On April 04 2025, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the following proposals/schemes:
i.Approved 2nd phase of Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-II) with total budget outlay of Rs 6,839 crore, for Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25) to FY29.
ii.Approved 4 multi-tracking projects for Indian Railways (IR). The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 18,658 crore and is expected to be completed up to 2030-31.
Cabinet Approved 2nd Phase of Vibrant Villages Programme for FY25 to FY29
The union cabinet has approved 2nd phase of Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-II) with total budget outlay of Rs 6,839 crore, for the comprehensive development of the villages located in the blocks along all International Land Borders (ILBs), other than Northern border already covered under VVP-I.
- The newly approved programme reaffirms the Government of India (GoI)’s commitment for the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 for ‘Safe, Secured & Vibrant land borders’.
About Vibrant Villages Programme(VVP):
i.The Government of India(GoI) approved the VVP in 2023 to ensure comprehensive development of selected villages along the northern border in the States of Arunachal Pradesh(AR), Himachal Pradesh(HP), Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Ladakh.
ii.The Nodal ministry of VVP is the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA).
iii.VVP is a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) which means that GoI will provide 100% funding for the programme.
Key Features of VVP-II:
i.VVP-II will be implemented in select strategic villages in 17 states or Union Territories (UTs): Arunachal Pradesh (AP), Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, UT Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), UT Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and West Bengal (WB) till Financial Year 2028-29 (FY29).
ii.Under the VVP-II, funds will be provided for infrastructure development within the village or a cluster of villages, value chain development (through cooperatives, Self-Help Groups (SHGs)), education infrastructure like Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound(SMART) classes, works/projects to generate diverse and sustainable livelihood opportunities in the border areas, among others.
iii.The interventions will border-specific, state and village specific, based on Village Action Plans prepared through collaborative approach.
iv.All-weather road connectivity for the villages covered under VVP-II will be undertaken under the already approved Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojan (PMGSY-IV), which is currently being implemented by Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).
v.A High-Powered Committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of T. V. Somanathan, Current Cabinet Secretary(CS) of India to consider suitable relaxations in schematic guidelines for effective implementation of schemes in the border areas.
vi.The programme aims to achieve saturation in existing individual and household level welfare schemes in the identified villages under convergence in accordance with the scheme norms.
- It also aims to saturate all villages in such blocks under 4 different thematic areas: all-weather road connectivity, telecom connectivity, television connectivity, and electrification through convergence under existing scheme norms.
vii.The programme focuses on enhancing vibrancy in these villages by organising activities like: fairs & festivals, awareness camps, celebration of National days, among others. These activities will promote the local culture and heritage of these villages.
viii.Technology will be leveraged and information will be accessed through databases like Prime Minister Gati Shakti-National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP), for effective implementation of the programme.
CCEA Approved 4 Multi-tracking Projects Across Indian Railways
The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved 4 multi-tracking projects for Indian Railways (IR), aimed to enhance line capacity and improve both passenger and freight transportation across key routes.
- The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 18,658 crore and is expected to be completed up to 2030-31.
Key Points:
i.These 4 projects will cover 15 districts in 3 states: Maharashtra, Odisha and Chhattisgarh will increase the existing IR’s network by 1,247 kilometer (km).
ii.These projects will include these routes: Sambhalpur-Jarapda 3rd and 4th line; Jharsuguda-Sason 3rd and 4th line; Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa 5th and 6th line; and Gondia-Balharshah doubling.
iii.These 4 approved projects are part of PM-Gati Shakti-NMP for multi-modal connectivity. This initiative has been possible through integrated planning, which aims to provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.
iv.Under these 4 projects, 19 new railway stations will be constructed, improving connectivity to two Aspirational districts i.e. Gadchiroli (Maharashtra)and Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh).
Key Benefits:
i.The Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa route will provide direct connectivity to new areas like Baloda Bazar (Chhattisgarh), generating possibilities for the setting up of new industrial units, including cement plants in the region.
ii.The capacity expansion works will result in additional freight traffic of 88.77 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA).
iv.These projects will help in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reducing oil imports by 95 crore liters per annum and lowering Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions by 477 crore kilogram (kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 19 crore trees.
Recent Related News:
In March 2025, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the revised National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD), with additional Rs 1,000 crore for the program, thus bringing the total budget to Rs 2,790 crore for the period of the 15th Finance Commission (FC) cycle i.e. from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
