Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Friday launch the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-II) from Nathanpur in Assam’s Cachar district, expanding the scheme to 1,954 border villages across 15 states and two Union territories.
The centrally funded programme carries an outlay of Rs 6,839 crore up to the financial year 2028-29 and is aimed at ensuring comprehensive and sustainable development of villages located along India’s international land borders, according to a government statement issued on Thursday.
“Tomorrow, will launch Vibrant Village Program-II (VVP-2) in Assam. VVP realised Modi Ji's vision for the development of the first villages of India,” Shah said in a post on X.
He said the first phase of the programme had brought facilities to border villages on a par with other parts of the country. “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,” the home minister said.
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The second phase seeks to strengthen essential infrastructure, improve access to basic services and create sustainable livelihood opportunities in remote frontier settlements. The initiative aligns with the Centre’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, focusing on secure, resilient and economically vibrant border communities.
The Vibrant Villages Programme was first sanctioned on 15 February 2023, covering 662 villages in 46 blocks across 19 districts abutting the northern border in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Ladakh. Under VVP-I, 2,558 projects with an outlay of Rs 3,431 crore were sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs, while over 8,500 activities, including health and veterinary camps, awareness drives, tourism promotion and local fairs, were conducted.
On 2 April 2025, the government approved VVP-II, identifying 1,954 villages along international borders for focused development, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha earlier this month.
The government said strengthening border villages would also enable residents to act as “the eyes and ears of the nation”, aiding border security, preventing cross-border crimes and reinforcing internal security.
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