Vibrant Village Scheme and BIM Strengthens Borders
A month after the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Land Boundary Law came into effect on January 01, 2022, India launched the Vibrant Village Scheme.
And soon after, Ministry of Home Affairs in a press release on February 21 stated that the Modi Government has approved the continuation of the Central Sector Umbrella Scheme of “Border Infrastructure and Management” (BIM) over the 15th Finance Commission Cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26, at a cost of Rs.13,020 crore.
Vibrant Village and BIM scheme is expected to strengthen India’s border management. A brief introduction to these is as given below-
Vibrant Village Scheme
During her Budget Speech in the parliament on February 01, India’s Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman outlined the contours of the Scheme which is an extension of the existing Border Area Development Programme but mainly focused on the Northern borders with China.
While the details of the Vibrant Village Scheme have ye to emerge excerpts from the speech of Ms Sitharaman indicate that the aim of the scheme is to strengthen the infrastructure on the borders [including defence] and provide economic opportunities to the locals with a view to facilitate their sustainment and avoid looking for jobs outside.
“Border villages with sparse population, limited connectivity and infrastructure often get left out from the development gains. Such villages on the northern border will be covered under the new Vibrant Villages Programme,” Sitharaman said in her Budget speech.
“The activities will include construction of village infrastructure, housing, tourist centres, road connectivity, provisioning of decentralised renewable energy, direct to home access for Doordarshan and educational channels, and support for livelihood generation," she added. Additional funding will be provided for these activities. "Existing schemes will be converged. We will define their outcomes and constantly monitor them."
BIM Scheme
The Ministry of Home Affairs in a press release on February 21 stated that the Modi Government has approved the continuation of the Central Sector Umbrella Scheme of “Border Infrastructure and Management” (BIM) over the 15th Finance Commission Cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26, at a cost of Rs.13,020 crore.
Ministry of Home Affairs under guidance of Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah is committed to improving border infrastructure and management stated the press release.
This decision will strengthen the border infrastructure for improving border management, policing and guarding the borders.
The BIM scheme will help in the creation of infrastructure such as construction of border fence, border flood lights, technological solutions, border roads and Border Outposts (BOPs)/Company Operating Bases (COBs) to secure the Indo-Pakistan, Indo-Bangladesh, Indo-China, Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Myanmar borders.