Haridwar declared India’s Best Aspirational District under NITI Aayog's Aspirational Districts Programme

Haridwar - India’s Best Aspirational District: Haridwar has been declared as India’s Best Aspirational District by NITI Aayog. The distraction of Best Aspirational District to the Holy City of Haridwar was accorded under NITI Aayog's Aspirational Districts Programme. Along with the title of being India’s Best Aspirational District, the district will also receive an additional allocation of Rs 3 Crores.

The news about Haridwar being selected as India’s Best Aspirational District was confirmed by Rakesh Ranjan, the director of NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Program in a letter written to Uttarakhand Chief Secretary SS Sandhu and Haridwar District Collector. The letter outlined the achievements of Haridwar district in development of basic infrastructure. Haridwar District has been allocated to Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal who has taken active interest in the development of the district.

Aspirational Districts Programme

Launched in 2018, NITI Aayog's Aspirational Districts Programme is aimed at identifying potential districts that can develop into model blocksthrough socio-economic development. Under the programme, the central government takes steps to improve the socio-economic condition of identified districts and ensure inclusive and holistic development.

The programme enables the local administration to leverage technology and innovation for better governance and service delivery. During its launch, a total of 117 Districts were identified to be a part of the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP). The development and performance of these districts is evaluated by NITI Aayog every month through reports sent by district administrators.

Parameters for Evaluation

The Aspirational District Programme launched by NITI Aayog evaluates the performance of districts on the basis of five key parameters. These parameters measure the socio-economic development of the block.

• Health & Nutrition (30%)
• Education (30%)
• Agriculture & Water Resources (20%)
• Financial Inclusion & Skill Development (10%)
• Infrastructure (10%)