Vibrant Villages Programme II (VVP II)

The Union Cabinet has approved the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP II), focusing on regions along the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders.

Objective

• Create better living conditions and adequate livelihood opportunities.
• Ensure prosperous and safe borders.
• Control trans-border crime.
• Assimilate the border population with the nation and involve them as "eyes and ears" for border guarding forces, crucial for internal security.

Budget and Coverage

• Total outlay: ₹6,839 crore.
• Covers villages in states including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, J&K, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, UP, and West Bengal.

VVP I Overview

VVP I targeted villages along the Line of Actual Control with China, initiated in 2023:

• ₹2,400 crore spent on constructing 113 roads and eight low-suspension bridges.
• 4G connectivity expected in 362 villages by June 2025.

Programme Highlights

• Infrastructure development within villages or clusters.
• Value chain development through cooperatives and self-help groups.
• Border-specific outreach activities.
• Education infrastructure enhancement, e.g., SMART classes.
• Development of tourism circuits and projects to create diverse and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Additional Measures

• All-weather road connectivity under PMGSY-IV, approved by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).
• A high-power committee, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, will consider relaxations in schematic guidelines for the effective implementation of schemes in border areas.