Government launches Vibrant Village program for border villages of the country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in New Delhi on the occasion of 77th Independence Day, said that the government has launched the Vibrant Village program for the border villages of the country.

Prime Minister Modi said that earlier the border village was called the last village of the country, but the government has changed that thinking.

• Now it is not the last village of the country but it is the first village of the country to be seen on the border.

• The Prime Minister said that when the sun rises in the east, the first ray of the sun reaches such a border village and when the sun sets, the village on this side gets the benefit of its last ray.

• The Prime Minister expressed happiness that 600 heads of border villages have participated in the 77th Independence Day program as special guests.

Vibrant Village Program (VVP):

• VVP is a centrally funded program which was announced in the Union Budget Year 2022-23 (till 2025-26).

• VVP was started with the goal of developing border villages in the north and improving the quality of life of the residents of such border villages.

• The border areas of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Ladakh were included under VVP.

• Initially, 2,963 villages will be covered under it, of which 663 will be covered in the first phase.

• Vibrant Village Action Plans will be prepared by the District Administration with the help of Gram Panchayats.

Purpose of VVP:

• The scheme will help in identification and development of economic drivers based on local, natural, human and other resources of border villages on the northern border.

• To develop sustainable eco-agri-businesses on the concept of 'one village-one product' through community based organisations, cooperatives and NGOs.

• To develop development centres based on the 'Hub and Spoke Model' through promotion of social entrepreneurship, skill development and empowerment of youth and women through entrepreneurship.

• To harness tourism potential by promoting local, cultural, traditional knowledge and heritage.