Village Development Plan (VDP) Brings New Hope For Tribal Villages Under TRESP.

Agartala, Tripura, 14th of August, 2026 : A new wave of participatory planning is gaining momentum across the tribal areas of Tripura as Village Development Plan (VDP) trainings under the Tripura Rural Economic Growth and Service Delivery Project (TRESP) continue in various RD Blocks. Conducted directly in Village Committee offices and nearby community locations, the initiative is creating awareness and strengthening community participation in grassroots development planning.

The VDP preparation process is being carried out through an intensive community-driven approach where representatives from line departments, elected representatives, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Producer Groups (PGs), Community Resource Persons, School Management Committees, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, Cluster Level Federations (CLFs), senior citizens, and village residents are actively participating. The objective is to prepare comprehensive village development plans reflecting the aspirations and priorities of the local communities.

The Tribal Welfare Department, Government of Tripura, has entrusted the responsibility of VDP training and facilitation to the State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (SIPARD). The VDP exercise follows a structured three-phase training process under the guidance and supervision of SIPARD. Block Project Management Units (BPMUs) of TRESP are playing a crucial role in mobilizing participants and coordinating field-level activities.

To ensure effective implementation, SIPARD has developed a dedicated pool of 23 Resource Persons and six trained Master Trainers in each TRESP block. These facilitators are leading the participatory planning process across the tribal regions of the state.

So far, SIPARD has successfully completed Phase-I VDP training in 38 Village Committees and Phase-II training in 24 Village Committees, covering a total of 1,338 participants, including local community members and officials from service delivery departments. The initiative initially began with five model Village Committees in West Tripura and Sepahijala districts and has gradually expanded to other districts.

At the field level, significant progress is being recorded. The TRESP team of Killa RD Block recently completed Phase-I VDP training in Jalema Village Committee, training 27 participants. Ampi RD Block conducted Phase-I training in Palku Village Committee from August 11 to 13, benefiting 34 participants. Meanwhile, Mungiakami RD Block has commenced a three-day Phase-I VDP training programme in Maharanipur Village Committee, scheduled for completion on August 14.

Officials associated with the programme noted that awareness and enthusiasm among villagers are increasing steadily. Community members are actively participating in training sessions, village-level discussions, and data collection exercises. The three-phase training process is not only helping prepare village development plans but is also strengthening local capacities for long-term planning and governance.

With the VDP initiative progressing across TRESP areas, Tripura is expected to develop a comprehensive 360-degree understanding of the development needs of tribal villages. The resulting village plans are anticipated to serve as an important foundation for future policy formulation, resource convergence, and sustainable development interventions in tribal areas of the state.

The Village Development Plan initiative under TRESP is emerging as a powerful platform for empowering tribal communities to envision, prioritize, and shape their own development journey.