By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JULY 15, 2024: UNION Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, reviewed the implementation of the "Vibrant Villages Programme" at a high-level meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. During the meeting, the Union Home Minister said that the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to the all-round development of the border villages. Shah stressed on the need to provide employment opportunities to local residents and increase connectivity with villages to prevent migration from these border villages.

Amit Shah said that Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Army deployed around the border villages should encourage purchase of local agricultural and handicraft products through cooperatives. He said that the healthcare facilities of the Army and CAPFs should be regularly made available to benefit the residents of nearby villages. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah stressed upon maximum use of solar energy and other renewable sources of energy like windmills etc.

Union Home Minister directed to continue the efforts being made by senior ministers and officials to better understand the issues of border villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme. So far, more than 6000 events have been organized in these border villages, which include about 4000 service delivery and awareness camps. More than 600 projects have been sanctioned by the Govt. of India for employment generation in these villages. During the meeting, the Home Minister laid special emphasis on review at the highest level at regular intervals to dispose of pending issues.

Under the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' scheme, 136 border villages are being provided connectivity through 113 all-weather road projects at a cost of Rs.2,420 crore. 4G connectivity is being worked on rapidly in these areas and by December 2024, all villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme will be covered by the 4G network. Appropriate steps are being taken to ensure financial inclusion in all these villages and India Post-Payment Banks (IPPB) are also being facilitated there.

Work is being done to develop tourist circuits to bring vibrancy to these Vibrant Villages and promote tourism. In this endeavour, capacity building and tourism related infrastructure is being developed in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this important and ambitious scheme was launched on 14th February, 2023 with an allocation of Rs.4800 crore. The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs including the Union Home Secretary, Secretary, Border Management and Director General, Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).