Latest news with #NITIAayog
Hans India
6 hours ago
- General
- Hans India
Collector urges volunteers to adopt families under P4 scheme
Paderu (ASR District): Alluri Sitarama Raju district collector AS Dinesh Kumar has called upon volunteers and mentors to come forward and adopt 'Bangaru Kutumbalu' (Golden Families) under the prestigious P4 (Public, Private, People Partnership) programme. Addressing a media conference at the District Collectorate on Monday, the collector said the innovative P4 scheme was launched in March by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu with the goal of transforming lives through collective partnerships. A detailed survey was conducted from March 9 to 25 to identify underprivileged families eligible for support. The collector said that out of 352 village and ward secretariats in the district, a survey was completed in 144, identifying 92,683 Bangaru families with a total population of 3,13,041 members. He appealed to donors and citizens to adopt these families to support their social and economic development. He clarified that financial aid is not mandatory for mentors, and simply guiding and mentoring the families would be sufficient. The primary goal of the P4 scheme is to uplift families from poverty to prosperity, he stressed. He also mentioned that details of eligible Bangaru families have been uploaded online, making it possible for anyone across the country to adopt a family through the portal. The district administration will always be available to assist the mentors throughout their journey. Setting an example, the Collector himself adopted a farm labourer's family from Ainada village in Paderu mandal. Joint Collector Dr MJ Abhishek Gowda also adopted a family from Guthulaputtu village. Collector AS Dinesh Kumar also announced that the 'Aakanksha Hot' programme will be conducted from August 2 to 25 as part of the Sampoornta Abhiyaan Samman Samaroh initiative. He expressed happiness over the district being recognised as an Aspirational District under the NITI Aayog framework. He said that in the Rampachodavaram division, Gangavaram, Maredumilli, and Mylavaram blocks have been identified as aspirational blocks. The programme will focus on six key areas Health & Nutrition, Agriculture, Education, Model School Development, and Social Development. The collector informed that the district has received an incentive of Rs 10 crore under NITI Aayog's support. Branding coffee and other horticulture crops under the label 'Made in Araku' has opened up better income opportunities for tribal farmers, he noted. TRICOR Collector Sahith, Deputy Collector MS Lokeswara Rao, CPO PVL Prasad, and other officials were present at the media interaction.
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Shaping India's multidimensional fight against poverty
India's efforts to reduce poverty have produced admirable results. As per the World Bank's revised poverty line, between 2011 and 2023, approximately 270 million people have been able to come out of extreme poverty. That's more than the population of Germany and Russia, combined. The poorest caste and religious groups saw the fastest absolute reduction in this period. It is now widely recognised that poverty is multidimensional, encompassing more than just lack of money. It includes deprivations in health, education, and quality of life. India's Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) measures poverty using multiple indicators. It looks at 12 basic needs across health, education, and standard of living to understand how people are deprived in different parts of their lives. A person is considered poor if they are deprived in at least one-third of the indicators used. Based on this approach, NITI Aayog's discussion paper reminds us that nearly 200 million people in India still face multiple hardships. Poverty remains severe, with the poorest struggling to meet about half of their 12 basic needs. These people often live in mud houses in which piped water and proper sanitation are still considered luxuries. It is not unusual for them to skip meals in a day, and an illness or an unexpected life event can have disastrous consequences. It's important to remember that when people face simultaneous deprivations — especially non-monetary ones — these challenges can reinforce each other, keeping people trapped in poverty. For example, people who are deprived in both nutrition and sanitation are potentially more vulnerable to infectious diseases. These deprivation bundles are a recurring pattern observed among people living in extreme poverty around the world. Quite often, poverty reduction policies are not framed keeping these interlinkages in mind. Graduation Approach This multi-pronged way to measure and study poverty also demands a fresh approach to design anti-poverty programmes. For governments, it means investing in programmes that give people living in extreme poverty the tools to escape the poverty trap. Bangladesh-based NGO BRAC's Graduation Approach offers an effective model to do that. The Graduation Approach provides the poorest of the poor a sequential and complementary package that includes a productive asset such as livestock or small items for trading, training to manage them, some money for up to a year to meet their immediate needs, and mentorship to manage their income and savings. The programme has become a global success. It has reached and improved the standard of living for millions of households across 43 countries following randomised evaluations by researchers affiliated with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), including Nobel Laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo. Households around the world receiving the multi-component support package of the Graduation Approach made significant gains in all the key MPI indicators. Let's take a closer look at them. Standard of living: The model increased household spending on food, fuel, and assets — all key elements of the MPI's standard of living dimension. In Bangladesh, researchers