Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP)

Overview

Aspect	Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP)	Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP)
Launch	January 2018 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister	January 2023 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister
Coverage	112 districts	500 blocks
Objective	Accelerate development of relatively backward and remote districts	Achieve saturation of essential government services at the block level
Approach	Outcome-based, competitive, and cooperative governance	Last-mile delivery with focused block-level interventions
Themes	→ Health & Nutrition – 30% weightage (13 indicators) → Education – 30% (8 indicators) → Agriculture & Water Resources – 20% (10 indicators) → Financial Inclusion & Skill Development – 10% (10 indicators) → Basic Infrastructure – 10% (7 indicators)	→ Health & Nutrition → Education → Agriculture and Allied Services → Basic Infrastructure → Social Development
Progress Measurement	81 indicators	40 indicators

Challenges under ADP and ABP

• Resource Gaps
  Lack of trained staff and infrastructure delays real-time data updates.
  Example: Slow reporting of school learning outcomes in remote districts.
• Fragmented Data Systems
  Poor inter-departmental coordination leads to duplication.
  Example: Overlap between health and nutrition data from NHM and ICDS.
• Inconsistent Data Quality
  Absence of standardized tools affects reliability.
  Example: Variation in learning achievement scores across surveys.
• Target-Focused Approach
  Excessive focus on numerical targets compromises service quality.
  Example: Increase in institutional deliveries without proportional improvement in maternal health outcomes.

Way Forward for ADP and ABP

• Refining Indicators
  Periodically update indicators to reflect emerging priorities such as sustainability.
  Example: Renewable energy initiatives in Himachal Pradesh.
• Targeted Support to Lagging Regions
  Additional financial and technical assistance for underperforming areas.
  Example: Kalahandi (Odisha) improved health and education outcomes through focused central support (NITI Aayog, 2019).
• Capacity Building
  Deployment of dedicated personnel and expert partnerships.
  Example:Aspirational District Fellows in Nandurbar (Maharashtra).
  • Collaboration with technical institutions
    Example: IIT Hyderabad support for rural development in Andhra Pradesh (MoRD, 2020).

Best Practices from India’s Aspirational Districts Programme

1. Health and Nutrition

• Model Anganwadis – Ramgarh, Jharkhand: Improved childcare and community outreach
• ‘Hamar Swasthya’ App – Rajnandangaon, Chhattisgarh: Early detection of chronic diseases
• Hostels for Pregnant Women – Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh: Prenatal care and nutritional support

2. Education

• Bal Sansad – Shrawasti & Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh: Student empowerment through mock parliaments
• BALA (Building as Learning Aid) – Shrawasti, Uttar Pradesh: Child-friendly learning spaces
• Project Second Innings – Dahod, Gujarat: Engagement of retired teachers to improve learning outcomes

3. Agriculture and Water Resources

• Agriculture Entrepreneur Scheme – Ramgarh, Jharkhand: Training farmers in sustainable practices
• Horticulture Price Agreement Initiative – Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh: Assured prices and market access
• ‘Taanka’ Rainwater Harvesting – Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh: Water conservation for dry seasons

4. Financial Inclusion and Skill Development

• Solar MAMAs – Gumla, Jharkhand: Women trained to manufacture solar lighting solutions
• Khawa Cluster Concept – Osmanabad, Maharashtra: Value addition through milk processing

5. Basic Infrastructure

• Green Road Construction Technologies – Goalpara, Assam: Use of recycled materials
• ‘Liter of Light’ Initiative – Ranchi, Jharkhand: Low-cost lighting using recycled bottles
• Swajal Water Testing – Barpeta, Assam: Community-led drinking water quality testing

6. Governance Innovations

• BDO Scorecards – Hazaribagh, Jharkhand: Transparent performance assessment
• Lok Sewak App – Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh: Geotagged attendance monitoring
• Infrastructure Snapshot App – Goalpara, Assam: Citizen reporting of infrastructure issues

Focus Areas and Achievements under ADP

• Health & Nutrition: Target of 50% reduction in Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) by 2024
• Education: Significant increase in secondary school enrolment
• Agriculture & Water Resources:
  • Dholpur (Rajasthan) achieved 25% improvement in water efficiency using solar-powered irrigation
• Financial Inclusion & Skill Development:
  • Target of 100% basic bank account coverage in eligible households by 2024
• Basic Infrastructure:
  • Over 1,500 villages achieved complete household electrification by March 2024

International Recognition

• The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) has been recognized by UNDP as a successful model for local area development, highlighting India’s outcome-based and data-driven governance approach.

Sampoornata Abhiyan

• Launched by NITI Aayog
• Duration: 4 July – 30 September 2024
• Coverage → 112 Aspirational Districts, 500 Aspirational Blocks

Objectives

• Achieve saturation of key indicators in → Health, Agriculture, Education

Key Features

• Focus on 6 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for districts and blocks
• Outreach activities and behavior change campaigns
• Field visits by district officials
• Preparation of 3-month action plans by districts and blocks
• Coordinated implementation with → Central ministries, State governments, Local stakeholders