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Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that the Central Government has approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-II as a Central Sector Scheme, with a total outlay of Rs 6839 crores till the Financial Year 2028-29 for the comprehensive development of select 1954 villages located in blocks abutting international land borders.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Nityanand Rai said this comes as the northern border has been already covered under Vibrant Villages Programme-I in the States/UTs of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu &Kashmir (UT), Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Rai said that the focus areas for select villages under the programme are livelihood generation, road connectivity, energization, village infrastructure including health facilities, financial inclusion, empowerment of youth & skill development, development of cooperatives, SHGs & FPOs for managing livelihood opportunities and maintenance of assets created under the programme, promotion of tourism, culture and outreach activities, education infrastructure and television and telecom connectivity. The VVP-II programme builds upon the foundation laid by the first phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme, which primarily focused on villages along the northern borders. The second phase expands the scope to additional border regions, including those in the Northeast, where connectivity challenges and developmental gaps have historically posed obstacles to growth. Officials said the scheme adopts a convergence-driven approach, bringing together various central and state government schemes to ensure that benefits reach every eligible household. By addressing infrastructure deficits and promoting economic self-reliance, the initiative aims to curb migration from border villages and encourage local populations to remain rooted in their native areas. Beyond development, the programme also has a strategic dimension. Strengthened and well-populated border villages are expected to play a critical role in enhancing national security. The launch of VVP-II in Assam underscores the government's focus on the Northeast as a key pillar of India's security and growth strategy. With improved connectivity, livelihood generation, and social infrastructure, the initiative seeks to transform border villages into vibrant hubs of development while reinforcing the country's internal and border security framework. (ANI)
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