Workshop begins on backward districts

Hyderabad: Dr MCR HRD Institute of Telangana is conducting a three-day workshop on “Capacity building for the field staff on preparation of districts action plans” from October 10 to 12. Over 100 field officers from different States across the country, who are attending the workshop, will be trained in preparing action plans for the transformation of backward districts into developed districts.

BP Acharya, Spl Chief Secretary to Government & Institute D-G, in his keynote address, underlined the need for a focused approach to fully understand the backwardness of a district in different areas and to formulate strategies and action plans for their multifaceted development. “The association of fifteen officer trainees belonging to Indian Economic Service who are attending the 93rd Foundation Course at the Institute, with the workshop, will add a professional touch to this exercise,” Acharya said and added that the institute would develop e-Learning modules in order to enrich and diversify the core competencies of field staff of administration for the success of this initiative.

Dr Ashok Jain, former advisor, NITI Aayog, said that the “Transformation of Aspirational Districts” programme of the Government of India aims at development of 115 backward districts in such areas as health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion, skill development, and basic infrastructure. The exercise would not only raise the living standards of people but would also enable India to move ahead in its overall human development index. He underlined the need for identifying the inherent strengths of each district and formulating unique intervention strategies for their development.

Meital Rusdia, the chief field officer of UNICEF, said that UNICEF would work with State governments and district administrations to support the effective implementation of flagship schemes in order to enable the backward districts to join the mainstream of development. M Jagadeeshwar, the Principal Secretary (DCWD), and Lipika Nanda, vice-president of Public Health Foundation India, also spoke on the occasion. Both of them underlined the importance of formulating strategies for improving health and nutrition of women and children, considering their huge impact on all the parameters of development.