people and will help in stopping migration from the border areas.
Modern greenhouse will be built for vegetable production throughout the year
A 90×27 feet commercial greenhouse will be set up in collaboration with Defense Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) to strengthen food security and employment. Vegetables will be produced here throughout the year, which, apart from local needs, will also be supplied to security agencies like the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
Village will be habitable in every season
Under the project, Chumur will be made a full-fledged all-weather settlement with-
- year round water supply
- solar energy based power system
- Modern Sanitation and Waste Management
- digital connectivity
Better living facilities will be provided in harsh winters.
Central service center will be developed in the village
A Central Service Center will be developed in the village, which will include-
- School
- Primary Health Center (PHC)
- community hall
- park
- Community Cafe
- Tourist Interpretation Center (TIC)
Important role of army and local people
Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena said that this is not just a development project but a transformational initiative towards strengthening the border areas, strengthening national security and improving the quality of life of the local people. Appreciating the contribution of the Indian Army, ITBP, local youth and villagers, he said that Chumur Model Border Village will also become a role model for other high Himalayan border areas of the country in future.
Key Features of Chumur Model Border Village
- Ladakh’s first model border village
- Included in India’s leading border village development models
- Development of sustainable and climate-friendly border settlements
- New opportunities for tourism and employment
- Modern housing and animal husbandry facilities
- Community café and homestay based tourism
- solar energy based infrastructure
- Strong cooperation between the army and the local community
- Central service center with education, health and tourism facilities
- Special emphasis on stopping migration from border areas and increasing self-reliance
This project is being considered an important step towards writing a new chapter of development, security and self-reliance in the border areas of Ladakh.
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