Vibrant Villages Programme‑I – Overview
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) approved the Vibrant Villages Programme‑I (VVP‑I) on 15 February 2023. It targets 662 villages across Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and the Union Territory of Ladakh. The scheme is funded as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with a total outlay of ₹3065.32 crore.
Key Developments (Bullet Points)
- Sanctioned projects: 832 (Arunachal Pradesh), 98 (Himachal Pradesh), 79 (Ladakh), 87 (Sikkim), 152 (Uttarakhand).
- Completed projects to date: 316.
- Funds released to states/UT: ₹953.47 crore.
- Road connectivity: 111 road projects worth ₹2,481.93 crore to provide all‑weather road connectivity to 134 villages.
- Digital connectivity: 528 villages now have 4G mobile connectivity.
- Water & electricity: 625 villages with piped drinking water; 621 villages with on‑grid/off‑grid electricity.
- Renewable energy: 140 off‑grid solar projects and 7 micro‑hydel projects sanctioned.
- Health & education: 40 Mobile Medical Units (MMU) in Arunachal Pradesh; 146 school‑infrastructure projects across the region.
Important Facts
Under convergence, other central ministries have added 1,658 projects worth additional funds. The Ministry of Power approved 43 projects with an outlay of ₹238.30 crore to strengthen power distribution.
Exam Relevance
Understanding VVP‑I helps aspirants answer questions on:
- Centre‑state cooperation through