Amit Shah launches Vibrant Village program at Kibithu border village in Arunachal Pradesh

Why In News

·         On April 7, 2023, India's Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Vibrant Village program at Kibithu, a border village in Arunachal Pradesh.

Key Points

·         On April 7, 2023, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Vibrant Village program at Kibithu, a border village in Arunachal Pradesh. This program aims to bring about the overall development of rural areas and transform them into self-sufficient and prosperous communities.

About Kibithu Village:

·         Kibithu is a remote village located at an altitude of 9,000 feet above sea level, near the India-China border. It is the easternmost village of India and is considered as the gateway to the Land of the Rising Sun, Arunachal Pradesh.

·         This village lacks basic amenities such as electricity, healthcare facilities, and proper roads, which makes it difficult for the residents to access the necessary services.

Significance of the Vibrant Village program:

·         The Vibrant Village program, launched by the Home Minister, aims to change this situation by providing access to basic amenities and promoting economic growth in rural areas.

·         The program includes various initiatives such as the construction of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, provision of electricity, and access to clean drinking water. It also includes skill development programs to create employment opportunities for the local residents.

·         The Vibrant Village program is in line with the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, which aims to make India self-reliant and self-sufficient. It will not only improve the quality of life of people living in rural areas but will also promote economic growth and development in these regions.

·         The program will be implemented in a phased manner, and the government has allocated funds for its successful execution.

Significance of the rural development:

·         During the launch of the program, Amit Shah highlighted the importance of rural development and said that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that every citizen of the country, regardless of their location, has access to basic amenities and facilities.

·         He further added that the Vibrant Village program is a step towards achieving this goal and will benefit the people of Arunachal Pradesh and other rural areas across the country.

Election Commission grants national party status to Aam Aadmi Party

Why In News

·         In a significant development, the Election Commission has granted national party status to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)

Key Points

·         In a significant development, the Election Commission has granted national party status to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The party’s recognition as a national party is based on its electoral performance in four states- Delhi, Goa, Punjab, and Gujarat.

·         With this recognition, the AAP joins the list of national parties in India such as the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Communist Party of India (Marxist). The recognition also means that the party can contest elections in all states and union territories of India.

With the recent rejig, here is the complete list of national parties in India.

·         Aam Aadmi Party

·         Bahujan Samaj Party

·         Bharatiya Janata Party

·         Communist Party of India (Marxist)

·         Indian National Congress

·         National People’s Party (NPP)

Other Recent Development:

·         On the other hand, the national party status of the All India Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Communist Party of India (CPI) has been withdrawn by the Election Commission. Additionally, the state party status of RLD in Uttar Pradesh, BRS in Andhra Pradesh, PDA in Manipur, PMK in Puducherry, RSP in West Bengal, and MPC in Mizoram has been revoked.

How a Political Party becomes National Party:

·         The decision was taken based on the performance of these parties in the recent Assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls. As per the rules laid out by the Election Commission, a political party is recognised as a national party if it secures at least 2% of the total votes polled in Lok Sabha elections in at least three states or wins at least 6% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three states. The party should also have at least four members in the Lok Sabha.