Government has approved Vibrant Villages Programme-I (VVP-I) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th February, 2023 for comprehensive development of the select villages in 46 blocks abutting northern border in 19 districts in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and UT of Ladakh. Initially, 662 border villages have been identified for comprehensive development on priority under the programme. State-wise number of villages are as follows: Arunachal Pradesh-455, Himachal Pradesh-75, Sikkim-46, Uttarakhand-51 and Ladakh (UT)-35.

The programme envisages focused areas of interventions in the select villages for creation of opportunities for livelihood generation through promotion of tourism & cultural heritage, skill development & entrepreneurship and development of cooperative societies including agriculture/horticulture, cultivation of medicinal plants/herbs etc. The interventions also include providing road connectivity to unconnected villages, village infrastructures, health facility, education infrastructure, energy including renewable energy, television & telecom connectivity. The objective of the programme is to create sufficient incentives for people to stay on in the selected villages.

Central Government has approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) on 2nd April, 2025 as a Central Sector Scheme, with a total outlay  of   Rs. 6839  crore  till  the  Financial  Year  2028-29 for comprehensive development of select strategic villages located in blocks abutting international land borders (ILB), other than the Northern border already covered under VVP-I, in the States/UTs of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, J&K(UT), Ladakh(UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

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RK/VV/RR/PS/PR