Centre allocates Rs 4,800 cr for northern border villages

New Delhi: The union government has approved a Rs 4,800 crore fund for the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' (VVP), a scheme to ensure the comprehensive development of villages along the northern border areas. In the first phase, 663 villages will be taken up in the programme.

The scheme will provide funds for the development of essential infrastructure and the creation of livelihood opportunities in 19 districts and 46 border blocks in four states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Ladakh along the northern land border of the country. It was announced last year by the Central government.

The financial allocation for 2022-23 to 2025-26 was approved at a meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The cabinet has also approved a constitution of a high-powered committee on VVP with specific terms of reference to help achieve inclusive growth and retain the population in the border areas.

Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur said it will include Rs 2,500 crore for the development of roads infrastructure. He added that the comprehensive development of villages along the northern border will improve the quality of life of people living there and help in encouraging them to stay in their native locations in these areas, thereby reversing the out-migration and adding to improved security of the border.

"The Vibrant Villages Programme has been formulated as a centrally-sponsored scheme and will have both components of central sector schemes with 100 percent direct funding as well as central sponsored schemes in ten sectors like economic growth, livelihood generation, road connectivity, energy, development of cooperative sectors for 24X7 electricity and water, besides promotion of tourism of culture," he added.

When asked if the decision regarding development was linked to increasing border security in villages bordering China, he said apart from the development, it is also important from the security perspective.

Thakur said the Prime Minister has given priority to the development of villages, especially in the border areas and whatever steps are required for national security the Modi government has taken. "The Prime Minister has ensured that equal opportunities are provided to those border areas where development has not reached so far. PM Modi has thought about this which no one had ever thought till now."

"There is so much beauty and opportunities at the border, but the lack of opportunities and development on the border areas has forced people to migrate from there. People who were forced to migrate now have opportunities to reach out to border villages and see the beauty of villages in India," he added.

He further said: "All schemes of the government should also reach the remotest villages of the border areas to ensure that border villages turn vibrant. You can see this linking it with national security or the development of these villages, there can be different perspectives, but these villages will become developed and it is also important from the security perspective. We have taken several steps to ensure India's security. Where India was an importer of defence equipment, now it is doing exports under Make in India in the defence sector."