The development of remote border villages in North-eastern states, more particularly in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim along the India-China border, has been a challenging task. Issues of connectivity and lack of required infrastructure have been the primary bottlenecks in ending disparity in development among villages in border blocks in the Northeast with the rest of the development blocks in the region and other states. The centrally-funded Vibrant Villages Program has brought new hopes for people residing in border blocks in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Ministries concerned as well as Arunachal Pradesh ensuring timely and judicious utilization of the funds released under the program is crucial to achieving the desired objectives. Altogether 662 villages in 46 border blocks of 19 districts in four states—Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh—have been identified for implanting the scheme. Arunachal Pradesh accounts for the largest number of 445 villages, which signify the development push by India in Arunachal Pradesh, more particularly in villages along the India-China border. The allocation of Rs 4,800 crore for the program for the financial years 2022–23 to 2025–26 indicates that there is no dearth of funds, and much will depend on the capacity of implementing agencies and the states to seize the opportunity to accelerate the development process in synchronization with other flagship schemes and projects of the state and central governments. The government has identified 75 villages in Himachal Pradesh, 51 in Uttarakhand, 46 in Sikkim, and 35 in Ladakh Union Territory under the program. Ten focus areas of the programs include livelihood generation, road connectivity, housing and village infrastructure, energy, including renewable energy through solar and wind power, television and telecom connectivity, including the setting up of an IT-enabled Common Service Centre in the village, regeneration of the eco-system, promotion of tourism, and financial literacy. inclusion, skill development, entrepreneurship, and the development of cooperative societies for managing livelihood opportunities, including agriculture/ horticulture, and the cultivation of medicinal plants and herbs. Successful utilization of allocated funds will go a long way toward fulfilling the development aspirations of people living in far-flung border areas and preventing outmigration of residents to other areas of the state with better livelihood opportunities and developed infrastructure for education, healthcare, and other basic needs. Stabilizing the population in villages along the international border is crucial for securing the India-China border, and the development of these villages has special strategic importance. Improved road connectivity is also vital for faster troop movements in these border villages to secure the border and create a sense of security among the villagers. The increase in migration of people from these border villages in Arunachal Pradesh to other places has been a cause of concern for the government, and efforts are on to improve development indices in these villages to check it. The program envisages the convergence of existing schemes of central and state government through the formulation of a district convergence plan. The meticulous and innovative planning process will be crucial to achieving convergence and preventing overlap. Timely execution of the schemes is necessary to prevent cost escalation, which often renders many projects in the northeast region unviable as escalated costs are not covered by the allocation determined by norms and guidelines laid down under a particular scheme or program. Building the capacity of officials and other stakeholders at the district level and at the grassroots level is important to improve plan preparation. Strengthening monitoring and evaluation of the execution of various schemes and projects needs to be prioritized so that necessary course corrections can be undertaken. Submission of utilization certificates (UC) is a tested mechanism for ensuring fund utilization and release of subsequent allocations. Improved monitoring and evaluation can expedite the submission of the UC and improve fund flow. District Convergence Plan Being realistic in terms of disruption in project execution during the monsoon period can help draw the roadmap and pathway for this program of strategic importance. Lessons must be learned from gaps in the implementation of the Border Area Development Programme so that opportunities created are not lost due to inefficiency and a casual approach. The program is a well-crafted response by India to China’s aggressive push to develop areas along the Line of Actual Control. Robust planning and speedy execution through the use of modern technologies will make life along the border villages vibrant, befitting the nomenclature of the centrally-sponsored scheme. The planning process needs to be participatory to trigger enthusiasm among beneficiary villages so that border populations can also extend meaningful contributions by suggesting to the planners about their requirements for infrastructure, livelihood support, financial assistance, the creation of a market value chain for farm products, better schools and colleges within commutable distance, accessible healthcare, and better transport facilities—lack of which is acting as a push factor behind outmigration. A whole-of-government-approach is essential for the successful implementation of this centrally-funded program of strategic importance aimed at reversing the outmigration of people from border villages.