The Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired a Union Cabinet meeting that approved the Centrally Sponsored Scheme known as the “Vibrant Villages Programme” (VVP) for the financial years 2022-23 to 2025-26. The programme has a financial allocation of Rs. 4800 Crore.
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What is the Vibrant Villages Programme?
▪ The Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) is a scheme that is sponsored by the Central government and was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 (for the period of 2022-23 to 2025-26) to facilitate the development of villages located in the northern border regions.
▪ It aims to promote the comprehensive development of villages and blocks located in the northern border areas, leading to a better quality of life for the people residing in these identified border villages.
▪ This will encourage the local population to stay in their native locations and help reverse the trend of outmigration from these villages, ultimately leading to improved security on the border.
Significance of the Vibrant Villages Programme
▪ The Vibrant Villages Programme scheme focuses on identifying and developing the economic drivers of the border villages located in the northern regions, based on their local, natural, human, and other resources.
▪ The programme aims to create growth centres on a ‘hub and spoke model’ by promoting social entrepreneurship, empowering the youth and women through skill development and entrepreneurship.
▪ It seeks to utilize the potential of tourism by promoting the local cultural, traditional knowledge and heritage of the region.
▪ Furthermore, the scheme aims to encourage the development of sustainable eco-agri businesses through community-based organizations, cooperatives, and NGOs, based on the concept of ‘one village-one product.’
Cabinet approves Centrally Sponsored Scheme- “Vibrant Villages Programme” for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26 with financial allocation of Rs. 4800 Crore
— PIB India (@PIB_India) February 15, 2023
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Objective the Vibrant Villages Programme
▪ The primary objective of the scheme is to identify and develop economic drivers in the border villages on the northern border based on the local, natural, human, and other resources available.
▪ The recent decision to establish additional ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) battalions and allocate funds under the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) aims to fortify the security grid on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and provide the ITBP personnel with an opportunity to rest, recover and undergo training.
▪ The decision to raise more battalions was taken with the objective of enhancing monitoring capabilities in the border regions.
▪ The government’s move to approve a financial package for border villages and upgrade security is particularly significant at this time, given the unresolved issues with China along the LAC in Ladakh.
▪ Chinese troops continue to occupy the Depsang Plains and Demchok, while China is also strengthening its infrastructure along the LAC.
Features of the Scheme
▪ Under the “Vibrant Villages Programme” (VVP), the district administration, in collaboration with Gram Panchayats, will create Vibrant Village Action Plans.
▪ The program aims to achieve 100% saturation of both Central and state schemes, which will ensure that essential facilities, such as all-weather roads, drinking water, 24×7 electricity (with a focus on solar and wind energy), mobile and internet connectivity, tourist centers, multipurpose centers, and health and wellness centers are provided.
▪ The Border Area Development Programme will not overlap with this program. The scheme will provide Rs. 4,800 crore of financial allocation, with Rs. 2,500 crore allocated for roads.
▪ The program will improve essential infrastructure and create livelihood opportunities in 19 districts and 46 border blocks in four states and one UT along the northern land border of the country.
▪ The program will help achieve inclusive growth, and the retention of the population in the border areas. In the first phase, 663 villages will be covered under the programme.
Source: PIB
