Security of borders is priority of Central government, says Amit Shah

The Home Minister also called upon the District Collectors of border districts to take initiatives related to tourism, employment generation, agriculture, handicrafts and cooperatives, increasing basic amenities and achieving 100 per cent saturation of Central and State schemes according to the local conditions and weather of each village.

New Delhi: Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the security of our borders is the priority of the Narendra Modi government and it is linked with national security and without keeping the villages secured, "we cannot keep our borders safe." “Developing vibrant villages will add an extra layer to the border security of the country. Since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made efforts to improve border infrastructure, followed by introducing public welfare schemes for border villages and now launching the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ to stop migration from border villages. We consider the border villages not the last villages of the country but the first villages,” said Shah while inaugurating a workshop on the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' in New Delhi.

The Home Minister also called upon the District Collectors of border districts to take initiatives related to tourism, employment generation, agriculture, handicrafts and cooperatives, increasing basic amenities and achieving 100 per cent saturation of Central and State schemes according to the local conditions and weather of each village.

“VVP (Vibrant Villages Programme) is VVIP (Very Very Important Programme) in the true sense. Emphasis should be laid on increasing employment through cooperatives in villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme,” he said. The programme was attended by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, Ajay Kumar Mishra and Nishith Pramanik, Union Home Secretary, DG-ITBP, District Collectors and district development officers of the border districts under VVP and senior officers from Home Ministry and several other Union Ministers attended the workshop.

Shah said that the District Collectors in border districts under VVP should take at least five initiatives every year in every border village to give impetus to the Vibrant Villages Programme, including initiatives related to tourism, initiatives related to the generation of employment opportunities, initiatives related to agriculture, handicrafts and cooperatives, initiatives related to increasing basic facilities and initiatives to achieve 100 per cent saturation of Central and State schemes.

Shah said that VVP can truly be promoted and encouraged by emphasising homestay facilities. The minister said that there is ample scope for employment generation through cooperatives in villages under VVP. He said that at least 30 per cent of the daily expenditure of ITBP should be linked with rural employment opportunities.

He said regular reviews at all levels regarding this should be held. Shah said that special efforts should be made to establish connectivity with 168 unconnected border villages in four states and UTs. Shah said that the Central government has spent more than Rs 25,000 crore on border infrastructure in the last nine years. “1,134 km long border road has been constructed and almost all check-posts have been completed. Priority should be given to Vibrant Villages in the mapping of schemes, both at the Central and State level,” he said.