| Abstrakt: |
Backwardness is a multifaceted term comprising various dimensions that can be quantified with the help of specific representative indicators. This study intends to explore the state of backwardness and identify underdeveloped areas in the districts of Rajouri and Poonch that share a 230-km-long border along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan and have always been under the continuous threat of cross-border disturbances and aggressive posturing from both sides, which has primarily affected the region's local communities geo-economically and socio-psychologically. A comprehensive block-level index of backwardness has been employed by applying Principal Component Analysis on 20 indicators across five dimensions—basic amenities, demography, education and health, agriculture, and water resources for mapping and quantifying the backwardness in the region. Here, the relative difference in the degree of development among the blocks measures backwardness. The results reveal that 15 blocks of the study area are the most backward, and only five blocks fall in the low category of backwardness. The results also reflect that most of the backward blocks are on the study area's eastern and south-western margins, as the former is characterized by high altitude, hilly terrain, and dense forests, whereas the latter forms the border between India and Pakistan, affected mainly by ceasefire violations. The findings provide vital insights for policymakers to prioritize targeted development programs and provision of basic amenities, improve education and healthcare, manage water resources sustainably, foster peace building, and involve local communities. This study primarily revolves around the 'contesting' spaces and border geographies and subsequent levels of development geographically, which would help researchers and policymakers worldwide understand the binary of backwardness and border geographies spatially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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