In a session attended by over 300 Sarpanches and Gram Pradhans from Border Villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme, V. Vidyavathi, Secretary of Tourism, Government of India, reiterated the significance of promoting tourism without compromising the essence of these villages.
“We must promote tourism but not at the cost of villages,” Vidyavathi said.
Additionally, she provided assurance of complete support for the advancement and promotion of villages under the “Vibrant Villages” program, intending to establish them as sought-after tourist destinations.
Introduced as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) aims to ensure holistic development of designated villages situated across 46 blocks along the northern border, spanning 19 districts encompassing regions such as Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, UT of Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh.
The Vibrant Villages Programme comes with a central contribution of INR 4800 crore, designated for the fiscal period from 2022-23 to 2025-26. Notably, INR 2500 crore of this allocation is earmarked exclusively for enhancing road connectivity.
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Adventure tourism also came under focus, with Vidyavathi highlighting its significance and potential in vibrant villages. She informed that the Ministry of Tourism is currently developing three Trans-state Mega Adventure Trails that particularly cater to the villages covered by the Vibrant Villages Programme – the Western Indian Himalayan Trail, Eastern Indian Himalayan Trail, and Trans Himalayan Trail.The Secretary also reiterated the Ministry’s dedication to celebrating tourism festivals, expressing that the festivities would be brought to the villages to negate the need for people to travel to Delhi for the same.
During the meeting, various dimensions of tourism were discussed, along with challenges faced by different villages and potential solutions for tourism development. Topics relating to infrastructure, community involvement, skill enhancement and environmental preservation were addressed.
Sarpanches from different villages shared their insights on tourism development in their respective villages, associated challenges, and available opportunities.
