Jaipur, May 27 (IANS) The Rajasthan government has accelerated efforts to comprehensively develop border villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme-II, with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma personally monitoring its implementation and directing officials to ensure its effective, time-bound execution, officials said.
Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that “border villages are not the country’s last villages, but its first”, the state government aims to transform Rajasthan’s border regions into models of development, self-reliance, security, and prosperity.
Under the programme, 184 strategic villages located across five border districts of Rajasthan have been selected for infrastructure and community development works. These include 68 villages in Sri Ganganagar, 46 in Bikaner, 36 in Barmer, 30 in Jaisalmer, and four villages in Phalodi district.
The scheme provides for development works worth Rs 3 crore per strategic village annually.
Key sectors identified under the initiative include road connectivity, healthcare, education, electrification, television and telecommunication connectivity, livelihood generation, tourism, cultural promotion, youth empowerment, skill development, financial inclusion, cooperatives, and strengthening of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
Officials stated that 515 development works, estimated at over Rs 232 crore, have already been proposed in 123 of the selected villages.
In addition, the programme aims to ensure saturation of four core thematic sectors, road connectivity, telecommunication connectivity, television connectivity, and on-grid electrification, in 3,195 villages located in Rajasthan’s border blocks.
The government is also focusing on community participation and confidence-building measures among residents living near international borders.
Cultural programmes, awareness campaigns, tourism activities, training sessions, and community meetings are being organised to strengthen social engagement and emotional connectivity in these areas.
A multi-level coordination mechanism involving Central, State, and District-level committees has been established to ensure smooth implementation of the programme.
Village profile verification, gap assessments, and preparation of Village Action Plans are being carried out through the dedicated Vibrant Villages Portal.
According to official figures, verification and profile updating of all 184 strategic villages selected under the programme have been completed.
Meanwhile, verification work has been completed in over 3,000 out of 3,195 villages identified under the thematic saturation component.
Separately, the State Government is also implementing the ‘Chief Minister Thaar Border Development Programme’ to address the specific developmental needs of the international border region.
Under this initiative, an annual allocation of Rs 150 crore has been made for the holistic development of 1,206 villages across five border districts.
For the financial year 2025–26, approval has been granted for more than 1,000 development works worth Rs 137 crore in sectors such as electricity, drinking water, education, healthcare, agriculture, animal husbandry, sports, tourism, and infrastructure development.
The Rajasthan Government stated that the combined efforts of the Central and State Governments are helping transform Rajasthan’s border villages into emerging hubs of development, security, and self-confidence.
–IANS
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