observed that participants were more likely to own land and a shop just two years after the programme — activities which the rural middle class partakes in. Even in Yemen, among the poorest countries in the world, people spent more on refurbishing their houses, suggesting they had money to spare after meeting their essential needs. Families also reported better financial security and higher spending on children. In India, households held more assets and reduced their dependence on informal credit. Health: Graduation Approach's focus on improving food security and access to healthcare can directly contribute to better health outcomes. In Afghanistan, the programme helped reduce diarrhoea among children under five years of age by eight percentage points. A study in Pakistan, India, Honduras, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Peru found people reported better health and happiness. In India too, some emerging lessons from studies show significant and sustained improvement in food security with 99% of participant households not skipping meals. Education: Researchers found that certain adaptations of the Graduation Approach also increased school enrolment rates among children. A study in Afghanistan conducted over 2016-2018 found that school enrolment rose by 7 percentage points for boys and 5 for girls. The Graduation Approach's close alignment with the national MPI indicators gives Indian States as well as the federal government a useful blueprint to design anti-poverty programmes effective in handling its multidimensional nature. Common deprivations It helps policymakers to identify the key areas that need urgent attention. For instance, the most common deprivation bundle in India is across four categories: nutrition, housing, sanitation, and clean cooking fuel. More than 34 million people lack access to these in India. Policies that target these areas in tandem are likely to have a much greater impact on poverty reduction. Over the past few years, India has introduced a slew of policies to improve children's nutrition, health and well-being of mothers, and financial inclusion for people living in poverty. And it has been successful too. Initiatives such as Poshan Abhiyan have been instrumental in improving health outcomes, particularly in reducing malnutrition, and PM Awas Yojana has reached millions through affordable housing. But these actions are often led by different Ministries. A multifaceted programme such as the Graduation Approach makes it easier for policy planners to achieve these different goals through one concerted strategy. In 2024, the Ministry of Rural Development took an important step in this direction by piloting the Samaveshi Aajeevika Initiative (Inclusive Development Programme) initiative across 11 States with a consortium of partners including BRAC, The Nudge Institute and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab ( J-PAL) South Asia. The programme — based on the Graduation Approach model — is designed to help rural women become entrepreneurs and put them on the path to self-sufficiency. Using this as a platform and in the spirit of cooperative federalism, States can identify vulnerability hotspots through MPI and target them through integrated proven solutions such as the Samaveshi Aajeevika to fight poverty and its multiple facets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid down an ambitious vision for inclusive development with a singular objective: leave no one behind. And as India marches towards becoming a high-income country by 2047, States must embrace evidence-based, innovative models such as Samaveshi Aajevika that can set people free from the poverty trap. Parikrama Chowdhry is the Lead - Policy (Scale-ups) at J-PAL South Asia; views are personal
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Training programme to boost rural development inaugurated
Madhubani: Aimed at empowering rural governance and accelerating grassroots development, district magistrate Anand Sharma inaugurated the panchayat development index 2.0 (PDI 2.0) training programme on Monday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In his address, the DM detailed the significance of PDI 2.0, an inclusive measurement system developed by the Union govt, to evaluate the sustainable and holistic development of gram panchayats. He said the PDI 2.0 builds on its predecessor, PDI 1.0, and aligns with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) outlined by NITI Aayog. He said PDI 2.0 incorporates nine key thematic areas and over 60 sub-indicators, directly linked to the SDGs. These include poverty eradication (SDG 1), zero hunger (SDG 2), health and well-being (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) and strong local governance and justice systems (SDG 16/17), he said. Additionally, indicators for climate action (SDG 13) and environmental management are integrated to address sustainability, he added. The index employs a standardised scoring system, assigning scores from 0 to 100 to categorise panchayats as outstanding, good, moderate, or in need of improvement. Panchayats are required to submit data via an online portal, which is verified at block, district, and state levels using a digital dashboard, said the DM. The PDI 2.0 framework is designed to enhance the quality of gram panchayat development plans (GPDPs) by integrating data from Mission Antyodaya and GPDP. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The training programme saw participation from panchayat heads, block panchayat raj officers (BPROs), and executive assistants from all blocks of Madhubani district. Deputy development commissioner Suman Prasad Sah and additional chief executive officer Rupesh Roy were present on the occasion. The training was led by DPRC nodal officer Vikas Kumar Mishra, supported by co-trainers Rajnish Kumar, Kamlesh Kumar, Nand Lala, Chandradev Sagar, Surendra Chaudhary, Ganesh Sahu and Dina Kumar. They provided detailed insights into PDI 2.0's concepts, methodologies, indicators and reporting processes.
