The government has confirmed its commitment to promoting equitable growth through the announcement by the Union Planning Ministry that nine blocks located in Jammu and Kashmir will now be part of the Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP). The announcement also provides a roadmap to address some of Jammu & Kashmir’s most underdeveloped areas.
It recognizes that development must be taken to the local, grassroots level for it to have a lasting impact.
By identifying these nine blocks as part of the ABP, the central government is clearly demonstrating a greater understanding of the various regional disparities that exist within our country. This announcement reinforces the point that no matter how far-flung a part of our country may be, all areas will receive the same level of support and opportunity.
The nine blocks selected for the ABP will be subject to targeted interventions in health & nutrition, education, agriculture & water resources, financial inclusion and basic infrastructure.
The programme is built around a philosophy of outcome-based development that not only encourages healthy competition among blocks, but also promotes cooperation between State and Central governments, which has proven to be successful in many other regions across India.
We expect that this proven model will facilitate positive change in these communities in Jammu and Kashmir.
As a result of such improvements, the citizens of these blocks will have access to better education for their children, better health care, more productive agricultural production and improved access to the basic necessities of life.
This represents a fundamental step toward closing the gap between a region’s potential and the achievement of economic success for its people. Ultimately, for Jammu and Kashmir, this initiative represents a foundation for long-term stability and peace achieved through the empowerment of the people through economic opportunity, and by uplifting the social environment.
When development takes place at the most basic level of society, individuals feel as though they are actively engaged in the development of their community and that they are citizens of their community.
