Kiphire, November 27 (DIPR): Mohammad Ali Shihab. A, IAS has taken over as the new Deputy Commissioner, Kiphire just in time as the Government of India announces the list of the 115 backward districts identified by Niti Aayog where Kiphire has found a place as the only district from Nagaland.
In keeping with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a New India by 2022, Government has embarked upon a major policy initiative for the rapid transformation of 115 backward districts across the country. Senior Government officials in the rank of the rank of Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary have been designated as Prabhari Officers or the in-charge to coordinate the efforts of the Centre and the states in addressing the specific developmental needs of the districts.
The new DC, Mohammad Ali stated that his primary focus is the overall socio-economic development of the district and to translate the vision to action he has sought the full cooperation and support from all citizens in the district, leaders, NGOs and agencies concerned.
One of the initiatives of the selection is to make a dramatic improvement in overall socio-economic development of backward districts. The strategy envisaged is to adopt a focussed approach, ensure convergence of efforts of the Central, State and local Government and establish a real time monitoring mechanism to focus on outcomes that matter to common people in these districts beside giving rise to a virtuous cycle of economic development.
The districts have been identified on the basis of objective criteria including education, health, nutrition basic infrastructure like rural road connectivity, rural household electrification, access to potable water and individual toilets etc. While selecting these districts, it has been ensured that Ministries of Government of India, implementing social sector Scheme would select at least one most backward districts in every State for extending the reach of the programme in different part of the country. Improvement in one district is likely to spur similar growth in neighbouring districts through demonstration effect.
