NEW DELHI: The Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) aims for convergence of existing schemes of the Central and state Governments through the formulation of District Convergence Plan. It focuses on projects in the identified areas of intervention for inclusion in the vibrant village action plan for select villages.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the scheme in her Budget Speech 2022, envisaging coverage of border villages in the North. The villages were with sparse population, limited connectivity and infrastructure, and which often got left out from the development gains.
It was approved by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on February 15 this year.
However, the Vibrant Villages Programme will not overlap with the Border Area Development Programme (BADP). The Vibrant Villages Programme is expected to improve the living conditions and economic opportunities for the people living in the border areas and is a significant step towards inclusive growth and development.
The Union Government is implementing BADP through the state governments or Union Territory administrations in habitations located right on the border or within 10 km from the first habitation at the international border.
Under the BADP, the annual action plans of the states and UTs consisting of works related to village infrastructure like roads and bridges, health, education, agriculture, sports, drinking water and sanitation, etc., are considered and approved as per prescribed guidelines.
