NITI Aayog–JICA Pact to Boost Sustainable Development in Aspirational Regions

The NITI Aayog and the Japan International Cooperation Agency have signed a Record of Discussions (RoD) for Phase II of the project aimed at promoting Japan–India Cooperative Actions towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The agreement seeks to accelerate development in India’s Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks.

Objective of the Agreement

The collaboration aims to strengthen policy frameworks, governance systems, and implementation capacity at the district and block levels. The initiative will enhance monitoring, evaluation mechanisms, and institutional capacity-building to improve development outcomes in underserved regions.

Key Areas of Focus

The project will focus on six major development sectors:

Global partnership

Health and nutrition

Education

Agriculture and water resources

Financial inclusion and skill development

Basic infrastructure

These areas align with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda.

Implementation Strategy

The programme will include:

Knowledge-sharing platforms and Japan–India forums

Capacity-building and people-to-people exchanges

Identification and dissemination of best practices

Strengthening district-level governance and policy frameworks

The initiative will also support evidence-based policymaking and improved monitoring systems at the grassroots level.

Key Facts:

NITI Aayog was established in 2015, replacing the Planning Commission.

Chairperson: Prime Minister of India.

Vice-Chairperson: Suman K. Bery

Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Nidhi Chhibber (Additional Charge)

The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) was launched in January 2018 to transform 112 underdeveloped districts through data-driven governance and competitive federalism.

Progress in aspirational districts is monitored through the “Champions of Change” Dashboard using key performance indicators.

The Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) was launched in 2023, covering 500 blocks across 329 districts.

The programmes focus on five core development sectors: health & nutrition, education, agriculture & water resources, financial inclusion & skill development, and basic infrastructure.