Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has placed a signboard at the threshold of the border village Mana in Uttarakhand's Chamoli, which reads 'First Indian Village'. Mana, which was earlier known as the last Indian village, is located at the Indo-China border. The development comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's remark that Mana was the first village of the country and every border village should be the first village. Under the leadership of PM Modi, the border areas of the country are becoming more vibrant, said Dhami, and for this, the Vibrant Village programme has been initiated.
The 'Vibrant Village' scheme, which aims to develop villages in 46 border blocks across 19 districts, 4 states and one Union Territory, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Ladakh (UT) on the northern border, found mention in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget speech in Parliament. The programme aims to develop border villages, improve the quality of life of villagers, harness the tourism potential by promoting local culture, traditional knowledge, and heritage, and promote community-based organizations, cooperatives, and NGOs. It is also aimed at developing eco-sustainable eco-agri-businesses on the concept of 'One Village, One Product'.
The Vibrant Village Action Plans have been prepared by the district administration in collaboration with gram panchayats, said Dhami. He said the scheme will be helpful in preventing migration from border areas, and PM Modi's statement that "the third decade of the 21st century belongs to Uttarakhand fills us with new enthusiasm and energy. While it fills us with pride, it also makes us aware of our duties". The CM added that in line with Modi-ji's vision, they are determined to work dedicatedly for the development and welfare of the state. To make Uttarakhand a leading state in every field by 2025, they have adopted the basic mantra of 'Resolve without option'.