Under Vibrant Villages programme, 17 border villages to be developed as tourist destinations

The Central government will run a pilot project under the Vibrant Villages programme to boost economic activity, provide employment, and stem migration in these areas

In Himachal Pradesh, multiple trekking routes have been planned in the Spiti valley, with one in Charang village of Kinnaur district too. File.

Tourists may soon be able to experience a nomadic festival in Ladakh, trekking trails along the Alkapuri glacier in Uttarakhand, and river rafting in Arunachal Pradesh’s Para and Kameng. The government has decided to develop 17 villages along the border with China as tourist destinations under the Vibrant Villages programme. The focus is on adventure tourism, construction of homestays, and promotion of local festivals and fairs, with work to be completed by April 2024. Work will begin in Uttarakhand first.

Villages in Ladakh (Chushul, Karzok); Himachal Pradesh (Lalung, Gipu, Charang Khas); Uttarakhand (Mana, Niti, Malari, Gunji; Sikkim (Lachen, Lachung, Gnathang); and Arunachal Pradesh (Zemithang, Taksing, Chayangtajo, Tuting, Kibithoo) will be developed as a pilot project for the scheme. The long-term goal is to develop 663 villages in the first phase.

The special programme to develop the border villages, which was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Kibithoo earlier this month, aims to provide a comprehensive growth model for these villages in order to improve the quality of life of people living there.

The scheme also intends to leverage the tourism potential through promotion of local, cultural, traditional knowledge and heritage in the border areas, thus increasing the employment opportunities of the people and, as a result, stemming migration.

“The Union Tourism Ministry has zeroed in on adventure tourism and homestays as the focus areas to develop the first 17 villages chosen for the pilot project,” a senior official in the Ministry said.

In the four villages of Uttarakhand for example, plans are being put in place to construct or upgrade close to 120 homestays within this year. Similar targets have been set for the other villages too.

In Himachal Pradesh, multiple trekking routes have been planned in the Spiti valley, with one in Charang village of Kinnaur district too.

In Uttarakhand, trekking routes are being planned along Saraswati Tal, Vasudhara falls, and Alkapuri glacier (the source of the Alaknanda river) in Mana village. They will also be developed near Niti pass and Kailash viewpoint in Niti village of Chamoli district. In Malari village of the same district trails are being planned near Parwati Kund and the popular Bugyal trek. So far, many of these routes have been populated by private tourist companies; these will now have the government’s infrastructure and trained guides.

Similarly in the five villages of Arunachal Pradesh, adventure tourism activities like river rafting in Para and Kameng as well as ice skating will be developed in Chayangtajo village.

In Sikkim, there are plans to organise adventure tourism meets in Gnathang village which will include skiing, ice skating, and angling at Memencho lake, and mountain biking and high-altitude marathons in Lachen village.

Sources in the Ministry of Tourism said that the Centre’s rural tourism programme would focus on development of the Vibrant Villages programme.

A two-pronged approach was being followed for implementation: building and upgrading infrastructure for adventure tourism and homestays; and training and capacity building of local people to handle the tourist influx and maintaining of facilities, sources said.

The Union Ministry of Tourism, along with State tourism and sports departments will implement the programme. The homestays will be constructed under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Griha Awaas Yojana. Nodal officers have been appointed at both village and State levels.

The entire project is being funded by the Union Home Ministry. A total of ₹4,800 crore has been allocated under the programme for infrastructure development and to provide livelihood opportunities. Out of this ₹2,500 crore will be spent exclusively on the creation of road infrastructure.

The entire programme will include 2,967 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts.