India is on a high growth trajectory that is expected to lift millions out of poverty. However, presently the quality of life of many of its citizens is not consistent with this growth story, a fact reflected in UNDP’s 2016 Human Development Index wherein we are ranked 131 out of 188 countries. A closer look at the data reveals high heterogeneity in the living standards in India. There are significant inter-state and inter-district variations. By uplifting the districts which have shown relatively lesser progress in achieving key social outcome, India can move ahead in the human development index. Launched in January 2018, the ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ initiative aims to remove this heterogeneity through a mass movement to quickly and effectively transform these districts. Core Strategy The broad contours of the programme are Convergence (of Central & State Schemes), Collaboration (of Central, State level ‘Prabhari’ Officers & District Collectors), and Competition among districts driven by a spirit of mass Movement. With States as the main drivers, this program will focus on the strength of each district, identify low-hanging fruits for immediate improvement, measure progress, and rank districts. Selection of districts The 115 districts were identified from 28 states, at least one from each state, in a transparent manner by a committee of Senior Officers to the Government of India, in consultation with State Officials using a composite index of key data sets that included deprivation enumerated under the Socio-Economic Caste Census, key health and education sector performance and state of basic infrastructure. Institutional framework This programme is a policy priority of Government of India. NITI Aayog anchors the programme with support from Central Ministries and the State Governments. While NITI Aayog is steering the initiative in 30 districts, various central ministries oversee 50 districts besides the Ministry of Home Affairs, which focuses on 35 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts. Officers at the level of Joint Secretary / Additional Secretary have been nominated to become the ‘Central Prabhari Officers’ of each district. States have appointed state-nodal and Prabhari officers. An Empowered Committee under the Convenorship of the CEO, NITI Aayog will help in the convergence of various government schemes and streamlining of efforts. List of Aspirational districts State District Andhra Pradesh Vizianagaram Andhra Pradesh Visakhapatanam Andhra Pradesh Cuddapah Arunachal Pradesh Namsai Assam Udalguri Assam Hailakandi Assam Goalpara Assam Dhubri Assam Darrang Assam Barpeta Assam Baksa Bihar Sitamarhi Bihar Sheikhpura Bihar Purnia Bihar Nawada Bihar Muzaffarpur Bihar Khagaria Bihar Katihar Bihar Jamui Bihar Gaya Bihar Begusarai Bihar Banka Bihar Auranagabad Bihar Araria Chhattisgarh Sukma Chhattisgarh Rajnandagon Chhattisgarh Narayanpur Chhattisgarh Mahasamund Chhattisgarh Korba Chhattisgarh Kondagaon Chhattisgarh Kanker Chhattisgarh Dantewada Chhattisgarh Bijapur Chhattisgarh Bastar Gujarat Narmada Gujarat Dahod Haryana Mewat Himachal Pradesh Chamba Jammu And Kashmir Kupwara Jammu And Kashmir Baramulla Jharkhand West Singhbhum Jharkhand Simdega Jharkhand Sahebganj Jharkhand Ranchi Jharkhand Ramgarh Jharkhand Purbi Singhbhum Jharkhand Palamu Jharkhand Pakur Jharkhand Lohardaga Jharkhand Latehar Jharkhand Khunti Jharkhand Hazaribag Jharkhand Gumla Jharkhand Godda Jharkhand Giridih Jharkhand Garhwa Jharkhand Dumka Jharkhand Chatra Jharkhand Bokaro Karnataka Yadgir Karnataka Raichur Kerala Wayanad Madhya Pradesh Vidisha Madhya Pradesh Singrauli Madhya Pradesh Rajgarh Madhya Pradesh Khandwa Madhya Pradesh Guna Madhya Pradesh Damoh Madhya Pradesh Chhatarpur Madhya Pradesh Barwani Maharashtra Washim Maharashtra Osmanabad Maharashtra Nandurbar Maharashtra Gadchiroli Manipur Chandel Meghalaya Ri Bhoi Mizoram Mamit Nagaland Kiphire Odisha Rayagada Odisha Nuapada Odisha Nabarangpur Odisha Malkangiri Odisha Koraput Odisha Kandhamala Odisha Kalahandi Odisha Gajapati Odisha Dhenkanal Odisha Balangir Punjab Moga Punjab Firozepur Rajasthan Sirohi Rajasthan Karauli Rajasthan Jaisalmer Rajasthan Dholpur Rajasthan Baran Sikkim West District Tamil Nadu Virudhunagar Tamil Nadu Ramanathapuram Telangana Komaram Bheem Asifabad Telangana Khammam Telagana Jayashankar Bhoopalpalli Tripura Dhalai Uttar Pradesh Sonbhadra Uttar Pradesh Siddharth Nagar Uttar Pradesh Shravasti Uttar Pradesh Fatehpur Uttar Pradesh Chitrakoot Uttar Pradesh Chandauli Uttar Pradesh Balrampur Uttar Pradesh Bahraich Uttarakhand Udam Singh Nagar Uttarakhand Haridwar West Bengal Nadia West Bengal Murshidabad West Bengal Maldah West Bengal Dinajpur Dakshin West Bengal Birbhum Focus areas The Government is committed to raising the living standards of its citizens and ensuring inclusive growth for all – "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas". To enable optimum utilization of their potential, this program focuses closely on improving people’s ability to participate fully in the vibrant economy. Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure are this programme’s core areas of focus. After several rounds of consultations with various stakeholders, 49 key performance indicators have been chosen to measure progress of the districts. Districts are aspiring to first catch-up with the best district within their State, and subsequently aspire to become one of the best in the country, by competing with, and learning from others in the spirit of competitive & cooperative federalism. Methodology Baseline Ranking The objective of the program is to monitor the real-time progress of aspirational districts based on 49 indicators (81 data-points) from the 5 identified thematic areas. With the latest available data from the ministries concerned, NITI Aayog has completed a baseline ranking of 101 districts. Data was normalised, and a composite score was calculated. Going forward, districts will be ranked based on their progress on a real-time basis. Niti Aayog will subsequently calculate the ‘distance to frontier’ – i.e. the distance of each district from the state’s and nation’s best. To access the Aspirational Districts Baseline Ranking Map, click here. Sector Ranking Health and Nutrition (30%) - With 30% of the overall composite score on health & nutrition, the program has identified 13 indicators to focus on antenatal care, postnatal care, gender parity, health of new - borns, growth of children, contagious diseases, and health infrastructure. Education (30%) : The education sector accounts of 30% of the overall index. 8 indicators have been identified focussing on learning outcomes (transition rate from primary to upper primary, and subsequently to secondary schooling, average scores in mathematics and language etc.), as well as infrastructural (toilet access for girls, drinking water, electricity supply) and institutional indicators (RTE mandated pupil-teacher ratio, timely delivery of textbooks). Agriculture & Water resources (20%) : Agriculture is the backbone of India, with more than 50% of our workforce engaged in cultivation and allied activities. 10 indicators have been identified for the 20% weightage allocated to agriculture. The focus is on outputs (yield, price realisation etc.), inputs (quality seed distribution, soil health cards), and institutional support (crop insurance, electronic markets, artificial insemination, animal vaccination etc.). Basic Infrastructure (10%) : A roof over one’s head with water, electricity, and road connectivity is the priority of the Government. 7 important indicators have been identified including availability of individual household latrines, drinking water, electricity, and road connectivity. Districts are also tracked for the number of internet connected Gram Panchayats, and panchayats with Common Service Centres. Financial inclusion & Skill Development (10%) : Together, these two themes account for 10% of the overall index. 6 indicators have been identified in financial inclusion to measure progress in take - up of important central government schemes (Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana etc.), reach of institutional banking (number of accounts opened under Jan Dhan Yojana), and ease of institutional financing for small businesses (disbursement of Mudra loans). 5 indicators have been identified in skill development to keep track of the progress in skilling of youth, employment, and the skilling of vulnerable/marginalized youth. To access the complete list of indicators, click here. Monthly composite index of Aspirational districts The updated delta ranking of the districts can be accessed at Champions of Change dashboard. December 2018 – January 2019 Delta Ranking Sector Rank and name of the District Rank and name of the District eligible for allocation Remarks Overall 1. Chatra, Jharkhand 2. Sahibganj, Jharkhand Chatra, Jharkhand has mineral fund of more than 30 crores 2 Sahibganj, Jharkhand 4. Begusarai, Bihar Sahibganj, Jharkhand already rewarded in overall ranking 3. Hazaribagh, Jharkhand Hazaribagh, Jharkhand has mineral fund of more than 30 crores Health and Nutrition 1. Chatra, Jharkhand 5. Gaya, Bihar Chatra Jharkhand has mineral fund of more than 30 crores. 