Context: Recently, the Union Home Minister asked BSF for efforts to increase tourism through a 'vibrant village programme' to enhance border security.

• He also launched the Prahari app for the Border Security Force (BSF).

About the Prahari app

• It is a great example of Proactive Governance. 

• Jawans can get personal information and information related to accommodation, Ayushmann-CAPF and leaves on their mobiles.

• It will also include information related to the availability of Bio Data, Grievance redressal on the “Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System” (CP-GRAMS) and information on various welfare schemes.

About Vibrant Villages Programme

• Background: It was announced in the Budget Speech 2022.

• Coverage: The programme envisages coverage of border villages on the Northern border having sparse populations, limited connectivity and infrastructure, which often get left out from the development gains. 

Key focus areas

• It focuses on livelihood generation, road connectivity, housing, rural infrastructure, renewable energy, television and broadband connections.

• This objective will be met by strengthening infrastructure across villages located near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Significance

• It should be used by all border-guarding forces to encourage tourism in border villages, to make them self-reliant and vibrant.

Need for such scheme

• The programme is a counter to China’s model villages but the name has been carefully chosen so as to not cause any consternation in the neighbouring country.

• China has established new villages along the LAC in the past few years, particularly across the Arunachal Pradesh border.

• While China has been settling new residents in border areas, villages on the Indian side of the frontier have seen unprecedented out-migration.

Border Security Force (BSF) 

• It is India’s border guarding forces along the borders of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

• Administrative Control: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

• Purpose: It was raised in the wake of the 1965 War on 1 December 1965 as India’s first line of defence for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected therewith.

• Deployment: On-Line of Control (LoC) along with the Indian Army and in Anti-Naxal Operations.

• Officials: The BSF has its own cadre of officers but its head, designated as a Director-General (DG), since its raising has been an officer from the Indian Police Service (IPS).

Border Area Development Programme (BADP)

• The Government of India is implementing the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) through the State Governments/UT Administrations in habitations located within 0-10 km.

• The annual action plans of the States/UTs consisting of works related to village infrastructure like roads and bridges, health, education, agriculture, sports, drinking water & sanitation etc. are considered and approved as per BADP guidelines.

• It covers 460 border blocks of 117 border districts in 16 States and 2 UTs: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir (UT) and Ladakh (UT).