AIR Spotlight: Vibrant Village Programme

AIR Spotlight is an insightful program featured daily on the All India Radio News on air. In this program, many eminent panellists discuss issues of importance which can be quite helpful in IAS exam preparation.

This article is about the discussion on: ‘Vibrant Village Programme and Strengthening Co-operative Movement in India’.

Participants: 

1. Prof. Ramesh Chand – Member NITI Aayog
2. Arjun J Chaudary – AIR Correspondent

Context – The Union Cabinet approved the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ and ‘strengthening of the cooperative movement in the country’ and deepen its reach up to the grassroots.

Vibrant Villages Programme

The Union Cabinet approved the Centrally Sponsored Scheme – ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26. The programme envisages coverage of border villages on the northern border having a sparse population, limited connectivity and infrastructure, which often get left out of the development gains.

• There is a budgetary allocation of Rs 48000 cr. for the scheme. 

• Under this scheme, holistic developmental works will be undertaken in northern bordering villages.
• The scheme will provide funds for-

1. Development of essential infrastructure, and 
2. Creation of livelihood opportunities.

• Key outcomes that have been attempted are – connectivity with all-weather roads, drinking water, 24×7 electricity – solar and wind energy, along with mobile and internet connectivity. Also, tourism, health and wellness centres. 
• The scheme will cover 19 Districts and 46 Border blocks in  4 states and 1 UT along the northern land border of the country and will help in achieving inclusive growth and retaining the population in the border areas. The states include Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh. The target is to develop the villages along the China border.
• The programme will cover 663 villages in the first phase, where job opportunities will be created to curb migration of the local population and sustainable economic activities will be encouraged. 
• This scheme is meant to reverse the outmigration from these villages adding to improved security of the border. 
• The scheme aids to identify and develop economic drivers based on local, natural, human and other resources of the villages on the northern border and the development of growth centres on the “Hub and Spokes Model” through the promotion of social entrepreneurship, empowerment of youth and women through skill development and entrepreneurship.

Strengthening Cooperative Movement in the Country

In order to strengthen the cooperative sector, the Union Cabinet approved the setting up of new primary agricultural credit societies (PACS) and dairy-fishery cooperatives in uncovered villages and panchayats. Its implementation will be done over a period of five years.

• The plan is to establish PACS in each uncovered panchayat, viable dairy cooperatives in each uncovered panchayat/village and viable fishery cooperatives in each coastal panchayat/village as well as panchayat/village having large water bodies.
• The plan will be implemented with the convergence of various schemes by leveraging the ‘whole of government’ approach. The proposal will enable cooperative societies to set up and modernise necessary infrastructure.
• The initial target is to establish 2 lakh multipurpose PACS/dairy/fishery cooperatives in the next five years.
• A national cooperative database is also being prepared by the Ministry of Cooperation for real-time monitoring of the new cooperative societies.

Significance –

• It will provide farmer members with requisite forward and backward linkages to market their produce, obtain credit facilities and enhance their income at the village level itself.
• The move will also help in generating employment opportunities in rural areas, which would have a multiplier effect on the rural economy.
• It would also help farmers to realise better prices for their products, expand the size of their markets and integrate them into the supply chain.

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) constitute the lowest tier of the Short-Term Cooperative Credit (STCC) structure in the country,

• PACS provide short-term and medium-term credit and other input services, like seeds, fertilisers, pesticide distribution, etc. to member farmers. 
• PACS are refinanced by NABARD through 352 District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) and 34 State Cooperative Banks (StCBs).
• There are around 98,995 PACS having a member base of 13 crore

Border Area Development Plan (BADP)

BADP aims at meeting the special development needs and well-being of people living in remote and inaccessible areas near the international border.

• GoI is implementing the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) through the State Governments/UT Administrations in habitations located within 0-10 km from the first habitation at the international border in 460 border blocks of 117 border districts in 16 States and 2 UTs – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir (UT) and Ladakh (UT). 
• Construction of roads, bridges, culverts, primary schools, health infrastructure, playfields, irrigation works, mini-stadiums, etc. can be undertaken within 10 km of the border from the BADP funds.
• The Border Area Development Programme (BADP) initially started for the western border and has over the years expanded to cover 16 States and two UTs.
• Vibrant Village Programme is a subset of the Border Area Development Plan (BADP).

Vibrant Village Programme:- Download PDF Here