Centre Sanctions Rs 6,830 Cr for Development of Border Villages of Punjab

Border villages in Punjab’s Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts have been earmarked for infrastructure development under the Centre’s Vibrant Village Programme-II (VVP-II), Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Responding to questions from Punjab MPs Satnam Singh Sandhu and Sukhjinder Randhawa, Rai said the Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned ₹6,830 crore for the development of 107 villages across 15 states, with the scheme running from April 2025 until FY 2028-29.

In Punjab alone, 107 villages have been identified, including 25 in Amritsar, 15 in Fazilka, 17 in Ferozepur, 19 in Gurdaspur, 7 in Pathankot, and 24 in Tarn Taran.

The programme focuses on livelihood generation, road connectivity, healthcare facilities, financial inclusion, youth empowerment, skill development, and strengthening of cooperatives. “This 100 per cent centrally funded project is aimed at creating essential infrastructure and livelihood opportunities in border villages,” Rai said.

The minister further noted that VVP-II, with a total outlay of ₹6,839 crore, has been approved as a Central Sector Scheme for the holistic development of villages located along international land borders, excluding the northern frontier already covered under VVP-I.

The clarification came after Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Randhawa sought details on whether any programme was in place to restore border infrastructure in Punjab in the wake of Operation Sindoor, a recent security initiative in the region.

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