The Planning and Transformation department organised a state-level Sampoornata Abhiyan Samman Samaroh (SASS) for Aspirational Districts and Blocks at the Capital Convention Centre, Kohima on August 2.
Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Planning and Transformation and National Highways, TR Zeliang, who graced the program as the chief guest said governance must touch every life and development must reach every village. He said Samapornatha Abhiyan is a shining example of this spirit, a call to action that puts people first and brings government to the doorstep of the underprivileged people.
Stressing on vision of the Samapornatha Abhiyan programme, Zeliang said that it signifies completeness and total coverage and ensuring that no one is left out, whether it is a village, household or a single individual.
He emphasised that when community takes ownership, transformation becomes possible. He attributed the progress of the Abhiyan due to the collective effort of the field workers and districts administrators with support from the staffs, community leaders and citizen who believed that change was possible. He noted that the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme focuses not only on government performance but also on empowering local communities.
Zeliang further added that ownership at the grassroots is key to sustainability, and when communities are involved, development will not just be fast but also lasting.
He also acknowledged the awardees for their dedication, patience, and hard work in building a stronger and more compassionate Nagaland, which will inspire others to follow in their footsteps. He also appreciated the dedication and sincerity of the block and district teams and officers who worked in challenging conditions, difficult terrain, limited infrastructure, and at times with limited resources.
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Urging all departments, including district administration health, education, rural development, social welfare, and agriculture and allied in fostering the culture of collaboration, the Dy CM further reminded stakeholders that the goal is to move from schemes to solutions from targets to transformations, ensuring every village, every child, every woman and every elderly person feels the government’s presence and promise.
Development Commissioner, Temsunaro Aier in her address termed the event as a celebration of the collective journey of progress, participation and purpose. She remarked that the aspirational districts program was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2011, with a visionary initiative supporting inclusivity, inclusive and accelerated development across some of the country’s most underserved regions.
Aier added that the program also aims at transforming the most underdeveloped districts of India by focusing on key socio-economic measurable indicators and bringing them at par with the more developed ones. She stated that the progress the program has seen has been encouraging and deeply motivating through coordination, convergence and community participation at the cross-food level.
Aier further noted that the aspirational blocks programme was introduced by the government of India in January 2023 to target the most backward blocks across the country. She added that through the program there is steady improvements in health, nutrition, education, agriculture and infrastructure. She said that the three aspirational blocks in Nagaland under the Aspirational Blocks Programme are Kiusan Block in Kiphire district, Akuhaito Block in Zunheboto district, and Thonoknyu Block in Noklak district. She remarked that out of all the aspirational blocks, Kiphire district achieved 100% saturation in four out of the six indicators, Thonoknyu under Noklak district achieved 100% in five indicators, and Akuhaito in Zunheboto district achieved 100% in two indicators under the aspirational districts program.
Aier also encouraged everyone to further take the spirit forward to other key areas such as digital inclusion, financial inclusion, water conservation and more parameters indicators under school education and health and work towards saturation.
Short speeches on aspirational journeys were delivered by the Secretary of Lokayuta, Arikumba and DC Kiphire, Temsuwati Longkumer.
CEO, NITI Aayog, BVR Subrahmanyam and Additional Secretary, Mission Director, NITI Aayog, Rohit Kumar delivered messages virtually.
During the awards ceremony, medals and certificates of appreciation were awarded to the winners from NITI Aayog.
Advisor, Home Guard and Civil Defence, Fire and Relief and Rehabilitation, S. Kiusumew Yimchunger and a host of AHODs and HODs, DCs, and government officials attended the program.
