The Centre has approved Rs 6,839 crore under the Vibrant Villages Programme-II for livelihood, infrastructure, and connectivity in key border villages across 16 states and UTs. Aimed at curbing outmigration and boosting security, the scheme promotes tourism, agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy, and rural entrepreneurship till FY 2028-29.
In a step aimed at strengthening border infrastructure and sustaining rural livelihoods, the Central government has approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) with a financial outlay of Rs 6,839 crore till the Financial Year 2028-29. The programme was cleared on April 2, 2025, as a Central Sector Scheme, and its details were shared in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Tuesday.
The Vibrant Villages Programme-II is designed to encourage people to remain in strategic border villages rather than migrating to towns and cities. “The objective of the programme is to create sufficient incentives for people to stay on in the selected villages,” the minister said in his reply.
Coverage of Border States and Union Territories
The approved funding under VVP-II is meant for the comprehensive development of villages located in blocks abutting international land borders (ILB), except for the Northern border region already covered under VVP-I. This includes villages in the States and Union Territories of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
These regions are of both strategic and cultural significance, given their location along sensitive border areas where connectivity and economic opportunities remain limited. By targeting these villages, the government aims to simultaneously strengthen national security and promote socio-economic development.
Key Areas of Intervention
The Vibrant Villages Programme-II will prioritize interventions in several crucial sectors to improve both livelihood opportunities and basic amenities. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the scheme will focus on:
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Livelihood Generation: Promoting tourism and cultural heritage, skill development, entrepreneurship, and cooperative societies.
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Agriculture and Allied Activities: Development of horticulture, agriculture, and cultivation of medicinal plants and herbs.
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Connectivity and Infrastructure: Providing road links to unconnected villages, upgrading village infrastructure, and ensuring telecom and television connectivity.
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Social Services: Enhancing access to healthcare facilities, education infrastructure, and energy including renewable energy.
The government believes that by improving infrastructure and livelihood opportunities, residents will find meaningful reasons to remain in their ancestral villages instead of migrating to urban centers.
Background: Vibrant Villages Programme-I
Earlier, the government had launched Vibrant Villages Programme-I (VVP-I) on February 15, 2023, as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The programme aimed at the comprehensive development of select villages in 46 blocks abutting the northern border, covering 19 districts in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh.
Under VVP-I, a total of 662 border villages were identified for development on priority. The state-wise distribution was:
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Arunachal Pradesh: 455 villages
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Himachal Pradesh: 75 villages
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Sikkim: 46 villages
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Uttarakhand: 51 villages
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Ladakh (UT): 35 villages
The focus of VVP-I was broadly similar—encouraging livelihood generation through tourism, cultural promotion, skill-building, agriculture, and herbal cultivation, alongside providing connectivity and social infrastructure.
Strategic Importance
Border villages play a critical role in national security, acting as the first line of presence along sensitive frontiers. However, challenges such as lack of infrastructure, limited economic opportunities, and poor access to health and education often lead to outmigration. The Vibrant Villages Programme, in both its phases, is thus expected to play a dual role: strengthening India’s border management and boosting rural development.
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With the announcement of VVP-II and an allocation of Rs 6,839 crore, the government has sent a clear message that developing border areas remains a national priority. As Minister Nityanand Rai emphasized, the scheme is intended to ensure that people residing in these regions feel empowered, connected, and motivated to continue living in their ancestral villages.
If implemented effectively, the Vibrant Villages Programme-II could transform India’s border villages into hubs of cultural tourism, agriculture, and renewable energy, while also providing vital infrastructure to improve quality of life.
