Union Home Minister Amit Shah officially launched the second phase of the Vibrant Village Programme in Assam today. The initiative plans to turn 140 villages along the Bangladesh border into hubs of modern education and employment.
"Today, we are officially beginning the Vibrant Village Programme-II, and through this, we will bring development to bordering villages and facilities like any other place across the country. This has been possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said. Shah inaugurated the programme at Natanpur village in Assam's Barak Valley.
Shah spoke about how the Vibrant Village Programme initiative will bring development to bordering villages, mirroring the progress and growth seen in any other part of the country.
"As such, this village, Natanpur, is also going to become one of the first villages of India, not because of its vicinity to the border, but because it is going to be number one in education, employment generation, road and telecommunications, electricity, number one in everything," Shah said.
Shah said that the Centre is spending Rs 6,900 crore under the Vibrant Village Programme-II to develop 334 blocks and 1,954 villages in 17 states across the country. Of this, nine districts, 26 blocks and 140 villages are in Assam.
He said that all amenities in these 140 villages will be on par with those in any other village in India.
"There was a time when border villages were called the last villages and lacked many amenities but PM Narendra Modi decided that all border villages will be the first village and now these villages will be first in road, sanitation drinking water, communications, employment, education and many other fields.140 border villages in Assam bordering Bangladesh will be brought under vibrant villages," he said.
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