The Union Home Minister stated that borders can only be permanently secured when border villages are populated by patriotic citizens who care about the country, and he urged border-guarding forces to use the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) to accomplish this.
Vibrant Village Programme
- The program’s goal is to improve infrastructure along India’s border with China.
- Infrastructure in states such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh will be improved.
- Residential and tourist centers will be built as part of the program.
- It will also improve road connectivity and promote the development of decentralized renewable energy sources.
- In addition, direct access to Doordarshan and educational channels will be provided. Support for subsistence will be provided.
Key focus areas
- It focuses on job creation, road connectivity, housing, rural infrastructure, renewable energy, television, and broadband access.
- This goal will be achieved by improving infrastructure in villages near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Need for such a scheme
- The program is a response to China’s model villages, but the name was carefully chosen to avoid upsetting the neighboring country.
- In recent years, China has established new villages along the LAC, particularly across the Arunachal Pradesh border.
- While China has been settling new residents along the border, villages on the Indian side of the border have experienced unprecedented out-migration.
Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1811258