Vibrant Villages programme targets more than 2,600 border settlements
The two programme phases carry a combined ₹11,639 crore outlay across settlements along India's international land borders.
The two phases of the Vibrant Villages Programme have a combined outlay of ₹11,639 crore and aim to cover more than 2,616 settlements along India's international land borders, according to a government explainer.
Phase I prioritised 662 northern-border villages across four states and Ladakh, with ₹4,800 crore approved through 2026-27, including ₹2,500 crore for roads. Phase II extends the approach to other land borders.
Why it matters
Border infrastructure and livelihoods influence resident retention, access to services and the resilience of strategically important frontier areas.
SCULTRA point of view
Expenditure should be connected to village-level outputs and outcomes. Useful measures include roads completed, telecom uptime, health and school access, livelihood income, migration trends and responsibility for maintaining new assets.
Limitations
This is a government programme explainer. It mixes approved outlays and intended coverage with strategic claims and does not provide a project-level spending ledger or independently measured outcomes for the full programme.
Source: Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Home Affairs, 6 September 2026, 11:00 IST.