Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday rolled out the second phase of the Centre’s Vibrant Villages Programme from Assam’s Cachar district, expanding its outreach to 1,954 border villages in 15 states and two Union Territories.
According to an official statement, the initiative seeks to accelerate development in remote border regions while ensuring that residents of these strategically important areas benefit from improved infrastructure and livelihood opportunities.
The second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme will be executed as a fully funded central sector scheme with a budgetary allocation of Rs 6,839 crore through the 2028–29 financial year, covering 15 states and two Union Territories, the statement said.
The programme focuses on livelihood generation, promotion of tourism and cultural heritage, skill development, and strengthening of agriculture and allied sectors in border areas.
Shah arrived in Silchar on Thursday night for a three-day visit to Assam, ahead of the assembly elections in the state.
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The Union Home Minister visited Nathanpur border village in Cachar district to assess the situation along the frontier. During his visit, he was accompanied by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, senior BSF and government officials.
Shah reviewed the security arrangements in place along the international boundary and instructed officials to ensure heightened vigilance.
“VVP pivoted all facilities to border villages available in other parts of nation. It checked migration from border villages, made them thriving centres of habitation, bolstering border security manifold. VVP-II will fortify more borders by extending these benefits to a wider range of villages,” Shah said.
