Context
Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced the launch of the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-II). The programme is expanding its reach from the northern borders to include 1,954 strategic villages along the international land borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar across 15 States and 2 Union Territories. This expansion, highlighted by Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the Bangladesh border in Assam, aims to counter demographic changes and provide a civilian “eyes and ears” deterrence against trans-border crimes and external security threats.
1. Overview and Evolution
The Vibrant Villages Programme was initially announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 to develop villages along India’s northern border. It has since evolved into two distinct phases to cover the entirety of India’s international land borders.
| Feature | Vibrant Village Programme-I (VVP-I) | Vibrant Village Programme-II (VVP-II) |
| Launch/Approval | February 15, 2023 | April 2, 2025 |
| Scheme Type | Centrally Sponsored Scheme | Central Sector Scheme (100% Central Funding) |
| Time Period | FY 2022-23 to 2025-26 | FY 2024-25 to 2028-29 |
| Financial Outlay | ₹4,800 Crore | ₹6,839 Crore |
| Coverage | Northern Border (Arunachal, HP, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Ladakh) | All other International Land Borders (17 States/UTs) |
2. Objectives and Key Goals
- Reversing Out-migration: The primary goal is to provide enough livelihood opportunities and amenities so that border residents do not migrate to urban centers.
- “Eyes and Ears” Strategy: By encouraging a civilian presence, the government aims to turn local residents into the first line of intelligence and observation for border-guarding forces like the ITBP.
- Saturation Model: The programme seeks to achieve 100% saturation of all Central and State government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, PM-AWAS) in the identified villages.
- Connectivity: Ensuring all-weather road connectivity (via PMGSY-IV), 4G telecom connectivity, and 24×7 electricity including renewable energy.
3. Implementation Framework
- Village Action Plans: These are prepared by the District Administration in collaboration with Gram Panchayats to ensure a bottom-up approach to development.
- Hub and Spoke Model: Growth centers are developed as “hubs” to support nearby “spoke” villages through social entrepreneurship and skill development.
- Governance: A High-Powered Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary oversees the implementation and provides necessary relaxations in schematic guidelines for remote areas.
- Convergence: The programme explicitly avoids duplication with the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) by focusing on specific village-level interventions.
4. Key Focus Interventions
- Economic Drivers: Development of sustainable eco-agribusinesses based on the “One Village-One Product” concept.
- Tourism: Promoting “Frontier Tourism” and cultural heritage to create local jobs in the hospitality sector.
- Digital Integration: Utilizing the PM Gati Shakti platform for integrated planning and real-time monitoring of infrastructure projects.
- Social Infra: Establishment of Smart Classes in schools and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Health & Wellness Centers) for every 1,000–1,500 people.
Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP):
1. While VVP-I is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, VVP-II has been designed as a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding from the Union Government.
2. The programme aims to develop the border villages as "last villages" of the country to emphasize their remote and strategic nature.
3. The District Administration, with the help of Gram Panchayats, is responsible for creating the Vibrant Village Action Plans.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
A) Only one
B) Only two
C) All three
D) None
Solution:
Correct Answer: B (Only two)
• STATEMENT 1 IS CORRECT: VVP-I (northern borders) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (cost-sharing), whereas VVP-II (other borders) was approved in 2025 as a 100% Central Sector Scheme.
• STATEMENT 2 IS INCORRECT: The government has explicitly stated a shift in perception, viewing these villages not as the "last villages" but as the "first villages" of India to integrate them into the national mainstream.
• STATEMENT 3 IS CORRECT: The bottom-up planning process involves the District Administration and Gram Panchayats formulating specific Village Action Plans.
