Get ready to experience the unexplored regions alongside India’s border with China. If you ever wondered how life would be in these remote isolated areas, close to nature, you might soon get a first-hand experience. In an effort to boost tourism in rural India, the central government has introduced the Vibrant Village Programme. Under this initiative, the government has selected 17 villages, along the border with China, that will be transformed into tourism sites. The VVP is to be implemented in three phases. The 17 border villages being developed are part of the 663 villages that are to be revamped in the first phase. The primary focus of this redevelopment project is on better connectivity and tourist facilities.
The border villages selected for the scheme are located in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
“The Union Tourism Ministry has zeroed in on adventure tourism and homestays as the focus areas to develop the first 17 villages chosen for the pilot project,” a source close to the development was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
The villages to be developed under this scheme include Chushul and Karzok in Ladakh; Lalung, Gipu and Charang Khas in Himachal Pradesh; Mana, Niti, Malari and Gunji in Uttarakhand; Lachen, Lachung and Gnathang in Sikkim; Zemithang, Taksing, Chayangtajo, Tuting and Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh.
Under the initiative, 120 homestays will be constructed or restructured in the villages of Uttarakhand. Similar stays will be put in place in other villages as well. Trekking routes are to be developed through the areas in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The regions of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be developed to facilitate adventure sports activities such as river rafting, ice skating, skiing, etc.
A total of more than 2,500 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts along the northern border of these states have been identified and will be revamped under this scheme. The Vibrant Village Programme was first announced in the Union Budget this year.
This ambitious project aims to provide all-weather road access, clean drinking water, electricity (with an emphasis on solar and wind energy), mobile network and internet connectivity, and the development of tourism hubs. Additionally, it will encourage social entrepreneurship, empower young people and women through the means of skill development programmes, and make the most of the region self-sustainable. The Vibrant Villages Programme would guarantee the panchayat and gram sabha’s involvement and accountability in the administration at the central, state, district, and block levels.
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