There is a need to bring radical transformations at the district and the Village level for significant changes in India’s position in the Human Development Index (HDI), said Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO Niti Aayog. Expressing concern over the rural areas in India, that suffer from lack of Nutrition, health and education facilities, he said, bringing transformation will be difficult until India uplifts its low performing districts. Mr. Kant was speaking in the Annual Session of CII on 9th April 2018 at New Delhi at a session entitled Transforming the Backward Districts of India.
Currently India stands at 131st position out of 188 countries in the HDI. He further said that the Government has prepared a structured programme with 48 indicators, such as nutrition, health, education, and skill, financial inclusion, basic infrastructure and more to capture the real time changes at the district level, monitor changes and publish on the public domain. Government aims to enhance the development of these aspirational districts as a national mass movement, wherein it is important to have a larger partnership from Government, Industry and Social Sector, Mr. Kant added.
Mr. Rakesh Bharati Mittal, The President Designate, CII, said that as Industry we must focus on the districts which are not moving up in the value chain in providing access and equal opportunities in terms of health, nutrition, education, potable water, basic infrastructure. Highlighting on initiating some development projects, Mr. Mittal suggested that both government and Industry need to work together to present demonstrative development initiatives to the country. The community also needs to take charge of their lives, with the need to have an integrated approach including this aspect in the school and college curriculums.
Speaking on the Occasion, Ms. Suneeta Reddy, MD, Apollo Hospitals, said “Transforming the Backward Districts of India” as an initiative has the ability to be the most decisive in helping people to lead aspirational lives. The solution is in developing self-sustained rural micro economies, doubling farm income by 2022, creating gainful livelihood, other than farming, reverse urban migration by ensuring that the quality of life in the villages is comparable with that in the city. Acknowledging the Government efforts through the flagship programme of “Ayushman Bharat”, Ms. Reddy added that Apollo is focusing on Wellness and Healthy living, and has launched the programme, “Cradle to Grave”, to give 360 degree view of health care and happiness.
Ms. Natasha Sihaag, District President BJP Mahila Morcha Sirsa and Member of Panchayat Samiti Ellenabad, Sirsa, Haryana, emphasized on setting up of agro based industries in the rural areas. She said agro based industries in the rural areas would involve more youths, utilisation of local resources at low cost and utilise the local areas for consumption. It is therefore important that the Government should facilitate FDI in the Agro based industries.
Moderating the session Ms. Irena Vittal, Consumer Sector Expert and Independent Director, Tata Sons, said that the aspiration to do better will lead to the development of the low performing districts.
9 April 2018
New Delhi