Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses during the launching ceremony of Vibrant Villages Programme-II in Nathanpur, Assam on February 20, 2026. Photo: X/@AmitShah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (February 20, 2026) accused the Congress of leaving the country’s borders open, which led to infiltration in Assam, and asserted that the BJP government, headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has effectively dealt with the problem.
Addressing a programme in Assam’s Cachar district, Mr. Shah also alleged that the Congress did not initiate any development programme during its rule in the state, but “now 14 kms of road are being constructed daily, which is the highest in the country”.
He launched the second phase of Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) from the Cachar district, which will cover 15 states and 2 Union Territories across the country.
Mr. Shah said the development of border villages of the country is a priority for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the programme is “a step towards achieving this goal”.
The programme has been launched to stop migration from the border villages and prevent infiltration through these international boundaries, Mr. Shah said.
He also said the ₹6,900-crore second phase of the VVP will cover 1954 villages across the country.
“In the last 10 years, the BJP has ensured Assam’s development and will make the state flood-free in the next five years,” he added.
Amit Shah launches 2nd phase of Vibrant Villages Programme
The Union Home Minister launched the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme, which will cover 1,954 border villages in 15 states and two Union territories, from Assam’s Cachar district.
The programme is a part of the Centre’s efforts to strengthen border villages and promote inclusive development in these areas, an official statement said.
The Vibrant Villages Programme-II is a central sector scheme with an outlay of ₹6,839 crore up to the 2028–29 financial year and will be implemented across 15 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs), it said.
The programme is designed to ensure the comprehensive and sustainable development of border villages through a saturation-based and convergence-driven approach.
It focuses on improving essential infrastructure, enhancing access to basic services, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, thereby fostering secure, resilient and prosperous border communities in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat-2047, according to the release.
By strengthening these villages, the programme also enables residents to act as the eyes and ears of the nation, thereby contributing significantly to border security, the prevention of cross-border crimes and the strengthening of internal security.
Under the VVP-I, 2,558 projects and works with an outlay of ₹3,431 crore have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs, and over 8,500 activities, including awareness drives, health and veterinary camps, fairs and festivals and promotion of tourism, have been undertaken.
On April 2, 2025, the government gave its nod to the second phase of the programme, identifying 1,954 villages abutting the international land borders of 15 states and two Union territories for comprehensive development.
Published – February 20, 2026 02:11 pm IST
