GUWAHATI: The Union Cabinet has approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) as a Central Sector Scheme with a total outlay of ₹6,839 crore. According to a press release on Friday, April 4, the scheme has been introduced to address the comprehensive development of villages along international land borders, such as Assam and the other northeastern states.
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The initiative will be implemented in select strategic villages across 17 states and Union Territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura, and will run until the financial year 2028-29. The objective is to enhance infrastructure, livelihood opportunities, and security in border areas while integrating border populations with the nation’s development efforts.
In the Northeast, where many remote villages face connectivity and development challenges, VVP-II will fund projects such as road connectivity, smart classrooms, tourism development, cooperative-based value chains, and livelihood enhancement initiatives. Local communities will also benefit from border-specific interventions through a village action plan tailored to their unique needs.
For Assam in particular, the programme will help strengthen trans-border security by assimilating local populations as “eyes and ears” of border forces.
The programme will also focus on promoting cultural vibrancy by organising fairs, festivals, and awareness camps. Regular visits by central and state government officials, including night stays, will be conducted in these villages.
Notably, villages which were covered under the first phase, VVP-I, will be excluded.
