Lok Sabha Question No. 3457 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-17
Subject: Development of Backward Blocks
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Jual Oram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3457 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2021

## DEVELOPMENT OF BACKWARD BLOCKS

## 3457. SHRI JUAL ORAM:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has identified the most backward blocks in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether it is a fact that a number of blocks in the State of Odisha have still not made any progress; and
- (d) if so, the details of the specific action plan drawn up to develop those blocks on par with properly developed blocks?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) No  Sir.  While  it  is  desirable  that  special  attention  is  provided  to  under-developed blocks, it is for the State Governments to undertake this task. As the template of the on-going  Aspirational  Districts  Programme  which  involves  identification  of  key performance indicators, robust monitoring of progress and rewarding the districts on basis  of  performance,  has  been  found  effective,  the  Government  of  India  has encouraged  the States to use the same  template for identification and rapid development of backward blocks.
- (b) As per information made available by the State Governments, Madhya Pradesh, UT of Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Haryana,  Tripura,  Maharashtra,  Gujarat  and  Nagaland  have identified  the  backward  blocks  and  indicators  for  monitoring  them,  based  on  the template of the Aspirational Districts Programme. As the block-level Programmmes are run by the respective State Governments, the details of the identified blocks and indicators are not available with NITI Aayog.
- (c) No Sir. Under the Aspirational Districts Programme, 10 districts of Odisha, namely Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Dhenkanal, Nuapada, Rayagada, Balangir, Gajapati, Kandhamal,  Koraput  and  Nabrangpur  are  being  regularly  monitored  on  49  Key Performance  Indicators  across  5  sectors,  namely,  Health  &  Nutrition,  Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development and Basic Infrastructure.  As  of  January  2021,  all  the  10  Aspirational  Districts  in  Odisha  have shown  improvement  in  all  sectors  since  the  inception  of  the  Programme.  Since performance of a district is reflective of the performance of the blocks that constitute a district, development process in different blocks under Aspirational Districts have accelerated.
- (d) As per Schedule 7 of the Constitution of India, development efforts at block level is the responsibility of the State Governments.  Hence, all States including Odisha have been  advised  to  direct  the  districts  to  draw  block  level  development  plans  and implement the same. While this is  not  collated by  the  Government  of  India,  States have been conveyed all support in this endeavor by the NITI Aayog.