Why is it in the news?

• The Indian government has allocated Rs 100 crore for the Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) in the current financial year.
• ABP is designed to improve governance at the block level and enhance the quality of life of citizens.
• The program is being implemented in 500 aspirational blocks across 329 districts in the country.
• The government’s goal is for all 500 blocks to reach the state average in terms of development within three years.

Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP)

• ABP is a development initiative aimed at improving the performance of areas that lag on various development parameters.
• It was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 and was launched during the 2nd National Conference of Chief Secretaries in January 2022.
• Initially, it covers 500 districts across 31 states and Union Territories, with a focus on six states: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.
• ABP is built upon the foundation of the Aspirational District Programme (ADP).

Aspirational District Programme (ADP)

• ADP was launched in 2018 with the goal of transforming districts that exhibit relatively slower progress in key social areas.
• It covers 112 districts across India.
• NITI Aayog anchors the program at the national level, while individual Ministries are responsible for driving progress in these districts.
• The program emphasizes convergence, collaboration, and competition among districts to foster inclusive development.
• The delta ranking system ranks districts based on incremental progress across 49 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) under five socio-economic themes.

Objectives of ADP

• Localize Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promote inclusive growth.
• Encourage districts to catch up with the best-performing district within their state and aspire to become one of the best in the country.
• Foster competitive and cooperative federalism.

Parameters for Ranking

The ranking is based on incremental progress across five broad socio-economic themes:

• Health & Nutrition (30% weightage)
• Education (30% weightage)
• Agriculture & Water Resources (20% weightage)
• Financial Inclusion & Skill Development (10% weightage)
• Infrastructure (10% weightage)

Various Initiatives under ADP

NITI Aayog has launched several flagship initiatives within the ADP framework, including:

• Saksham Bitiyan Abhiyan
• Anemia Mukt Bharat
• Surakshit Hum Surakshit Tum