India banks on border villages to counter China’s frontier push
Govt’s Vibrant Villages Programme curbs migration, aids local growth & fortifies security along China frontier
A file image of Dibang valley in Arunachal Pradesh. (Photo:Jimu mele/@ArunachalTsm/X)
Guwahati, Sept 16: Strong border villages hold the key to better border management, and keeping this in mind, the Government of India has launched the Vibrant Villages Programme in the villages along the India China Border. The programme is being implemented by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
India was facing problems in managing the international border with China because of a lack of facilities, and people of the bordering villages were migrating to the mainland. On the other hand, China has been constructing new villages close to the international border and bringing people from the mainland to stay in those villages.
That is why the Government of India decided to launch the vibrant villages programme. The Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP), a flagship initiative of the Government of India, aims at reversing out-migration by ensuring the comprehensive development of border villages. The aim is to make the villages self-reliant, improving the quality of life, and strengthening security.
The programme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Mana village, Uttarakhand, and operationalized by Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh in April 2023. Since then, the vibrant village programme has become a transformative step for India’s frontiers.
Approved by the Union Cabinet on February 15, 2023, the first phase (VVP I) covered 662 villages in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, identified in consultation with ITBP. The recently launched VVP-II extends the programme to the remaining land borders.
As the “First Line of Defence,” the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has appointed DIGs as State Nodal Officers and is actively bringing vibrancy through fairs, cultural events, sports meets, Seema Darshan tours, medical and veterinary camps, and excursions.
To support local economies, ITBP has signed MoUs with Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh for the procurement of local produce, with talks underway with Himachal Pradesh. Through the Himveer Wives’ Welfare Association (HWWA)–run Himashi Outlets, ITBP also promotes handicrafts and indigenous products.