The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) is a government initiative that was launched in 2018 in India. Its main goal is to transform districts that have lagged behind in key social areas, focusing on districts heavily affected by poor socio-economic indicators. Recently, the Prime Minister expressed his desire to expand the ADP to city and block levels.
Underlying Principles of the Programme
The programme operates by the convergence of Central and State Schemes, collaboration with Prabhari Officers and District Collectors, and competition between districts through delta ranking. The latter feature involves an innovative use of data combined with pragmatic administration, with the district as the core of inclusive development.
Main Objectives
Renewed emphasis is given to the strengths of each district, identifying low-hanging fruits for immediate improvement. Progress is measured by ranking the districts monthly, encouraging them to catch up with the best district within their state. Eventually, the aim is for these districts to compete with the best in the country, fostering both competitive and cooperative federalism. This is in line with the Government’s commitment to ensuring inclusive growth for all citizens – encapsulated in the slogan “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwas”.
Ranking Criteria
Districts are ranked based on incremental progress across 49 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) under five broad socio-economic themes. These include Health & Nutrition (30%), Education (30%), Agriculture & Water Resources (20%), Financial Inclusion & Skill Development (10%), and Infrastructure (10%).
Flagship Programmes
The NITI Aayog has initiated various programmes under the ADP, such as the Saksham Bitiyan Abhiyan, Anemia Mukt Bharat, and Surakshit Hum Surakshit Tum.
Challenges Faced by the ADP
The ADP faces challenges such as insufficient budgetary resources, lack of coordination due to multiple ministries’ involvement, and needing high-quality administrative data. The delta ranking method focuses more on quantity or access coverage than quality. In addition, the quality of education in India is in a dismal state, as highlighted by the ASER report.
Suggested Improvements
A simplified ranking index with a few carefully chosen output and outcome measures could more accurately reflect national development targets. Financial autonomy for local governments and independent surveys to validate administrative data could improve data quality. Further, a priority for the ADP could be building each districts’ capacity to produce reliable and actionable data, and promoting a culture of data use.
Quiz Question
Question: Atal Innovation Mission is set up under the (2019) (a) Department of Science and Technology (b) Ministry of Labour and Employment (c) NITI Aayog (d) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Answer: (c) Explanation: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is an initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. It aims to align innovation policies between Central, State and sectoral innovation schemes, thereby promoting an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at various levels.
