New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday emphasized on the need to provide employment opportunities to local residents and increase connectivity to prevent migration from border villages for better livelihood.
Chairing a high-level review meeting over the implementation of ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ in New Delhi, Shah said that CAPFs and Army deployed around the border villages should encourage purchase of local agricultural and handicraft products through cooperatives.
“Residents of the nearby villages should get the benefit of healthcare facilities available for Army and CAPFs. There should be emphasis on maximum use of renewable energy sources like solar energy and wind mills in vibrant villages,” he said.
During the meeting, Shah said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to the all-round development of the border villages. He directed to continue the efforts being made by senior ministers and officials to better understand the issues of border villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme.
So far, more than 6000 events have been organised in these border villages, which include about 4,000 service delivery and awareness camps. More than 600 projects have been sanctioned by the Centre for employment generation in these villages. During the meeting, the Home Minister laid special emphasis on review at the highest level at regular intervals to dispose of pending issues.
Under the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ scheme, 136 border villages are being provided connectivity through 113 all-weather road projects at a cost of Rs 2,420 crore. 4G connectivity is being worked on rapidly in these areas. Government targets to connect all villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme by the 4G network by December 2024.
It was informed in the meeting that appropriate steps are being taken to ensure financial inclusion in all these villages and India Post-Payment Banks (IPPB) are also being facilitated there.
Work is being done to develop tourist circuits to bring vibrancy to these Vibrant Villages and promote tourism. In this endeavour, capacity building and tourism related infrastructure is being developed in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism.
The ambitious Vibrant Villages scheme was launched on February 14 last year with an allocation of Rs 4800 crore. The meeting at North Block was attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs including the Union Home Secretary, Secretary, Border Management and Director General, Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
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