Question : Development of Aspirational Districts

(a) the targets fixed for the development of aspirational districts identified by the NITI Ayog for the financial year 2020-21 and the number of districts regarding which the targets have not been achieved along with the details thereof;

(b) the schemes formulated and targets set for the development of aspirational districts on all fronts for the financial year 2021-22 along with the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to implement it’s own schemes on the basis of the sustainable development goals;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether NITI Ayog is formulating any action plan for capacity building at the level of Panchayati Raj Institutions in the aspirational districts; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

(a) & (b) The main strategy of the Aspirational Districts Programme (“ADP”) is bringing convergence of existing schemes/ programs of the Central, State and District Administration. The programme is in the nature of additionality. Therefore, under it, NITI Aayog does not fix/ set any targets or formulate separate schemes for the districts. Instead, it has identified 49 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across the sectors of Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure, and has set up a robust monitoring mechanism for measurement of progress of the Districts in these indicators. On the basis of progress made by the Districts on a monthly basis, NITI Aayog ranks the districts and releases the ranking in the public domain. This ranking system and the ensuing competition are expected to encourage the District Administration to improve their performance across the KPIs. The progress made by the Districts across the KPIs is available on a web portal www.championsofchange.gov.in (‘Champions of Change’ dashboard), which is in the public domain.

(c) & (d) Government’s Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector schemes are already addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this regard, NITI has mapped all SDGs and related targets on the CSSs as well as implementing Ministries/ Departments. This mapping indicates which scheme is focused on which SDG(s)/ Target(s). The mapping is available at NITI Aayog’s website at following link: http://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2019-01/SDGMapping-Document-NITI_0.pdf.

(e) & (f) The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has already released recommendations for capacity building, training and strengthening of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, in the National Capacity Building Framework-2014, and has also launched online portals eGramSwaraj (https://egramswaraj.gov.in), AuditOnline (https://auditonline.gov.in) to support their governance activities. Further, the Government launched a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), which is being implemented from 2018-19 to 2021-22, with the primary aim of developing governance capabilities of PRIs to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Under ADP, in order to build capacity of district teams including panchayat level functionaries, NITI Aayog has circulated a primer that maps all the 49 Key Performance Indicators under the programme with the Schemes of the Central Government and identifies steps to make progress in these indicators. In another initiative, NITI Aayog has been encouraging the District Administrations to monitor performance of blocks by using the template of the Aspirational Districts Programme. This is expected to automatically lead to building of capacities at panchayat level which is necessary for improving the overall performance of a block.
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