Shillong, February 23, 2026: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday informed the Assembly that 92 villages in the state have been selected under Phase-II of the Centre’s Vibrant Village Programme (VVP), aimed at strengthening development in border areas.
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| Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma addresses the Assembly on the Vibrant Village Programme Phase-II implementation. (Image:X@megassemblychannel) |
The Chief Minister stated that the programme was initially launched focusing on villages along the India-China border under Phase-I. In Phase-II, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, expanded the scope to include 92 villages situated along other international borders, including those in Meghalaya bordering Bangladesh. He clarified that the selection was undertaken by the MHA and, as of now, only these 92 villages have been approved under the second phase.
The core focus of the scheme includes strengthening road infrastructure, ensuring 4G internet connectivity, providing television connections, and extending electricity supply to remote border villages. The programme is planned to run through 2028–29 and will be overseen in Meghalaya by the Border Areas Development Department.
Sangma noted that the earlier Border Areas Development Programme (BADP) was discontinued by the Government of India in September 2022, leading to the introduction of the Vibrant Village Programme as a new framework for border development.
Addressing concerns raised by legislators, he said the state government has earmarked ₹14.99 crore in the 2025–26 budget for development works along the interstate border, particularly the Assam border. However, he acknowledged that funds remain limited and stressed that development in border areas cannot be assessed solely based on allocations under the previous BADP scheme.
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The Chief Minister also pointed out that district-level committees mandated under central guidelines currently do not include MLAs, an issue the state government has raised with the Centre. He assured the House that he would personally take up the matter with the central authorities.
The initiative is expected to boost infrastructure and connectivity in Meghalaya’s remote border regions while strengthening socio-economic development in the long term.
