Amit Shah arrives in Silchar on two-day Assam visit

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (February 20, 2026) accused the Congress of leaving the country’s borders open, which led to infiltration into Assam, and asserted that the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has dealt with the problem effectively.

Speaking at a program in Assam’s Cachar district, Mr. Shah claimed that the Congress had not initiated any development program during its rule in the state, but “currently, 14 km of roads are being constructed every day, which is the highest in the country.”

It launched the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Program (VVP), which will cover 15 states and 2 Union Territories across the country, from Cachar district.

Mr Shah said the development of the country’s border villages was a priority for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the program was “a step towards achieving this goal”.

Mr. Shah said the program was launched to stop migration from border villages and prevent infiltration through these international borders.

He also said that the second phase of VVP worth Rs 6,900 crore will cover 1,954 villages across the country.

“In the last 10 years, the BJP has ensured the development of Assam and will make the state flood-free in the next five years,” he added.

Amit Shah launches phase 2 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 in Assam’s Cachar district.

The program is part of the Centre’s efforts to strengthen border villages and promote inclusive development in these areas, an official statement said.

Vibrant Villages Program-II is a central sector scheme with an outlay of ₹ 6,839 crore by fiscal year 2028-29 and will be implemented in 15 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs), it said.

The program is designed to ensure comprehensive and sustainable development of border villages through a saturation-based and convergence-oriented approach.

According to the statement, the focus is on improving basic infrastructure, increasing access to basic services and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, thereby promoting safe, resilient and prosperous border communities in line with the Viksit Bharat-2047 vision.

By strengthening these villages, the program also allows residents to act as the eyes and ears of the nation, thus making a significant contribution to border security, preventing cross-border crimes and strengthening internal security.

Under VVP-I, 2,558 projects and studies with an expenditure of ₹3,431 crore were approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs and more than 8,500 activities were carried out, including awareness drives, health and veterinary camps, fairs and festivals and promotion of tourism.

On April 2, 2025, the government gave its nod to the second phase of the programme, under which 1,954 villages adjacent to international land borders of 15 states and two Union territories were identified for comprehensive development.