Consider the following statements regarding the Vibrant

Solution

• The Union Cabinet has approved the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) to boost development in strategic border areas.  About Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II)  • It is a Central Sector Scheme (100% Centre-funded) with a total outlay of ₹6,839 crore. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.  • Implementation and Timeline: It will be implemented in select strategic villages across the following States/UTs till FY 2028–29: ƒ Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.  • Objective: The programme aims to create better living conditions and adequate livelihood opportunities to ensure prosperous and safe borders, control trans-border crime, assimilate the border population with the nation, and inculcate them ‘as eyes and ears of the border guarding forces’— vital for internal security. Hence, statement 2 is correct.  • Key Features: ƒ Infrastructure development within the village or a cluster of villages, ƒ Support for value chain development (via cooperatives, SHGs, etc.), ƒ Border-specific outreach activities, ƒ Education infrastructure like SMART classes, ƒ Tourism circuit development and ƒ Works/projects to create diverse & sustainable livelihood opportunities.