Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with participants of the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026 through video conferencing on July 26 at 4:30 pm.
The interaction will bring together young participants from across the country who took part in the month-long initiative aimed at connecting India’s youth with border villages and encouraging their participation in nation-building.
The programme, implemented through MY Bharat, has been designed to support PM Modi’s vision of treating India’s border villages as the country’s first villages rather than the last. The initiative seeks to make these villages active partners in the journey towards Viksit Bharat by promoting community engagement, development awareness and youth participation.
What is the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026?
The Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026 was organised in two phases between June 4 and June 30. It covered 74 vibrant border villages across Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, giving participants an opportunity to experience life in India’s frontier regions.
More than 400 youth participants, representing every state and Union Territory, were selected through a nationwide online quiz competition. According to the government, the competition received participation from over three lakh young people, reflecting strong interest among the country’s youth in contributing to community development and understanding India’s border regions.
The programme was conceptualised to provide participants with practical learning experiences while strengthening the connection between young citizens and communities living in strategically important areas of the country.
What did participants do during the programme?
During their stay in the villages, participants lived with local communities and took part in a range of activities focused on community service, awareness and local development. By staying with residents, they were able to understand the daily lives, challenges and aspirations of people living in border areas. The activities organised under the programme included:
- Swachhta drives
- Awareness campaigns on government schemes
- Yuva Sammelans
- Cultural exchange programmes
- Tree plantation drives
- Mini Model Panchayat simulations
- Interactions with local artisans
- Visits to institutions of strategic importance
These activities were aimed at encouraging civic participation, promoting environmental awareness, supporting local communities and helping participants understand how governance and development initiatives are implemented at the grassroots level.
Why is the programme important?
The programme gave participants first-hand exposure to the socio-economic conditions, cultural heritage and development aspirations of India’s frontier regions. It also highlighted the important role that border villages play in national security, cultural diversity and regional development.
The initiative sought to strengthen community participation, encourage cultural exchange and promote a greater sense of national integration among young people from different parts of the country. By interacting with local residents, artisans and community leaders, participants gained a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges in these remote areas.
PM Modi’s interaction on July 26 is expected to provide an opportunity for participants to share their experiences, discuss the lessons they learnt during the programme and highlight how such initiatives can encourage greater youth involvement in the development of India’s border villages. The interaction is also expected to reinforce PM Modi’s vision of empowering frontier communities and making them active partners in the country’s journey towards Viksit Bharat.