Dy CM TR Zeliang and others during the State-level Sampoornata Abhiyan Samman Samaroh for Aspirational Districts & Blocks held in Kohima on August 2.
‘Governance must touch every life and development must reach every village’ – Dy CM Zeliang
Kohima, August 2 (MExN): Planning & Transformation Department, Government of Nagaland organised a State-level Sampoornata Abhiyan Samman Samaroh for Aspirational Districts & Blocks at the Capital Convention Centre, Kohima on August 2.
Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Planning & Transformation and National Highway, TR Zeliang, gracing the programme as the chief guest, said governance must touch every life and development must reach every village, stated a DIPR report.
Stressing on vision of the Samapornatha Abhiyan programme, Zeliang said that it signifies completeness and total coverage and ensuring that no one is left out, whether it is a village, household or a single individual.
Zeliang emphasised that when community takes ownership, transformation becomes possible. He attributed the progress of the Abhiyan due to the collective effort of the field workers and districts administrators with support from the staffs, community leaders and citizen who believed that change was possible. He noted that the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme focuses not only on government performance but also on empowering local communities.
‘Ownership at the grassroots is key to sustainability, and when communities are involved, development will not just be fast but also lasting,’ he noted.
Zeliang acknowledged the awardees for their dedication, patience, and hard work in building a stronger and more compassionate Nagaland, which will inspire others to follow in their footsteps. He also acknowledged the dedication and sincerity of the block and district teams and officers who worked in challenging conditions, difficult terrain, limited infrastructure, and at times with limited resources.
The Dy CM urged all departments, including District Administration Health, Education, Rural Development, Social Welfare, and Agriculture & Allied in fostering the culture of collaboration. He further reminded stakeholders that the goal is to move from schemes to solutions from targets to transformations, ensuring every village, every child, every woman and every elderly person feels the government's presence and promise.
Kiphire, Noklak, and Zunheboto blocks achieve 100% saturation in key indicators
Development Commissioner, Temsunaro Aier IAS, delivering her opening remark, remarked that the Aspirational districts program was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2011, with a visionary initiative supporting inclusivity, inclusive and accelerated development across some of the country's most underserved regions.
The programme also aims at transforming the most underdeveloped districts of India by focusing on key socio-economic measurable indicators and bringing them at par with the more developed ones. She stated that the progress the programme has seen has been encouraging and deeply motivating through coordination, convergence and community participation at the cross-food level.
Aier said the Aspirational blocks programme was introduced by the government of India in January 2023 to target the most backward blocks across the country. Through the programme, there is steady improvement in health, nutrition, education, agriculture and infrastructure.
The three Aspirational blocks in Nagaland under the Aspirational Blocks Programme are Kiusan Block in Kiphire district, Akuhaito Block in Zunheboto district, and Thonoknyu Block in Noklak district.
She remarked that out of all the Aspirational blocks, Kiphire district achieved 100% saturation in four out of the six indicators, Thonoknyu under Noklak district achieved 100% in five indicators, and Akuhaito in Zunheboto district achieved 100% in two indicators under the Aspirational districts program.
Aier also highlighted that through the tremendous efforts of the districts and block teams, these Blocks have shown notable improvements in the socio-economic indicators.
The Sampoornata Abhiyan, led by NITI Aayog and supported by all stakeholders, launched a three-month campaign from July to September to push for full saturation in key indicators.
Aier encouraged everyone to further take the spirit forward to other key areas such as digital inclusion, financial inclusion, water conservation and more parameters indicators under school education and health and work towards saturation. She urged all to pledge to build a complete Nagaland for a developed India and for a Viksit Nagaland for Viksit Bharat, one that is inclusive, equitable and complete.
Short speeches on notable Aspirational journeys were delivered by the Secretary of Lokayuta, Arikumba and DC Kiphire, Temsuwati Longkumer.
CEO, NITI Aayog, BVR Subrahmanyam and Additional Secretary, Mission Director, NITI Aayog, Rohit Kumar delivered messages virtually. During the awards ceremony, medals and certificates of appreciation were awarded to the winners from NITI Aayog. Advisor, Home Guard & Civil Defence, Fire and Relief & Rehabilitation, S. Kiusumew Yimchunger and a host of AHODs and HODs, DCs, and government officials attended the program.