2. Sahibganj, Jharkhand Sahibganj, Jharkhand already rewarded in overall ranking 3. Hazaribagh, Jharkhand Hazaribagh, Jharkhand has mineral fund of 30 crores 4. Begusarai, Bihar Begusarai, Bihar already rewarded in overall ranking. Education 1. Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh 4. Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh has mineral fund of more than 30 crores. 2. Sahibganj, Jharkhand Sahibganj, Jharkhand already rewarded in overall ranking. 3. Chatra, Jharkhand Chatra, Jharkhand has mineral fund of more than 30 crores Agriculture and Water Resources 1. Jamui, Bihar 1. Jamui, Bihar Financial Inclusion and Skill Development 1. Mewat, Haryana 1. Mewat, Haryana Basic Infrastructure 1. Ribhoi, Meghalaya 1. Ribhoi, Meghalaya November 2018 – December 2018 Delta Ranking Sector Rank and name of the District Rank and name of the District eligible for the allocation Remarks Overall 1. Hailakandi, Assam 1. Hailakandi, Assam 2.Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh 2. Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh Health and Nutrition 1.Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh 2.Purbi Singhbhum, Jharkhand Kondagaon, Chhatigarh already rewarded in overall ranking Education 1. Hailakandi, Assam 2. Khunti, Jharkhand Hailakandi, Assam already rewarded in overall ranking Agriculture and Water Resources 1. Y.S.R. Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh 2. Damoh, Madhya Pradesh Y.S.R. Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh has mineral fund of more than 30 crores Financial Inclusion and Skill Development 1. Gajapati, Odisha 1. Gajapati, Odisha Basic Infrastructure 1.Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh 1. Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh Second Delta ranking for the Aspirational Districts The NITI Aayog in December 2018 released the Second Delta ranking for the Aspirational Districts which measures the incremental progress made by them between June 1, 2018 and October 31, 2018, across six developmental areas of Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion, Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure. The ranking factors in validated data from Household Surveys conducted by NITI Aayog’s knowledge partners, namely, TATA Trusts and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (IDInsight). In the overall ranking, the most improved districts are as follows: Rank District State 1 Virudhunagar Tamil Nadu 2 Nuapada Odisha 3 Siddharthnagar Uttar Pradesh 4 Aurangabad Bihar 5 Koraput Odisha The Second Delta ranking also details the following districts as Least Improved over the period of June – October 2018: Rank District State 107 Kiphire Nagaland 108 Giridih Jharkhand 109 Chatra Jharkhand 110 Hailakandi Assam 111 Pakur Jharkhand The districts which have shown great initiative and displayed a qualitative jump in their scores between June and October 2018, have been dubbed as ‘Fast Movers’: District, State June 2018 October 2018 Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir 108 7 Ranchi, Jharkhand 106 10 Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh 103 3 Jamui, Bihar 99 9 Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh 82 25 To access the complete delta ranking of districts, click here. First Delta Ranking of Aspirational Districts The NITI Aayog during June 2018 launched the first Delta ranking (incremental progress) for the Aspirational Districts, based on self-reported data of districts between March 31, 2018 to May 31, 2018, across five developmental areas of Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure. The Districts started entering data from 1st April, 2018 in the Champions of Change Dashboard and 108 districts out of total 112, participated in this ranking. Data entry by remaining four districts is also in progress, though they are not part of this ranking. This Delta ranking takes a step further and looks into specific aspects of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and analyses how districts have performed in last two months across important sectors. This grouping and positioning would aid the District Magistrates/Collectors to focus more on these sectors and improve their ranking in future. To access the complete delta ranking of districts, click here.