143 Manipur Border Villages to Get Development Boost Under Vibrant Villages Plan

Manipur shares a 398-km-long unfenced international border with Myanmar, making development in these frontier areas strategically and economically significant.

The Chief Minister was speaking at a one-day state-level workshop on the Vibrant Villages Programme-II held in Imphal.

According to a senior official, the workshop emphasised strengthening border village development and enhancing coordination among various departments and agencies.

Organised by the state's Planning Department, the session focused on strategies, implementation challenges, and inter-agency collaboration.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Khemchand Singh described the Vibrant Villages Programme-II as a flagship initiative of the Union government aimed at transforming villages located along international borders.

He reiterated that the programme seeks to improve infrastructure, boost livelihoods, and ensure access to basic services in remote regions.

Highlighting Manipur's geopolitical position, the Chief Minister stressed prioritising border area development and expressed gratitude to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for including five districts --Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Ukhrul, Chandel, and Churachandpur -- under the initiative.

Chief Minister Khemchand Singh confirmed that 143 villages have been identified under the programme and will benefit from improved infrastructure, enhanced connectivity, and better delivery of government services.

He underscored the importance of timely and coordinated implementation, noting the critical role of the Planning Department, district administrations, and security forces such as the Assam Rifles.

Invoking the vision of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas", the Chief Minister said the programme must ensure inclusive development for all communities.

He also expressed hope that the workshop would strengthen coordination and improve outcomes at the grassroots level.

Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel highlighted the need for meticulous planning and close coordination with border guarding forces.

He noted that a comprehensive gap analysis has been conducted to assess infrastructure and connectivity deficits in border regions.

Goel identified key priority areas, including road connectivity, telecom expansion with 4G services under BharatNet, and electrification.

He stressed the need for focused efforts in districts such as Churachandpur, Kamjong, Ukhrul, Chandel and Tengnoupal.

The workshop was attended by Major General Gaurav Sharma, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South), along with senior state government officials, Deputy Commissioners of the five identified districts, sector commanders, and other stakeholders.

Officials unable to attend physically, joined via video conferencing.

Meanwhile, the Union government had earlier approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-I (VVP-I) as a centrally sponsored scheme on February 15, 2023.

The programme targeted comprehensive development of selected villages in 46 blocks across 19 districts in states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Initially, 662 villages were identified for priority development.

Under VVP-I, a total of 2,558 projects with an outlay of Rs 3,431 crore have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with additional works through convergence with various Union Ministries and departments.

Subsequently, Vibrant Villages Programme-II was launched on April 2, 2025, with a total allocation of nearly Rs 6,900 crore.

The programme aims to develop 1,954 villages across 334 blocks in 15 states and two Union Territories.

These villages are spread across Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

The initiative encompasses multiple schemes focused on security, saturation of welfare programmes, and improved connectivity, reinforcing the Union government's commitment to holistic development of border regions.

- IANS