Jammu, Nov 23 (JKNS): Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation and progress of the Vibrant Villages Programme Phase II (VVP-II) across Jammu & Kashmir, aimed at holistic development of border villages under the nationwide vision of Viksit Bharat.
As per news agency JKNS, The Chief Secretary stressed the urgent need for comprehensive surveys to identify gaps in core components such as road connectivity, telecom, television access, and electricity supply. Departments were directed to conduct theme-wise gap analysis and prepare Village Action Plans, with dedicated nodal officers assigned to each component to ensure focused monitoring and timely execution.
He urged a whole-of-government approach, calling on IT, Health, and Education departments to proactively address deficiencies. Coordination with BSNL and Prasar Bharati was emphasized to strengthen telecom and television connectivity, while roadmaps were to be prepared for all thematic areas under the Village Action Plans.
ACS Planning, Ashish Chander Verma, highlighted that VVP-II has a national outlay of ₹6,839 crore (2024-25 to 2028-29) and operates on a three-pronged strategy: saturating existing central and UT schemes, strengthening infrastructure, and building capacities for sustainable livelihoods to integrate border populations with the national mainstream.
Secretary Tribal Affairs stated that 124 strategic villages across 43 border blocks in eight districts Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara, Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch have been selected for focused development. A comprehensive gap analysis covering 1,421 villages has been conducted to ensure all-weather road connectivity under PMGSY-IV, telecom connectivity under Digital Bharat Nidhi, on-grid electrification through RDSS, and television connectivity under the BIND scheme.
So far, 1,378 villages have road connectivity, 98 villages have 4G telecom coverage, and electrification is complete in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua, with pending works prioritised in Tulail Valley, Kupwara, and Bandipora. DTH facilities are being extended in Baramulla and Kupwara to bridge communication gaps.
For transparency and real-time monitoring, the Digital VVP Portal has been operationalised, using geo-tagging technology to align development works with village-specific needs. District Nodal Officers are finalising Village Action Plans based on verified Local Government Directory (LGD) codes.
Beyond physical infrastructure, VVP-II also prioritises financial inclusion, tourism promotion, cultural preservation, medical camps, and awareness campaigns to boost the local economy and strengthen national integration.
The Chief Secretary reiterated that VVP-II is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme focused on improving socio-economic conditions and quality of life in border villages while enhancing security, sustainability, and community empowerment.
The meeting, attended by ACS Planning, ACS APD, Secretary Tribal Affairs, concerned DCs, and senior officers, focused on accelerating development interventions in strategically located border villages. (JKNS)
