NITI AAYOG - 2018
Transformation of Aspirational Districts
Baseline Ranking and Real Time Monitoring Programme | 29 Jun 2018

Introduction

Though India is on high growth trajectory, presently the quality of life of many citizens is not paralleled with the growth story since

  • India ranked 131 out of 188 in UNDP’s Human Development Index (2016)
  • There are significant interstate and inter district growth variations.

About Transformation of Aspirational Districts programme

  • Launched by the Prime Minister in January 2018, the ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ programme focuses on transforming 115 districts across 28 states that have witnessed the least progress along certain development parameters.
  • These 115 districts account for more than 20% of the country’s population and cover over 8,600 gram panchayats.
  • It aims to improve performance across indicators that improve the quality of life as well as economic productivity.
  • The Aspirational Districts programme, through real-time monitoring and proactive course corrections, reinforces the mechanisms of cooperative & competitive federalism between the Centre and the States, down to the Districts.

Baseline ranking

The NITI Aayog launched the baseline ranking for the Aspirational Districts based on the published data of 49 indicators (81 data points) across five developmental areas with different weightages.

Aim

  • To remove heterogeneity through mass movement (Jan Andolan), to quickly and effectively transform the district.
  • Uplifting the districts which have shown relatively lesser progress in achieving key social outcome.
  • Focus on the key strengths of each district and identify the low-hanging fruits for immediate improvement.

Outline

Prabhari officers

  • Officers at the levels of joint secretary/Additional Secretary.
  • States appoint State Prabhari officers.

Selection of Districts

  • By a committee of Senior Officers to the Govt of India
  • Data sets to be obtained from
    • Socio Economic Caste Census
    • Health Sector performance
    • Education Sector performance
    • State of Basic Infrastructure

Framework

  • NITI Aayog anchors the programme with support from Central Ministries and the State Governments.
  1. 30 districts - NITI Aayog
  2. 50 districts - Various Central ministries
  3. 35 LWE districts - Ministry of Home affairs

Real time monitoring

  • NITI Aayog & Govt. of Andhra Pradesh created dashboard for monitoring real-time progress of districts.
  • From April 1 2018 Districts will start entering data.
  • From May 2018, Districts will be ranked on their "incremental progress" i.e. Delta Ranking, exemplifying the spirit of competitive federalism.
  • Districts can learn from each other's experiences using the "Best Practices" document that NITI Aayog has prepared and circulated to the district collectors.
Performance of 101 districts across sectors

Sector

Weightage

Indicators

Rank 1

Rank 101
Health and nutrition 30%
  • Antenatal care
  • Postnatal care  
  • Gender parity
  • Newborn health
  • Children’s growth
  • Contagious disease
  • Health
  • Infrastructure

Virudhunagar

(Tamil Nadu)		 Adilabad (Telangana)
Education 30%
  • Learning outcome
  • Average scores in maths and languages
  • Toilet access for girls
  • Drinking water availability
  • Electricity supply Pupil-teacher ratio
  • Textbook delivery on time
 Bhupalpally (Telangana) Shrawasti (UP)
Agriculture and water resource 20%
  • Price realisation
  • Yield
  • Seed distribution
  • Soil health card
  • Crop insurance
  • Artificial insemination
  • Animal vaccination

Vizianagaram (Andhra)

Chandel (Manipur)
Basic infrastructure 20%
  • Household latrines
  • Drinking water
  • Electricity
  • Road connectivity  
  • Common service Centres
  • Panchayats
 Mahasamund (Chhattisgarh) Namsai (Arunachal)
Financial Inclusion and skill development 10%
  • Skilling of youth 
  • Employment  
  • Skilling of marginalised and vulnerable youth

Financial inclusion: Mahasamund (Chattisgarh)

Skill development:

Purb iSingbum (Jharkhand)

Financial inclusion: Baksa (Assam)

Skill development: Baksa (Assam)

Overall Baseline Ranking

  • Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh is ranked highest with 48.13 %, Mewat in Haryana tails at the end with 26.02 %.
  • Public-Private Partnerships, aided by technology, can bring radical transformation in the country, boosting implementation of various government schemes.

Private hands involved are ITC, IDinsight, Piramal Foundation, Tata trust.