Aspirational districts
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 20 2023:
Efforts are being taken up for all round development of as-pirational districts of the North East, said Regional Research Centre (RRC) NE States Director Dr Ashok Roy.
He said this while speaking on the sideline of the launch of the '3rd Regional Review cum Technical Support Workshop on Aspira- tional/Poor Performing Districts & Blocks of the NE States' at Hotel Classic Grande, Chingmeirong today.
Answering to queries of the media, Dr Ashok said, India has 112 Aspirational Districts including 7 from Assam and one each from the remaining seven States.
Chandel is the aspira-tional district of Manipur.
Notably, the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2018 with the aim to quickly and effectively transform 112 most underdeveloped districts across India.
The programme, Dr Ashok said, aims to improve and enhance administration, healthcare, education system, water supply schemes etc in the aspirational districts.
The health sector is facing some issues due to shortage of manpower like doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and pharmacists.
However, paramedical colleges and nursing colleges have been set up to solve this issue, he said.
Dr Ashok continued that the RRC NE States has been continuously studying the aspirational districts in the North East and all of them have significantly improved on all fronts including the health sector.
When asked about the approach adopted to improve the aspirational districts in the North East States, DR Ashok said "One district approach" is being adopted in the region and action plans are prepared considering the needs of the community concerned.
The workshop is being organised to bring together the District Commissioner along with the District Level Officers of the Health Department, ICDS officials and Anganwadi workers and discuss all issues concerning the aspirational district, he added.
Public Health Planning & Evidence (PHP&E), RRC NE Senior Consultant Dr Pankaj Thomas, Major General Atul Kotwal and officials of NITI Aayog, NHSRC (National Health Systems Resource Centre), Ministry of Panchayati Raj and NHM Manipur attended the workshop.