The Rajasthan government has stepped up efforts to transform its border villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme-II, with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma personally overseeing implementation and directing officials to ensure time-bound execution, according to official statements. The initiative targets 184 strategic villages spread across five border districts, with 515 development works worth over ₹232 crore already proposed.

Villages and Districts Covered

The 184 strategic villages selected under the programme span Sri Ganganagar (68 villages), Bikaner (46), Barmer (36), Jaisalmer (30), and Phalodi (4). Each strategic village is entitled to development works worth ₹3 crore per year under the scheme.

Notably, profile verification and village data updating for all 184 selected strategic villages have been completed. Separately, verification work has been finished in over 3,000 of the 3,195 villages identified under the thematic saturation component.

Key Development Sectors

The programme covers a broad range of sectors: road connectivity, healthcare, education, electrification, television and telecommunication connectivity, livelihood generation, tourism, cultural promotion, youth empowerment, skill development, financial inclusion, cooperatives, and strengthening of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

The initiative also aims to achieve full saturation in four core thematic areas — road connectivity, telecommunication, television, and on-grid electrification — across 3,195 villages in Rajasthan's border blocks. This comes amid a broader national push, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stated vision that 'border villages are not the country's last villages, but its first.'

Implementation Mechanism

A multi-level coordination structure involving Central, State, and District-level committees has been established to oversee smooth delivery. Village profile verification, gap assessments, and preparation of Village Action Plans are being carried out through a dedicated Vibrant Villages Portal.

Community participation is also a stated priority, with cultural programmes, awareness campaigns, tourism activities, training sessions, and community meetings being organised to deepen social engagement in border areas.

State's Parallel Border Development Scheme

Alongside the Central programme, the Rajasthan government is independently running the Chief Minister Thaar Border Development Programme, which carries an annual allocation of ₹150 crore for the holistic development of 1,206 villages across the same five border districts.

For financial year 2025–26, approval has been granted for over 1,000 development works worth ₹137 crore covering electricity, drinking water, education, healthcare, agriculture, animal husbandry, sports, tourism, and infrastructure. Officials stated that the combined Central and State efforts aim to convert Rajasthan's border villages into emerging hubs of development, security, and self-reliance.