Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 7: Once neglected and cut off from the rest of the country, villages along India’s international borders are gradually emerging as centres of economic activity, driven by the Centre’s efforts to strengthen local economies and prevent migration from sensitive frontier areas.
A major component of the initiative is the decision to turn paramilitary posts along international borders into local markets by requiring security forces to purchase essential supplies directly from nearby villages. The move is part of the Centre’s Rs 11,639-crore push under the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) to keep border communities populated and economically active.
The VVP covers 2,616 villages located along India’s international borders in two phases. The villages include 455 in Arunachal Pradesh, 75 in Himachal Pradesh, 51 in Uttarakhand, 46 in Sikkim and 35 in Ladakh.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which guards the Himalayan frontier with China, has been directed to procure daily-use items directly from these model villages. Milk, vegetables, eggs, grains and other essential commodities will be purchased from local residents, creating a steady market for agricultural and other rural produce.
The government aims to use army and paramilitary border posts as local economic centres where deployed personnel can purchase everyday necessities from surrounding villages. Officials believe this will provide farmers with a dependable source of income and help reduce the economic isolation that has contributed to migration from remote border areas.
The paramilitary forces have already begun the procurement process, the Centre said on Sunday. The Border Security Force (BSF) has also initiated the process in areas under its jurisdiction.
According to government sources, the initiative has begun showing a positive impact in Arunachal Pradesh, with some residents returning to villages they had previously left in Kurung Kumey, Dibang Valley and Shi-Yomi districts. The Centre is now also considering measures to strengthen basic infrastructure in these villages, including revamping schools and establishing hospitals and colleges in clusters, a senior government official said.
The Vibrant Villages Programme is being implemented in two phases. The first phase, launched in April 2023, has an outlay of Rs 4,800 crore for the period from 2022-23 to 2026-27. The second phase, launched in February this year, has an outlay of Rs 6,839 crore and will run through 2028-29.
The Centre sees the programme not only as a development initiative but also as a strategic measure to strengthen India’s presence in remote border areas by improving livelihoods, infrastructure and connectivity and encouraging people to remain in or return to their villages.