New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will embark on a two day visit to Arunachal Pradesh starting from April 10.
On the first day of his visit, Shah will launch the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ (VVP) at Kibithu in Anjaw district, bordering Tibet, as per a communique issued by the Home Ministry on Saturday.
The Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the VVP with central components of Rs 4,800 crore including Rs 2,500 crore exclusively for road connectivity for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26.
The VVP is a centrally sponsored scheme under which 2967 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts abutting northern border in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and UT of Ladakh have been identified for comprehensive development.
In the first phase, 662 villages have been identified for priority on coverage, which includes 455 villages in Arunachal Pradesh, the statement said.
The VPP will help in improving the quality of life of people living in identified border villages and encourage people to stay in their native locations thereby reversing the out migration from these villages and adding to security of the border.
The District Administration with the help of appropriate mechanisms at block and Panchayat level will prepare Action Plans for identified village to ensure 100 per cent saturation of central and state schemes.
The focus areas of interventions identified for development of villages include road connectivity, drinking water, electricity including solar and wind energy, mobile and internet connectivity, tourist centers, multi-purpose centers and healthcare infrastructure and wellness centers.
The HM will also inaugurate nine Micro Hydel Projects of Arunachal Pradesh government constructed under the ‘Golden Jubilee Border Illumination Programme’ at Kibithu, the release said.
These electricity projects will empower people living in border villages, it said.
The HM will also inaugurate Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) projects to augment infrastructure at Likabali (Arunachal Pradesh), Chapra (Bihar), Nooranad (Kerala) and Vishakapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).
He will also interact with ITBP personnel at Kibithu.
An exhibition of the products made by women members of Self-Help Groups of border districts will also be organised.
On April 11, Shah will visit Namti field and pay homage at the Walong War Memorial.
The visit of the HM comes days after the China renamed 11 places in the frontier state.
The Minister of External Affairs in a statement had reacted to this by saying, “Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality.”
Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,080 km border with Tibet.
