ASPIRATIONAL BLOCK PROGRAMME – GOVERNMENT SCHEME
News:
Govt set to launch scheme
tomorrow to raise blocks on development scale
What's
in the news?
●
The Centre is set to launch the
Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP), a new initiative on the lines of the
Aspirational District Programme.
Key
takeaways:
●
The Aspirational District Programme is
aimed at improving performance of districts lagging on various development
parameters.
Aspirational
Block Programme:
●
Under the ABP, 500 blocks across states have been identified.
●
The ABP was announced by Finance Minister
Nirmal Sitharaman in her 2022-23 Budget speech as an extension of the
Aspirational District Programme.
Why
Aspirational Block Programme?
●
The vision of the government to improve the quality of life of citizens
in the most backward districts of the country through the Aspirational
Districts Programme has been translated into reality in a short span of time.
●
Ninety-five percent of those 112 districts
have made significant progress in key sectors such as health, nutrition,
financial inclusion and basic infrastructure. They have surpassed the state
average values.
●
However, in those districts, some blocks
continue to lag.
●
So, in 2022-23, the programme will focus
on such blocks in those aspirational districts.
Authority:
●
NITI
Aayog, in partnership with the states, will release quarterly
ranking of these blocks based on their performance on development indicators
covering sectors such as health, education and nutrition, among others.
●
The first such ranking is likely to be
released in April this year.
Cooperative
federalism:
●
The states and NITI Aayog will work
together.
● While the Centre has put in place basic indicators for the rankings, states have been asked to include additional indicators based on their requirements. According to this source, like the aspirational district programme, the private sector can also contribute to the development of these blocks.
Selection
of blocks:
●
The 500 blocks have been identified on the
basis of the recommendations of a four-member
committee constituted by the Government last year.
Go
back to basics:
Aspirational
Districts Programme (2018):
Aim:
●
It aims to quickly and effectively
transform 112 most under-developed districts across the country.
●
The broad contours of the programme are
convergence, collaboration and competition among districts through monthly
delta ranking.
Strategy:
●
Convergence:
horizontal and vertical governments.
●
Collaboration:
impactful partnerships between government, market and civil society.
●
Competition:
fosters accountability on district governments.
Authority:
NITI
Aayog.
Focus:
●
With States as the main drivers, this
program focuses on the strength of each district, identifying low-hanging
fruits for immediate improvement and measuring progress by ranking districts on
a monthly basis.
●
The districts are encouraged to monitor
the progress of the blocks that lead to the overall improvement of the
district.
Indicators:
●
The ranking is based on the incremental
progress made across 49 Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs) under 5 broad socio-economic themes such as
○
Health & Nutrition
○
Education
○
Agriculture & Water Resources
○
Financial Inclusion & Skill
Development
○
Infrastructure.
Significance:
1.
Inclusive growth:
●
The Government is committed to raising the
living standards of its citizens and ensuring inclusive growth for all “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas aur Sabka
Vishwas”.
2.
Competitive & cooperative federalism:
●
Districts are prodded and encouraged to
first catch up with the best district within their state, and subsequently
aspire to become one of the best in the country, by competing with, and
learning from others.
3.
Socio-economic themes:
●
The districts are also encouraged to
develop and replicate best practices that drive improvement across the
socio-economic themes.
4.
SDG goals:
●
The Programme essentially is aimed at
localising Sustainable Development Goals, leading to the progress of the
nation.