Nathanpur

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the second phase of the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP-II) from Assam’s Cachar district and inspected a section of the India-Bangladesh border, as part of his two-day visit to the poll-bound state.

Launching the nationwide expansion of the scheme from Nathanpur village, Shah said the initiative aims to strengthen infrastructure and livelihoods in border settlements, while also discouraging migration and curbing infiltration.

He stated that under Phase II, the programme will cover 1,954 villages across 334 blocks in 17 states that share borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Assam, 140 villages spread over 26 blocks in nine districts will be included under the revamped plan, with an overall outlay of ₹6,900 crore.

Highlighting the Centre’s focus on frontier development, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prioritised improving living standards in border areas. He asserted that residents of the identified villages in Assam would receive infrastructure and services comparable to those available elsewhere in the country.

The minister said the programme includes measures related to connectivity, security and saturation of welfare schemes, alongside efforts to create sustainable livelihood opportunities. Strengthening border communities, he added, would enhance internal security by enabling locals to assist authorities in preventing cross-border crimes.

Taking aim at the Indian National Congress, Shah alleged that previous governments left borders inadequately secured, resulting in infiltration in Assam. He claimed that the current BJP administration, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has taken decisive action to address infiltration, violence and insurgency.

Shah also contrasted central assistance provided during different tenures, stating that while ₹1.28 lakh crore was allocated to Assam between 2004 and 2014, ₹15 lakh crore has been invested over the past decade. He added that more than 24,000 kilometres of roads have been upgraded in the state, alongside the construction of numerous bridges, including four major ones.

The home minister further said the government has initiated steps to tackle Assam’s recurring flood challenges and pledged continued development if the BJP is re-elected in the upcoming assembly polls.

After the launch event, Shah reviewed security arrangements along the India-Bangladesh boundary in Nathanpur and directed officials to maintain heightened vigilance. He paid tribute at a martyrs’ memorial at a Border Security Force camp, inspected equipment on display and planted a banyan tree near the border.

Assam shares a 267.5-km land and riverine boundary with Bangladesh, spanning districts such as Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Cachar and Karimganj.

Shah later departed for Agartala and is scheduled to return to Guwahati to attend the CRPF’s annual day parade at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex — the first time the event is being held in the Northeast. He is also set to lay the foundation stone for a new campus of the 10th Assam Police Battalion in Sonapur.

READ MORE: Uttarakhand: Rohit Prakash pleads for Muslim keeping shops open till late

This marks Shah’s third visit to Assam since late December, as the BJP prepares for assembly elections expected to be held in March or April for the 126-member House.