3,000 villages in 19 border areas being covered under 'Vibrant Village' programme which will be completed in 10 yrs: Amit Shah

New Delhi [India], January 25 : Noting that "unless the first village of the country is developed, a developed India vision cannot be fulfilled," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday adding that 3,000 villages in 19 border areas in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Ladakh are being covered under the 'Vibrant Village' programme, which will be completed in 10 years.
Shah's statement came on the eve of Republic Day while interacting with the special guests from the 'Vibrant Villages' in the national capital.
He further said that in the first phase of the scheme, 662 villages are being covered with a total population of 1,42,000 and the government is spending Rs 4,800 crore on it.
Shah said that the 'Vibrant Village' programme has three objectives-- overall development of the country's first village in a phased manner, stopping migration from border villages, preserving local culture and improving all kinds of connectivity, basic facilities and infrastructure in the villages.
He said that roads are being constructed in these areas at an outlay of Rs 2,500 crore, which will boost connectivity for the people.
Shah said that compared to the amount spent on the development of infrastructure of these villages in the 70 years of independence, the Narendra Modi government has spent more than double the amount on the development of these villages in the last five years alone.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 100 per cent saturation of more than 220 government schemes for rural development is being ensured in the villages covered under the 'Vibrant Village' programme.
The Minister said that the Panchs, Sarpanchs and accompanying people of 'Vibrant Villages', visiting New Delhi on the occasion of Republic Day, are guests of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he has taken full care of them.
Shah said that the Republic Day parade is a display of India's culture, military and manpower, which the whole world watches, astoundingly.
While interacting with the special guests, Shah said that "the distance between India's border villages and Delhi may be big, but Prime Minister Modi has brought the hearts closer through the 'Vibrant Village' programme."
He said that "unless the first village of the country is developed, a developed India cannot be fulfilled."
Shah said that, therefore, Prime Minister Modi believes that the border village is not the last but the first village in the country. He said that earlier there used to be migration from these border villages due to lack of basic amenities, but PM Modi has made efforts to bring down migration through the Vibrant Village programme by providing basic facilities to the local people.
Panchs and Sarpanchs of Vibrant Villages, along with their families, will witness this year's Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path as "Special Guests" of the Government of India.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, in coordination with the Ministry of Defence, is hosting the special guests.
To realise PM Modi's vision of "leaving no citizen behind" and border villages as "the first village" of the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs, under the leadership of the Union Home Minister, has taken significant initiatives by launching the 'Vibrant Villages' programme. It aims at the comprehensive development of select villages situated in the border blocks in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
Special guests from Vibrant Villages also visited the Prime Minister's Museum. On January 27, they will participate in "Bharat Parv." Along with this, special guests have also been invited to watch the "PM Rally" of NCC cadets to be held on January 27.
On this occasion, many dignitaries, including Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur and Minister of State for Home Affairs Youth Affairs and Sports Nishith Pramanik, were present.