New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) today as a 100% Centre-funded Central Sector Scheme aimed at ensuring “Safe, Secure & Vibrant” land borders.
VVP-II is designed to promote the comprehensive development of villages located along international land borders (ILBs), excluding the Northern border already covered under the first phase of the programme. The initiative will focus on select strategic villages in states and Union Territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, with an allocation of Rs.6,839 crore. The programme is set to be implemented until the fiscal year 2028-29.
The primary objective of VVP-II is to improve living conditions and livelihood opportunities in border areas, ensuring safety and prosperity along the borders. It aims to control cross-border crime, integrate the local population with the nation, and enhance their role as “eyes and ears” for border guarding forces, which is crucial for internal security.
The programme will fund infrastructure development in these villages, including improvements in education (such as SMART classrooms), tourism circuits, and sustainable livelihood projects. Additionally, it will support value chain development through cooperatives and self-help groups (SHGs), as well as conduct border-specific outreach activities.
A key focus of the programme is to provide all-weather road connectivity under the PMGSY-IV scheme. The High-Powered Committee, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, will oversee the implementation of the programme and ensure the application of appropriate relaxations to address the unique challenges of border areas.
VVP-II also seeks to achieve saturation in existing welfare schemes and aims to improve connectivity in four key areas: all-weather roads, telecom, television, and electrification, through convergence with existing schemes.
To boost the vibrancy of these border villages, the programme will organize events such as fairs, festivals, awareness camps, and regular visits from government officials. These activities are expected to enhance tourism potential and promote the local culture and heritage.
Technology, including databases like PM Gati Shakti, will be leveraged to ensure effective implementation of the programme. Together with VVP-I, VVP-II is seen as a transformative initiative to make border villages self-reliant and vibrant, according to a Cabinet note.
– global bihari bureau
