The sarpanches of about 662 villages on the China border in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh covered under the Centre’s Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP), will be special guests on the Independence Day at Red Fort.
In an internal communication, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) headquarters has directed its personnel in these districts to appoint Liaison Officers (LOs), who will remain with the “sarpanches and guests” from the “district headquarters to Delhi and back to district headquarters,” reported ‘The Indian Express’.
The communication, on “detailment of liaison staff for participation of VVP sarpanch in Independence Day-2023”, states: “It has been directed that in order to facilitate the sarpanch and guests, efforts be made to detail the majority of LOs from the vibrant villages district. These LOs will remain with their respective group from pick-up point of district headquarters to Delhi and back to district headquarters till the time the group is taken over by the district administration”.
“There should be a reasonable number – commensurate to the women guests — of women personnel also… It is understood that there will be a possibility of not finding the individual from the exact place or district in such case, the best possible substitute be selected and sent as LOs. Since it would be more difficult to find women staff from such places, hence, in such a situation, the women staff having reasonable command over English be detailed,” it adds.
“There will be issues of authorisation to travel by air, so the respective nodal officer may take up the matter with the Director General for directions on the issue, keeping into account the provision of special flights being arranged for the guests. For the number of subordinate officers (SOs), please make a suitable mix of LOs, especially in the case of Arunachal Pradesh. Among SOs, give precedence to ITBP personnel, irrespective of ranks, from the local districts,” says the communication.
Notably the Union Government approved the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ (VVP) with central components of Rs.4800 crore including Rs.2500 crore exclusively for road connectivity for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26. 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 & 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.
According to the Governent, Vibrant Villages Programme 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 outmigration from these villages and adding to security of the border. 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.
