Leh (Ladakh) [India], June 3 (ANI): In a landmark development aimed at strengthening border habitation and improving the quality of life of residents living in remote frontier regions, Ladakh LG, Vinai Kumar Saxena, yesterday laid the foundation stone for the first Model Border Village at Chumur, under the Government of India's ambitious Vibrant Village Program (VVP).

Perched at an altitude of 16,700 feet along the Indo-China Border, Chumur houses 24 households with a population of 91 people, who are all engaged with Pashmina rearing and production.

This project will script a new chapter in the development journey of Ladakh, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of a strong, self-reliant border villages. Beginning with Chumur, 10 such border villagers will be developed as Model Border Villages in the first phase of VVP, according to an official statement.

This Project, which is also the first of its kind in Ladakh and among the pioneering model border villages in India, will focus on four key pillars of development - Infrastructure, Employment and Livelihood Creation, All-Weather Functionality, and Civilian-Defence Integration. The project has been conceived to develop Chumur as a self-reliant, climate-resilient, tourism-enabled and economically vibrant border settlement.

The foundation-laying event witnessed jubilant celebrations from hundreds of locals, including youth and senior citizens, that reflected the spirit, aspirations and the whole-hearted support to this new initiative. A large number of school children from nearby villages were specially brought in by the district administration, to witness and experience the concept of Vibrant Village that essentially aims at fostering inclusivity and connecting the people with the mainstream of development.

Under the program, families in these villages will be provided with climate-resilient, south-facing passive solar houses, designed to maximize solar heat gain and protect them from harsh winters, when the temperatures drop to -35 degrees, during the peak winter months. Each household will receive a residential unit with an attached bathroom, an additional room suitable for homestay activities, kitchen garden space, livestock sheds and dedicated fodder storage facilities. These houses are expected to be completed by September this year, subject to weather conditions.

The project is aimed at significantly boosting local economic activities by developing Chumur as a tourism destination on the Korzok - Hanle circuit. As part of it, tourism infrastructure including a community-run cafe, promotion of handicrafts, Pashmina-based livelihoods and value-added Pashmina products will be facilitated to create new income-generation opportunities for local residents. This primarily aims at infusing self-reliance among the villagers and reverse migration from the border regions.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, L-G Saxena described the project as a transformative initiative that goes beyond conventional development, and seeks to enhance the security, stability and resilience of the nation by strengthening border settlements. He stated that Chumur, owing to its strategic location along the India-China border, has been selected as Ladakh's first Model Border Village, under the Vibrant Village Program, a dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has consistently emphasised that border villages are not the 'last villages' but the 'first villages' of India.

He noted that the initiative aims to improve living standards, create sustainable livelihood opportunities and ensure long-term prosperity for residents of remote border areas.

To strengthen food security and livelihoods, a 90 x 27 feet commercial greenhouse will be established with the support of Defence Institute of High-Altitude Research (DIHAR), for year-round vegetable cultivation. The produce will cater to local needs and supply nearby defence establishments, including Army and ITBP, creating a sustainable market for the villagers, while promoting stronger civil-defence cooperation.

The village has been planned as an all-weather settlement with reliable water supply, improved sanitation and wastewater management systems, renewable energy-based power infrastructure, modern digital connectivity and enhanced habitability during harsh winters. A central service core comprising a school, Primary Health Centre (PHC), community hall, parks, community cafe and Tourist Interpretation Centre (TIC) will provide essential services and strengthen social and economic life in the village.

L-G Shri Saxena highlighted the crucial role of the Indian Army, ITBP, local residents and youth in ensuring the success of the initiative and thanked the security forces for their unwavering service in the region.Envisioned as a self-reliant, climate-resilient, tourism-enabled and economically vibrant border settlement, the Chumur Model Border Village is expected to emerge as a benchmark for sustainable development in high-altitude frontier regions and a model for border villages across the country. (ANI)