United News of India
3 days ago
- Business
- United News of India
Maha CM meets several leaders in Delhi for state development projects
Mumbai / New Delhi, July 25 (UNI) In pursuit of various development projects for Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held meetings with several key leaders in Delhi over the past two days. He met with Union Ministers Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Manohar Lal Khattar, and officials from NITI Aayog. Fadnavis today paid courtesy visits to Minister Shah at Parliament House and to Minister Singh. They discussed various projects and issues concerning Maharashtra. The meeting with Shah lasted around 25 minutes. Fadnavis also met with Manohar Lal Khattar and Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini. He also met with Minister Sitharaman and requested approvals from the Department of Economic Affairs for funding from international financial institutions for various projects. Ms Sitharaman praised Maharashtra for maintaining excellent financial health by all standards. Fadnavis also held discussions on various projects which includes concrete roads to villages with a population of 1,000: US$1 billion (approximately Rs 8,651 crore) requested from the Asian Development Bank. Coastal protection using natural methods due to rising sea levels: US $500 million (approx. Rs 4,326 crore). Sewage treatment and reuse in municipal cities for industries: $500 million (approx. ₹4,326 crore). Two more projects were proposed for World Bank assistance. Ms Sitharaman directed officials to move ahead with approvals. Finance Secretary Anuradha Thakur, Chief Economic Adviser Praveen Pardeshi, and Principal Secretary to the CM Ashwini Bhide were present. During the meeting with J.P. Nadda, CM Fadnavis held discussions on setting up a large fertilizer plant in Vidarbha. The proposed project, a joint venture between GAIL, the Fertilizer Department, and the Maharashtra government, to be established in Nagpur district and have a capacity of 1.27 million tonnes. It would require 10,000 crore in investment. Maharashtra has submitted a proposal to the Union Ministry of Rural Development to construct 14,000 km of roads worth US$2.6 billion (approx. Rs 22,490 crore). Funding from ADB is planned. These roads will be maintenance-free for 25 years. Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized that this would greatly benefit farmers by improving connectivity. Fadnavis requested support for the project. Chouhan also congratulated Maharashtra for rapid progress in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana survey work. Maharashtra has had the highest number of housing approvals in the country—three million. CM Fadnavis met NITI Aayog CEO B V RSubrahmanyam and member Rajiv Gauba. They appreciated that Maharashtra maintained its fiscal deficit at 18 percent, well below the FRBM limit of 25 percent. UNI SP AAA SS
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
In Delhi, Fadnavis Pitches ₹10,000 Crore Fertiliser Plant for Vidarbha
Nagpur: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has proposed a ₹10,000 crore fertiliser plant in Nagpur district, positioning it as a game-changing investment to revive Vidarbha's agrarian economy. The proposed project, a joint venture between GAIL, the department of fertilizers, and the state government, will have an annual production capacity of 12.7 lakh tonnes. During a meeting with Union health minister JP Nadda in Delhi, Fadnavis—who is on a two-day visit to the national capital—requested central subsidy and policy clearance. "This will be a transformative project for Vidarbha," the CM said, highlighting its dual impact on rural employment and fertiliser availability. Nadda responded by instructing the state to submit a cabinet proposal. Fertilizers secretary Ratak Kumar Mishra was also present at the meeting. Fadnavis' visit included a series of high-level meetings to accelerate approvals for major infrastructure and environmental projects. In a meeting with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he sought clearance from the ministry of economic affairs for five international funding proposals. These included ₹8,651 crore from the Asian Development Bank to connect villages with concrete roads, ₹4,326 crore for coastal protection, and another ₹4,326 crore to treat municipal wastewater for industrial reuse. Two additional proposals, routed through the World Bank, were also discussed. Sitharaman, acknowledging Maharashtra's financial discipline, assured full cooperation. "Maharashtra has maintained strong economic indicators on every front," she said. Finance secretary Anuradha Thakur, chief economic advisor to the CM Praveen Pardeshi, and principal secretary Ashwini Bhide attended the meeting. Fadnavis also pushed for a ₹22,490 crore rural road network project covering 14,000 km under the ministry of rural development. These 25-year maintenance-free roads, supported by ADB funding, are expected to ease transportation for farmers. Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan praised the plan and lauded the state's performance in housing schemes. "The central govt has sanctioned a record 30 lakh homes for the state," he noted. At NITI Aayog, Fadnavis discussed projects worth ₹4,326 crore each, including the use of artificial intelligence for non-communicable disease (NCD) screening and bamboo-based industrial clusters. He also presented progress updates on the ₹8,651 crore Marathwada Water Grid, the Damanganga-Godavari river-link project, and a skill development plan linking ITIs with private industry. The commission assured timely clearances. "Despite the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) limit of 25%, Maharashtra has stayed within 18%," said CEO BVR Subrahmanyam, commending the state's fiscal prudence.
