Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma informed the Assembly on Monday that 92 villages across the state have been identified under Vibrant Village Programme–II, although the Ministry of Home Affairs is yet to announce the official rollout timeline for the scheme.
He said the programme, which is planned to run until 2028–29, will be implemented through the state’s Border Areas Development department, with a focus on strengthening development in sensitive and remote frontier regions.
Explaining the background of the initiative, Sangma noted that the earlier Border Areas Development Programme (BADP) was discontinued by the Centre in September 2022, following which the Vibrant Village Programme was introduced as a replacement framework for border region development.
Referring to representations made by MLAs after the discontinuation of BADP, the chief minister said the state had made financial provisions to address the gap, but the funds were not adequate given the scale of requirements along both interstate and international borders.
He added that additional allocations would be ensured so that development needs in these areas are not compromised.
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Sangma also pointed out that development in border regions cannot be assessed solely on the basis of BADP funding, citing alternative support mechanisms such as Lafarge SPV funding for areas like Mawsynram and Shella.
On institutional issues, he said the district-level committees mandated under central guidelines do not include MLAs, describing this as a structural gap that the state government has already flagged with the Centre.
He assured the House that he would personally pursue the matter with the central authorities, as final decisions are taken at the national level.
The chief minister further informed that the state government has already approved Rs. 14.99 crore specifically for interstate border development works, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening infrastructure and services in border villages.
