Border villages are centres of culture, resilience: Arunachal Dy CM

Itanagar, Jul 11 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Saturday said the state's border villages are not merely the country's first line of defence but also centres of rich cultural heritage and resilience. He said empowering the youth through initiatives such as the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme (VVVP) is vital for building a "Viksit Arunachal" and a "Viksit Bharat". In a social media post, Mein said it was encouraging to see students from Tawang gaining firsthand exposure to the traditions, culture and way of life of border communities through the programme. "Our border villages are not just the first line of our nation's frontier; they are living repositories of culture, resilience, and heritage," the deputy chief minister said in a post on X. He said the programme provides young people with an opportunity to understand the unique lifestyle and traditions of border residents while strengthening their sense of responsibility towards society and the nation. "It is heartening to see young minds from Tawang gain firsthand experience through the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme, immersing themselves in the traditions and way of life of our border communities," Mein said. Such initiatives, the deputy chief minister said, help nurture future leaders, deepen appreciation of the country's cultural diversity and encourage young people to play a meaningful role in nation-building. "Such initiatives nurture leadership, deepen understanding of our rich cultural diversity, and inspire our youth to contribute meaningfully to nation-building," he added. VVVP is aimed at strengthening development and improving the quality of life in villages located along India's international borders, officials said. Besides creating better infrastructure and public services, the programme seeks to promote sustainable livelihoods, improve connectivity and preserve the cultural identity of border communities while encouraging greater participation of local people in the country's development process. Arunachal Pradesh is a major beneficiary of the programme, with several villages along the Indo-China, Indo-Myanmar and Indo-Bhutan borders being covered under different phases. The initiative focuses on improving road connectivity, telecommunications, electrification, tourism infrastructure and livelihood opportunities to ensure that border villages remain vibrant, self-reliant and strategically important, they added. PTI UPL UPL MNB