All eyes are on five border districts – Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Phalodi and Sri Ganganagar – where the central government's ambitious scheme Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) s being implemented.
Union home minister Amit Shah is monitoring the implementation of the scheme which is aimed at developing remote, sparsely populated villages along international land borders. It is also targeted at boosting infrastructure, create livelihood opportunities (such as tourism), prevent outmigration, and assimilate border populations to act as “eyes and ears” for security forces.
Under the scheme, the government has identified 184 villages with an annual allocation of Rs 3 crore each village. Of these villages 68 are in Sri Ganganagar, 46 in Bikaner, 36 in Barmer, 30 in Jaisalmer and four in Phalodi.
“Rajasthan government has handpicked officers to post in these districts. They have already started implementing the scheme – clearing the encroachments , engaging with local community and rolling out development work,” said a senior bureaucrat in state secretariat.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Bikaner recently where he reviewed the security and progress of VVP scheme in five border districts with Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, BSF officials, and district collectors and SPs of all five border districts.
Rajasthan govt is running a parallel scheme
Rajasthan government is also running a parallel scheme – Chief Minister Thar Area Development Programme for border districts. Nader this scheme Rs 150 crore has been allocated for development of infrastructure in 1,206 villages along international border.
Custodians of these districts
Anupama Jorwal is a 2011 batch IAS officer. She has been appointed district collector of Jaisalmer for the second time. Earlier, she had held this post for a brief period of three months, from April 2018 to July 2018. She had been collector of districts – Banswara, Sirohi and Pratapgarh – besides handling assignments including Director Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Managing Director Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC)and Managing Director Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited among other posts.
Chinmayee Gopal is a 2014 batch officer serving as Collector Barmer. She had served as collector in two districts – Tonk and Jhunjhunu – where she had launched special literacy programme for girls. She has also held important positions including Agriculture Commissioner and Joint Secretary Industries department during the crucial Corona period. There she coordinated with industries to help them continue with their industrial production facing the challenges of COVID.
Hailing from the family of bureaucrats in Uttar Pradesh, she has also served as CEO Zila Parishad n border districts of Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar in her previous assignments.
When she was Jhunjhunu Collector, Gopal launched free coaching for girls preparing for competitive examinations at their doorstep. She called upon influential people from society and encouraged them to fund free coaching for girls. The first such village was Sonasar where girls were provided with books, periodicals, computers, Internet and all facilities needed to crack the competitive examinations.
Nishant Jain is a 2015 batch IAS officer serving as Bikaner Collector. He has also served as collector in districts like Barmer and Jalore in his previous assignments. Apart from that he has held key positions of Secretary Jaipur Development Authority, Commissioner Ajmer Development Authority and Director Tourism among others.
He was a topper of 2015 batch from Hindi medium. Apart from being an administrator, he is also a motivator and an inspiration for many who could make it to IAS learning from his life and books. He has written motivational books – Mujhe Banana Hai UPSC topper and Ruk Jana Nahin among others.
Jain has received several state level and national awards for his administrative work. He received National Award for Progress towards Tuberculosis free status, state merit award for Election Management and SVEEP, award for implementing schemes for disabled people, outstanding work in public grievance redressal and exemplary work for aspirational block programme by Niti Aayog.
Ankit Kumar Singh is a 2014 batch officer serving as Collector of Phalodi district. Earlier he had several as Collector of Banswara, Karauli and Dungarpur. Ankit had joined Rajasthan cadre in June 2017 from Assam-Meghalay cadre after marriage with IAS officer Anajali Rajoria, who is a batch junior to him. Rajoria is currently serving as joint secretary in home department.
Singh has won three prestigious national award – National Award for the Empowerment of Persons during his posting in Dungarpur with Disabilities, National Water Award during his posting at Banswara and National MSME award during his tenure in Karauli. He has also received award from Niti Aayog for excellent performance under the aspirational block programme.
Amit Yadav is a 2016 batch IAS officer serving as Collector of Sri Ganganagar. He had served as Collector in districts like Sikar, Nagaur and Bharatpur in his previous assignments. Apart from that he has also served as Mission Director National Health Mission, Joint CEO State Health Assurance Agency and Commissioner Municipal Corporation Jodhpur (South) during his previous stints.
A medical graduate from Medical College Rohtak, Yadav has performed well as Collector Bharatpur – the home district of CM Bhajan Lal Sharma.
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