Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the allocation of Rs. 1050 crore for FY25 towards Vibrant Villages Program (VVP) in her interim budget speech, on February 1. The allocation is Rs. 750 crore higher than what was released for the program in the current financial year.
The corpus announced in the Budget speech is part of the already approved outlay of Rs. 4800 crore for FY23-26, for a comprehensive development of select villages in 46 blocks across 19 districts. These villages are near the northern border with China in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and UT of Ladakh.
The objective of VVP is comprehensive development of these villages to improve the quality of life of people and attempt to reverse outmigration. The programme will create opportunities for livelihood through promotion of agriculture, horticulture, tourism and cultural heritage, skill development and entrepreneurship, among other measures.
Through this program, Government aims to improve road connectivity to remote villages, housing & rural infrastructure, energy including renewable energy, television and telecom connectivity.
Catch other details of Finance Minister's budget address here.
One of the areas identified for development is the promotion of tourism and culture by enhancing infrastructure in these remote villages. The program will also promote community managed home stays, organise local fairs, eco and agro-tourism among others.
Inclusive development of villages
In her budget speech FM Nirmala Sitharaman said, "our humane and inclusive approach to development is a marked and deliberate departure from the earlier approach of ‘provisioning up-to-village level’. Development programmes in the last ten years have targeted each and every household and individual, through ‘Housing for All’, ‘Har Ghar Jal’, electricity and cooking gas for all, bank accounts and financial services for all, in record time."
FM Sitharaman added that food insecurity in rural areas has been eliminated through schemes that delivered free ration and basic necessities in rural areas, and have enhanced income. "Their economic needs could be addressed, thus spurring growth and generating jobs", she said.
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