NEW DELHI: In twin decisions aimed at enhancing security along the India-China border, the Union cabinet on Wednesday approved Rs 4,800 crore for ‘Vibrant Villages Programme‘ envisaging all-round development of civilian settlements adjoining the northern land border to reverse out-migration, while also clearing the raising of seven new battalions of Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP) to plug the border gaps in Arunachal Pradesh.
“Today’s Cabinet decision on Vibrant Villages Programme will be beneficial for several people living in remote and border areas. Sectors such as tourism, skill development and entrepreneurship will be among the many key focus areas,” PM Modi tweeted after the meeting.
Reacting to the Union cabinet approving the development of several villages along the LAC and raising seven new ITBP battalions to be posted along the border in Arunachal, home minister Amit Shah tweeted on Wednesday, “For the first time, any government is working with such determination for the development of border areas and uplifting the standard of living of the people there. The programme… will rejuvenate border villages, which will stop migration and strengthen border security.”
The Cabinet’s nod to the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) is aimed at comprehensive development of 2,966 border villages spread over 19 districts and 46 border blocks of four states – Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim – and the UT of Ladakh between 2022-23 and 2025-26.
The permanent border settlements, security analysts believe, will enhance border security as access to development and civic amenities is expected to instil a feeling of patriotism and “belonging” among the residents and boost information flow on the movements and plans of the ‘enemy’ forces. Such settlements will also tend to strengthen India’s territorial claims during border talks and help resist any attempts at encroachment from the the neighbouring side.
ITBP, which currently has a sanctioned strength of 88,430 personnel, secures 3,488 km-long India-China borders ranging from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh. Sources said the proposal for raising seven additional ITBP battalions – comprising 9,400 personnel – has been on the table since 2014-15. All the seven battalions will be deployed at 47 new border outposts and 12 staging camps coming up along LAC with China in Arunachal Pradesh, said an ITBP source. An additional sector headquarter, 16th for ITBP, was also approved on Wednesday. The Cabinet decisions were announced by information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur. “These (border) villages will become developed and it is also important from the security perspective,” said Thakur.
While the India-China border has been volatile after the bloody face-off at Galwan, Ladakh in June 2020 claimed the lives of 20 Indian Army personnel, fresh clashes between Indian and Chinese troops were reported as recently as December 9 last year in Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
VVP – first unveiled in the 2022-23 Union Budget – will provide funds for development of essential infrastructure, the home ministry said. Out of the total allocation of Rs 4,800 crore, Rs 2,500 crore rupees will be used for roads.
The first phase of VVP will cover 663 villages and aim to identify and develop the economic drivers based on local natural, human and other resources of the villages and development of growth centres on “hub and spoke model” through social entrepreneurship, skill development, leveraging the tourism potential and development of sustainable eco-agribusinesses on the concept of “one village-one-product” through community based organisations, cooperatives, self-help groups and NGOs, etc. The plans will be created by the district administration with the help of gram panchayats.
Thakur said that the VVP will avoid any overlap with the existing border area development programme.
The total expenditure on raising seven battalions and one sector HQ will be Rs 2,772 crore.
“Today’s Cabinet decision on Vibrant Villages Programme will be beneficial for several people living in remote and border areas. Sectors such as tourism, skill development and entrepreneurship will be among the many key focus areas,” PM Modi tweeted after the meeting.
Reacting to the Union cabinet approving the development of several villages along the LAC and raising seven new ITBP battalions to be posted along the border in Arunachal, home minister Amit Shah tweeted on Wednesday, “For the first time, any government is working with such determination for the development of border areas and uplifting the standard of living of the people there. The programme… will rejuvenate border villages, which will stop migration and strengthen border security.”
The Cabinet’s nod to the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) is aimed at comprehensive development of 2,966 border villages spread over 19 districts and 46 border blocks of four states – Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim – and the UT of Ladakh between 2022-23 and 2025-26.
The permanent border settlements, security analysts believe, will enhance border security as access to development and civic amenities is expected to instil a feeling of patriotism and “belonging” among the residents and boost information flow on the movements and plans of the ‘enemy’ forces. Such settlements will also tend to strengthen India’s territorial claims during border talks and help resist any attempts at encroachment from the the neighbouring side.
ITBP, which currently has a sanctioned strength of 88,430 personnel, secures 3,488 km-long India-China borders ranging from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh. Sources said the proposal for raising seven additional ITBP battalions – comprising 9,400 personnel – has been on the table since 2014-15. All the seven battalions will be deployed at 47 new border outposts and 12 staging camps coming up along LAC with China in Arunachal Pradesh, said an ITBP source. An additional sector headquarter, 16th for ITBP, was also approved on Wednesday. The Cabinet decisions were announced by information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur. “These (border) villages will become developed and it is also important from the security perspective,” said Thakur.
While the India-China border has been volatile after the bloody face-off at Galwan, Ladakh in June 2020 claimed the lives of 20 Indian Army personnel, fresh clashes between Indian and Chinese troops were reported as recently as December 9 last year in Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
VVP – first unveiled in the 2022-23 Union Budget – will provide funds for development of essential infrastructure, the home ministry said. Out of the total allocation of Rs 4,800 crore, Rs 2,500 crore rupees will be used for roads.
The first phase of VVP will cover 663 villages and aim to identify and develop the economic drivers based on local natural, human and other resources of the villages and development of growth centres on “hub and spoke model” through social entrepreneurship, skill development, leveraging the tourism potential and development of sustainable eco-agribusinesses on the concept of “one village-one-product” through community based organisations, cooperatives, self-help groups and NGOs, etc. The plans will be created by the district administration with the help of gram panchayats.
Thakur said that the VVP will avoid any overlap with the existing border area development programme.
The total expenditure on raising seven battalions and one sector HQ will be Rs 2,772 crore.
