Govt's aspirational districts prog having far-reaching, holistic impact: Study

They are agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion, and skill development. "The Aspirational Districts Programme marks an important shift from pursuing economic growth for its own sake towards achieving meaningful social progress within each of India's regions.

The government's Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP)is having a far-reaching and holistic impact in under-developed areas of the country, according to a study. The study has been conducted by the US-based Social Progress Imperative (SPI) -- set up by Harvard Business School Professor Michael E Porter and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Scott Stern -- and the Institute for Competitiveness (IFC), India.

ADP was launched in January 2018 in 112 most backward districts. It aims to transform districts that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas and emerged as pockets of under-development. "The impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) has been both far-reaching and holistic," the study said.

Porter said the programme has the potential to serve as a model of India's future economic and social development strategy. Applying the 'Distance to Frontier' (DTF) analysis to gauge the performance of the districts against their set targets, the study found that DTF was minimum in three sectors of health and nutrition, education, and basic infrastructure but relatively larger and requiring more sustained efforts in three other sectors. They are agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion, and skill development.

"The Aspirational Districts Programme marks an important shift from pursuing economic growth for its own sake towards achieving meaningful social progress within each of India's regions. "All the districts included in the programme have been progressing in key development parameters and are performing significantly better today than they were before ADP was initiated," Stern said.

He also said that as the world continues to grapple with the fallout of COVID-19 public health crisis, the importance of resilient and shared economic development, combined with social progress, come into even sharper relief. "This study offers a timely, insightful guide into how and why the Aspirational Districts Programme is beginning to realise its promise in the neediest of regions by focusing on what works," Stern noted.

As per the study, while all aspirational districts rapidly improved on short-term indicators by plugging the supply-side gaps, the medium-term indicators showed the most improvement. Health and nutrition, education, and basic infrastructure were the most improved sectors and significant ground was covered in many medium-term indicators related to building health infrastructure and those that require sustained behavioural change.

"Agriculture and financial inclusion are the main areas of concern for most aspirational districts as their average scores lie farthest away from the frontier. Most of the districts are 40-90 per cent away from their targets," the study said. According to the study, areas such as agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion, and skill development require greater attention in the ADP going forward.

The study said the researchers also appreciated the new model of collaboration embedded in the programme with civil society organisations as equal partners in the development cycle..

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