The government wants to promote business and economic opportunities in the second phase of its developmental push in 112 of the country’s poorest districts it is developing as aspirational districts, according to officials aware of the matter. These 112 districts are home to roughly 150 million people.
Proposals to boost economic and business opportunities in these backward districts were discussed at a meeting on what bureaucrats described as “Aspirational Districts 2.0” at the Cabinet secretariat on last Friday.
Apart from cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, government think tank Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and secretaries of select ministers were present at the meeting. Rakesh Ranjan, an advisor to the Niti Ayog, also participated in the meeting.
Kant said the government wants to identify one economic activity, which would be the “key driver” in each of the districts. He made it clear that a one-size-fits-all approach would not be taken while picking economic opportunities in these backward districts as every district has its own strength and requirements.
“We have partnered with Tata Trusts, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We are judging districts on 49 indicators and see which district is going up and going down,” Kant said.
Read more in a report by Saubhadra Chatterji published in Hindustan Times... (Link given below)
