Tiriyani Block of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, Telangana secured the top position in the first delta rankings of Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) announced by NITI Aayog.
The second position was bagged by the Kaushambi block of Kaushambi District, Uttar Pradesh. The rankings were announced in a virtual event at NITI Aayog which saw participation of 329 districts and 500 aspirational blocks from across the country.
The ranking of the blocks has been calculated on the basis of performance of blocks and progress achieved in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the month of June 2023.
Ranking the blocks based on KPIs is a core strategy of the Programme based on the spirit of competitive and cooperative federalism. This is the first time that the ranking of blocks has been calculated as part of the Aspirational Blocks Programme.
In addition to ABP, the ADP rankings were also announced for the month of October, 2023 which saw Rayagada (Odisha) and Jamui (Bihar) achieving the first and second ranks respectively. The top rankers in the thematic and overall categories of ADP were felicitated.
The Prime Minister launched the Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) on January 7, 2023, during the 2nd National Conference of Chief Secretaries.
The programme focuses on improving governance to enhance the quality of life of citizens and service delivery in the remotest and less developed blocks of India. This is done through converging existing schemes, defining outcomes, and monitoring them constantly to bridge gaps.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee in consultation with States has identified 500 blocks from across 27 States and 4 Union Territories of India for the ABP. Each block will focus on monitoring key socio-economic indicators categorized under major themes:
Health and Nutrition,
Education,
Agriculture and Allied Services,
Basic Infrastructure and
Social Development.
The 500 Blocks, part of the Aspirational Blocks Programme were selected by an Inter-Ministerial Committee in consultation with state governments. An index was developed based on data pertaining to health and nutrition, education, basic infrastructure, etc. using Mission Antyodaya and the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC).
