Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Shri Arjun Munda, hosted more than  two hundred Sarpanches from Border Villages, under the Vibrant Villages Programme with their spouses at his official residence in New Delhi today. Those present on the occasion included  Shri Atal Dullo, Secretary, Border Management, MHA; Shri Anil Jha, Secretary , Tribal Affairs and  Shri Ashish Dayal Singh, Director General, Indo- Tibetan Border Police along with officers of Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The Government of India is prioritizing the development of the country's strategically important border areas. The guests have also been invited to attend the    Independence Day celebrations at the iconic Red Fort, in the presence of the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.

The Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, envisages comprehensive development of identified villages in 46 blocks abutting northern border in 19 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, UT of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.

Shri Arjun Munda, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs welcomed the guests as members of the family and remarked, “Tribals in border villages have protected the country since ages along with  preservation of  their local traditions and culture. They are the true patriots of the country. We are privileged to have you in our midst in the capital city. These border villages, once termed the ‘Last Villages of India’ have been termed the ‘First Villages’ by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. India feels secure because the inhabitants of these border villages are keeping watch. Over 17 Ministers have visited and stayed overnight in these villages. Under the visionary guidance of the Hon’ble PM, the Government is trying to ensure the delivery of Government Programmes focusing on the Empowerment of women and youth, Connectivity with all-weather roads, provision of clean drinking water, 24x7 power to be focused on solar and wind energy, Mobile and Internet connectivity, Tourist centers, Multipurpose Center and Health and Wellness Center. Further, cooperatives will be developed at the local level to manage livelihood opportunities including entrepreneurship agriculture horticulture, cultivation of medicinal herbs etc.” The Government is committed to the all round development of Border Villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme, the Minister added.

Shri Atal Dullo, Secretary, Border Management observed, “In light of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s remarks,  Border Villages are not the last villages, but the First Villages, we have strived to extend our full support to the development of these villages holistically by laying emphasis on their economy, livelihood, social structure, infrastructure, education, electricity and telecommunications.”

On the occasion, Shri Anil Kumar Jha, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, gave the keynote address. Mentioning the Vibrant Villages Program, he highlighted, “The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing several schemes and initiatives in the border areas, whether it is Grants under Article 275 (1), Eklavya Model Residential Schools for ST Students, Grants to NGOs, or the PM-Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna.”

Further, Shri Ashish Dayal Singh, DG, ITBP, remarked, “We support the livelihood of the local vendors of the border villages by purchasing their produce. ITBP wholeheartedly supports this program launched with the aim of connecting and developing border villages in India in collaboration with the residents of these areas.”

Over 200 Sarpanches/ Gram Pradhans from Arunachal Pradesh,  Uttarakhand, Sikkim,  UT Ladakh,  and Himachal Pradesh attended the program. One Sarpanch from each state shared their views on the Vibrant Village Programme. Sarpanch of Gnathang, (Gangtok) Sikkim- Smt. Pema Sherpa, Sarpanch of Shyo Toth (Tawang), Arunachal Pradesh- Smt. Phurpa Zomba, Sarpanch of Durbuk Block (Changthang), UT Ladakh- Shri Konchokley Namgyal, Sarpanch of Mana village, Uttarakhand- Shri Pitambar Molfa, Sarpanch of Batsari, Tehsil Sangla, Himachal Pradesh- Shri Pradeep Kumar appreciated the Government's initiative of Vibrant Villages Programme and expressed hope it will bring a new dawn for these villages.

The dignitaries and guests were also felicitated by the Minister.

The Vibrant Villages Programme was  approved  on 15th February 2023, with central  contribution of Rs.4800 crore for the period FY 2022-23 to 2025-26 including Rs.2500 crore specifically for road connectivity.

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