Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced on Monday that 92 villages in Meghalaya have been identified for Phase-II of the Centre's Vibrant Village Programme (VVP), which aims to accelerate development in areas along international borders. This announcement came as several legislators sought clarification on funding, selection criteria, and implementation mechanisms.
Responding to a question raised by Shella UDP MLA, Balajied Synrem during the ongoing budget session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Sangma stated that the villages were selected by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) based on its own criteria, and that the state government had not yet received detailed financial allocations for specific projects.
He explained that while the first phase of the programme focused on villages along the India–China border, Phase-II has expanded to include other international borders, including those bordering Bangladesh.
The programme replaces the earlier Border Area Development Programme (BADP), which was discontinued by the Centre in September 2022.
Sangma stated that the programme aims to ensure comprehensive development in key sectors such as all-weather road connectivity, telecommunications, 4G services, electrification, television connectivity, livelihood generation, tourism promotion, education infrastructure, and skill development.
Raising the issue during the discussion, Shella UDP MLA sought clarification on the share of funds Meghalaya would receive and whether MLAs representing border constituencies were being consulted in project planning.
Synrem also expressed concern over the discontinuation of the BADP, noting that several infrastructure projects constructed under the scheme, particularly roads and community assets, are facing maintenance issues due to a lack of departmental ownership.
Chief Minister further informed that while the Vibrant Village Programme applies only to international borders, the state government has allocated around Rs 14.99 crore in the 2025–26 budget for interstate border development projects.