VVP was approved in 2023 to ensure comprehensive development of selected villages along the northern border in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Ladakh.

Key Features of VVP

• Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs
• Areas of intervention: Skill development, livelihood generation, tourism, development of co-operatives, financial inclusion etc.
• Potential Benefit: Programme will help in improving the border security of nation as it may promote community participation in the border management. 

Significance of Community Participation in the Border Management

• Familiarity with the local terrain, crossing points, and regular patterns of movement enables them to act as additional eyes and ears for border guarding forces.
  • Enhances situational awareness and aid in intelligence gathering along the border.
  • Provide information about suspicious activities, smuggling attempts, or potential security threats.
• Tackling workforce shortage due unavailability of sufficient workers in harsh conditions.
  • E.g. Residents of Chushul village (Ladakh) in 2020 helped Army to secure supplies for harsh winter season. 

Challenges in Ensuring Community Participation in the border management

• Distrust (also alienation) between Armed forces and local population disrupts cooperation. 
• Lack of economic progress, due to neglect by Government.