INTRODUCTION

Good evening, everyone. My name is Tanishq Vijay, and I am Prathamesh Bhagure, and we are
here to talk about the aspirational district programme in India. This public policy is an initiative
of the Indian government that aims to develop and transform some of the most backward districts
in the country. Today, I will discuss this policy's background, main points, and pros and cons.

Aimed to transform the lives of millions of people living in some of the most backward regions
of India through a more holistic and balanced approach. By addressing these districts’ specific
challenges, the aspirational district programme can improve the quality of life and boost
economic growth in these areas.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Firstly, let's begin with some background information. India is a diverse country with different
economic and social conditions in other regions. There are certain regions in India which are
considered to be backward and underdeveloped. The aspirational district programme was
launched in January 2018 to identify and transform these backwards districts. The main objective
of this policy is to bring these districts at par with the developed ones by focusing on specific
areas of development, such as education, health, nutrition, agriculture, and skill development.

The aspirational district programme covers 112 districts across 28 states and union territories in
India. These districts have been identified based on a composite index of five indicators - health
and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion, and basic
infrastructure.

PLANS UNDER THE PROGRAMME

Under the aspirational district programme, the government has identified specific districts and
created a roadmap for their development. This roadmap includes a set of indicators and targets
that the government aims to achieve within a certain timeframe. The government has also created
a dashboard to track the progress of these districts on a real-time basis.
The aspirational district programme's initiatives address specific district challenges. For instance,
the "Pragati" programme offers quality education to children in these districts, including digital
classrooms, teacher training, and remedial classes.

The "Poshan Abhiyaan" programme focuses on health and nutrition and aims to combat
malnutrition in children and women by providing fortified foods, nutritional counselling, and
health monitoring.

The "Krishi Sinchai Yojana" programme aims to enhance these districts' crop productivity and
water management. It involves constructing water harvesting structures, promoting micro-
irrigation, and training farmers in modern agricultural practices.

Overall, the initiatives under the aspirational district programme can potentially transform the
lives of millions living in these backward regions. By addressing the specific challenges these
districts face, these initiatives can improve the quality of life and boost economic growth.

MAIN POINTS

Now, let's move on to the main points. The aspirational district programme has received a lot of
positive and negative attention. On the positive side, this policy could transform the lives of
millions living in these backward regions. By focusing on specific areas of development, this
policy can improve the quality of life and boost economic growth in these districts.

The aspirational district programme is a ground-level initiative, which means it has a direct
impact on the people living in these districts. It empowers the local communities by involving
them in the development process and ensures that the development is sustainable and inclusive.

On the negative side, some people argue that the aspirational district programme is not enough to
transform these backward regions. They believe this policy needs to address the root causes of
underdevelopment, such as lack of investment, poor governance, and corruption.

Furthermore, the success of the aspirational district programme depends on proper

implementation and allocation of the budget. If the resources are not allocated properly, this
policy may not yield the desired results.
Similar policies have been implemented by other nations, such as China and Brazil, to address
regional disparities. However, the aspirational district programme is unique because it involves a
bottom-up approach and focuses on specific areas of development.

REAL TIME RESULTS

According to the latest data available on the NITI Aayog website, there has been significant
progress in several indicators since the launch of the programme. For example, under the
education sector, the enrolment of students in primary schools has increased by 3.6%, and the
enrolment of students in secondary schools has increased by 3.8% in aspirational districts.
Similarly, there has been a 5.5% increase in the number of children who have received the first
dose of measles vaccine in these districts.

Under the health sector, there has been a 4.4% increase in institutional deliveries and a 2.7%
increase in the number of children who have received full immunisation in aspirational districts.
In addition, the percentage of households with access to tap water has increased by 8.8% in these
districts.

Moreover, several aspirational districts have shown significant improvement in various socio-
economic indicators. For example, Dahod district in Gujarat has shown a 6.8% improvement in
literacy rate, and Hailakandi district in Assam has shown a 9.6% improvement in the sex ratio at
birth.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the aspirational district programme has the potential to transform the lives of
millions of people living in the most backward regions of India. This policy focuses on specific
areas of development, involves local communities, and aims to bring these regions at par with
the developed ones. However, proper implementation and allocation of the budget are essential
for the success of this policy. I hope that this lecture has given you a better understanding of the
aspirational district programme, and I urge you to learn more about it and engage with this policy
in any way you can.
 FINAL THOUGHTS

Finally, I want to leave you with this thought: We must strive to create a world where every
individual has access to the basic necessities of life, such as food, water, education, and
healthcare. The aspirational district programme is a step in the right direction, but we still have a
long way to go. Thank you for listening.