Agartala, April 04, 2025: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II), extending its coverage to Tripura and other North Eastern states. This initiative, with a total outlay of Rs 6,839 crore, aims to strengthen border villages and ensure their comprehensive development under the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 for ‘Safe, Secured & Vibrant Land Borders.’
The Central Sector Scheme will focus on villages located in blocks along the international land borders (ILBs), beyond the Northern border already covered under VVP-I. It will be implemented in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura until the financial year 2028-29. Additionally, the programme will extend to Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Ladakh (UT), Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
A government report states, “The programme seeks to enhance living conditions, generate livelihood opportunities, and integrate border communities into the national framework. It aims to control trans-border crime while making the border population ‘the eyes and ears’ of border security forces, crucial for internal security.”
The initiative will allocate funds for infrastructure development, support cooperatives and self-help groups (SHGs), promote border-specific outreach programs, enhance educational infrastructure through SMART classrooms, and create sustainable tourism circuits.
Village-specific development will be guided by Village Action Plans, prepared through a collaborative approach.
Under PMGSY-IV, all-weather road connectivity will be ensured for these villages, with the Ministry of Rural Development overseeing implementation. A High-Powered Committee, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, will consider relaxations in schematic guidelines to ensure effective execution in border regions.
The programme also aims for saturation in key welfare schemes, targeting four thematic areas: All-weather road connectivity; Telecom and digital infrastructure; Television connectivity; and Electrification through convergence with existing schemes.
With this initiative, the government reinforces its commitment to securing and empowering border villages, ensuring they play a pivotal role in the nation’s security and development.
