VIBRANT VILLAGE PROGRAM & BORDER SECURITY

VIBRANT VILLAGE PROGRAM & BORDER SECURITY

Theme: Governance | Internal Security | Border Area Development | Centre-State Relations

Context:

• Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a two-day workshop on the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in New Delhi.
• Reiterated that “border villages should not be the last, but the first villages of India.”

ABOUT VIBRANT VILLAGES PROGRAM

• Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme (VVP-I); Central Sector Scheme (VVP-II)
• Time Period:
  • VVP-I: FY 2022–23 to 2025–26
  • VVP-II: Till FY 2028–29

VVP-I (Phase I)

Coverage

• Target Villages: 2,967 villages
• Location: 46 blocks in 19 districts
• States/UTs: Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh (UT)

FEATURES

• Village Action Plans: Prepared by District Administration with Gram Panchayats
• 100% Saturation of Central and State schemes
• No overlap with the Border Area Development Programme

VVP PHASE 2

• Type: Central Sector Scheme (100% Centre funding)
• Approved: April 2025 by Union Cabinet
• Outlay: ₹6,839 crore
• Vision: Aligns with Viksit Bharat@2047 for “Safe, Secured & Vibrant Land Borders”

Coverage

• Strategic Villages along International Land Borders (ILBs)
• States/UTs:
  • Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, J&K (UT), Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal

KEY OBJECTIVES

1. Prevent Migration from border villages.
2. Achieve 100% saturation of government schemes in these villages.
3. Develop villages as instruments of national security and local empowerment.

Vision Behind VVP:

• Shift in national perspective from viewing border villages as “last” to “first” settlements.
• Strengthen strategic presence, patriotism, and development in frontier regions.

Strategic and Security Dimensions:

• Border villages are considered security assets.
• Demographic changes in border areas flagged as a deliberate challenge to national security.
  • Example: PM’s Independence Day speech highlighting concerns.
• Call for vigilance against illegal religious encroachments within 30 km of border areas.

KEY COMPONENTS OF VVP IMPLEMENTATION

• Multi-sectoral Development:
  • Infrastructure (telecom, roads, healthcare, drinking water, education)
  • Tourism promotion (e.g., homestays with state-supported booking platforms)
  • Employment generation through cooperatives and local procurement.
    • E.g., ITBP sourcing local milk, vegetables, etc.

• Cultural Preservation:
  • Promote and protect indigenous culture and identity.
• Role of Stakeholders:
  • District Collectors: Key role in coordinating scheme saturation and tackling demographic issues.
  • Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs):
    • Contribution to education, healthcare, and sports.
    • Support formation of dairy cooperatives to supply security forces.
  • State Governments: Essential for coordinated implementation.

Outcomes and Best Practices:

• Positive population trends in border villages of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Gujarat Model: Successful removal of encroachments along land and maritime borders.

Administrative Suggestions by Home Minister:

• Integrate VVP into core administrative functioning.
• Use schemes like MGNREGA for:
  • Creating ponds, afforestation, and permanent rural infrastructure.
• Ensure inter-ministerial coordination (MHA, MoD, etc.)

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