Lok Sabha Question No. 459 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Development of Backward Districts
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh, Shri Gopal Jee Thakur, Shri Jugal Kishore

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 459 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2024

## DEVELOPMENT OF BACKWARD DISTRICTS

## †459  SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH: SHRI GOPAL JEE THAKUR: SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a)  the details of amount of funds allocated for the development of backward districts of Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir;
- (b) the number of backward districts in Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir and the policy measures adopted by the NITI Aayog for the development of such districts;
- (c) whether a large number of blocks and villages are deprived of the mainstream of development in Darbhanga district even today which is a highly flood affected district;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to include Darbhanga district in the list of aspirational districts due to said reason;
- (f)  if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the details of policies formulated, funds allocated and utilised for many backward blocks under the Aspirational Blocks Programme in Araria and Jammu Parliamentary Constituencies?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) The  Aspirational  Districts  Programme  (ADP)  aims  at  socio-economic  development  in relatively  underdeveloped  districts  across  the  country.  13  districts  from  Bihar  and  2 districts from Jammu and Kashmir are part of ADP. Under the ADP, districts undertake various developmental projects to address critical gaps using the performance grants they

win  through  the  programme's  delta  ranking  method.  The  total  funds  allocated  to  the aspirational districts of Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir is attached as Annexure .

- (b) NITI Aayog does not measure the backwardness of districts. However, the districts under the ADP were identified based on a set of indicators measuring deprivation, health and nutrition, education, and infrastructure. The 112 districts identified through this methodology were called aspirational districts. There are 13  districts from Bihar and 2 districts from Jammu and Kashmir under the programme.
- (c) and (d) As described in (b) above the districts under the ADP were identified on the basis of a specific set of indicators. Darbhanga is not part of the ADP according to this criteria.
- (e) and (f)  The  Government  is  not  proposing  to  include  any  more  districts  under  ADP,  at present.
- (g) Under  Aspirational  Blocks  Programme  (ABP),  no  new  policies  were  envisaged.  ABP encourages  development  through  convergence  of  existing  policies  and  schemes  and employs a Key Performance Indicator framework for regular monitoring and ranking of blocks based on their incremental progress. Additionally, ABP emphasises the capacity building of block level officials and implements tailored initiatives to address challenges faced by vulnerable population.

Palasi block of Araria district, Khwas block of Rajouri district and Thakrakote block of Reasi district are part of the ABP. Rs. 14 lakhs has been allocated to each of these blocks under the programme till date.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 459 FOR 24.07.2024 BY DEVELOPMENT OF BACKWARD DISTRICTS REGARDING SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:SHRI GOPAL JEE THAKUR: SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:

## Funds allocated to the aspirational districts of Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir

| S.No.     | State          | District    |   Amount Sanctioned (Rs. in crores) |
|-----------|----------------|-------------|-------------------------------------|
| 1         | Bihar          | Araria      |                                6.39 |
| 2         | Bihar          | Aurangabad  |                               11.06 |
| 3         | Bihar          | Banka       |                               14.06 |
| 4         | Bihar          | Begusarai   |                               11.06 |
| 5         | Bihar          | Gaya        |                               14.82 |
| 6         | Bihar          | Jamui       |                               13.06 |
| 7         | Bihar          | Katihar     |                               16.06 |
| 8         | Bihar          | Khagaria    |                               32.93 |
| 9         | Bihar          | Muzaffarpur |                               18.03 |
| 10        | Bihar          | Nawada      |                               23.06 |
| 11        | Bihar          | Purnia      |                                8.06 |
| 12        | Bihar          | Sheikhpura  |                               10.52 |
| 13        | Bihar          | Sitamarhi   |                                3.06 |
| Sub total | Sub total      | Sub total   |                              182.18 |
| 1         | Jammu &Kashmir | Baramulla   |                               18.91 |
| 2         | Jammu &Kashmir | Kupwara     |                                6.06 |
| Sub total | Sub total      | Sub total   |                               24.97 |

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