Amit Shah Inaugurates Vibrant Villages Workshop, Stresses Security and Development in Border Areas

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the two-day Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) workshop in New Delhi, organized by the Border Management Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Home Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the Home Secretary, Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Border Management Secretary, Chief Secretaries of border states covered under VVP phases one and two, Directors General of border security forces, and District Magistrates from the identified districts. On this occasion, Shri Shah also unveiled the official logo of the Vibrant Villages Programme.

Vision of the Vibrant Villages Programme

In his address, Shri Amit Shah emphasized that the VVP rests on three crucial objectives:

1. Preventing migration from border villages to ensure population stability.

2. Delivering 100% benefits of government schemes to every household in these villages.

3. Transforming border villages into strong tools for national security.

He noted that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had redefined the nation’s outlook toward border villages by calling them the country’s “first villages” instead of the “last.” This symbolic shift highlights the importance of developing these remote settlements as pillars of both security and socio-economic growth.

Multi-Sectoral Development and Infrastructure Push

The Home Minister explained that the programme seeks not only to create modern infrastructure but also to preserve cultural heritage, promote tourism, and generate local employment. Efforts such as building roads, enhancing telecommunications, providing quality healthcare and education, and ensuring clean drinking water are central to the initiative. Shri Shah further stressed the importance of integrating local traditions with development to make village life “vibrant” in every sense.

He cited examples from Arunachal Pradesh, where the VVP has already led to reverse migration, with populations increasing in several border villages. This, he said, was proof that the initiative is on the right track.

Employment, Tourism, and Cooperative Models

Employment generation featured prominently in the Minister’s speech. He encouraged state governments and District Collectors to promote homestays and strengthen tourism facilities, noting that proper arrangements for bookings by state tourism departments could ensure every household benefits economically.

Shri Shah also underscored the role of cooperative institutions in creating job opportunities. He suggested that CAPFs and the army should collaborate with local dairy cooperatives to meet their milk and essential supply needs directly from Vibrant Villages. Experiments in Arunachal Pradesh, where the ITBP has sourced vegetables, milk, and grains from border villages, were highlighted as successful models to be replicated nationwide.

Role of Administrators and Security Forces

The Home Minister laid particular responsibility on Chief Secretaries, District Collectors, and CAPFs, urging them to go beyond the VVP framework and take innovative measures for holistic development. He stressed that all departments of the Centre and states must work in coordination to saturate these villages with government schemes and create sustainable livelihood avenues.

He called upon young District Collectors to focus on reversing migration trends by ensuring local residents have adequate facilities and job opportunities despite geographical challenges. According to him, migration prevention is not only a socio-economic issue but also a matter of national security.

Tackling Demographic Challenges and Encroachments

Shri Amit Shah expressed concern over demographic changes in border regions, warning that such shifts could be part of deliberate designs rather than natural causes. He urged district collectors and CAPFs to treat the issue with utmost seriousness, linking demographic integrity directly with border security.

He also highlighted the need to curb illegal religious encroachments within a 30-kilometre radius of borders, stating that such activities pose long-term risks. Gujarat’s proactive steps in removing encroachments along maritime and land borders were praised as examples for other states to follow.

Strengthening Administrative Spirit

Shri Shah emphasized that the Vibrant Villages Programme should not remain just a government scheme but must become an integral part of the administrative ethos. He encouraged initiatives such as afforestation, pond construction under MGNREGA, and building permanent infrastructure, stating that the second phase of the programme should adopt a more proactive and innovative administrative approach compared to the first.

The workshop marks a renewed push by the Government of India to transform border villages into hubs of prosperity, cultural pride, and national security. By promoting infrastructure development, fostering reverse migration, generating employment through tourism and cooperatives, and addressing demographic challenges, the Vibrant Villages Programme is positioned as a cornerstone for securing both the livelihood of border communities and the sovereignty of the nation.