NITI Aayog Convenes Regional Best Practices Seminar (South) under ADP/ABP Visakhapatnam

**Executive Summary** NITI Aayog convened a Regional Best Practices Seminar (South) on 9 March 2026 in Visakhapatnam. The seminar aimed to showcase replicable district-led innovations and governance practices that improve development outcomes in Aspirational Districts and Blocks. A key outcome was the unveiling of a Best Practices Compendium. **Key Points / Main Content** * **Seminar Purpose and Context:** * The seminar, held on 9 March 2026 in Visakhapatnam, focused on the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP). * It brought together senior officials from Central Government, State Governments, and District administrations across southern India. * The core objective was to showcase district-led innovations and governance practices that have enhanced development outcomes. * **Keynote Address:** * Shri Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director (ADP/ABP), NITI Aayog, highlighted programme progress, commended district and block officials, and emphasized community participation for a "Jan Andolan." * He noted significant progress in many indicators and praised the performance of southern states. * **Participants:** * Senior officials attended, including Shri Anant Shankar, Joint Secretary, Planning Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh. * District Collectors and officers from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands participated. * **Thematic Sessions and Innovations:** * Three thematic sessions covered Education and Skill Development; Health, Nutrition and Social Development; and Skill Development. * **Education and Skill Development:** Initiatives included the NIRMAN initiative (Alluri Sitarama Raju district) for foundational learning and a Rural Incubation Centre model (NTR district) for youth entrepreneurship. * **Health, Nutrition, and Social Development:** Innovative practices featured the Anaemia Mukt initiative (Bidar district) for women and children and the Amma Rakshitha programme (Nirmal district) for maternal health. * The District Collector of Kurnool also shared district-led approaches to youth skill development. * **Key Discussion Themes:** * Emphasis was placed on peer learning among districts. * The importance of documenting successful models was highlighted. * Scaling locally relevant innovations was identified as crucial for strengthening ADP/ABP implementation. * **Outcomes:** * A Best Practices Compendium was unveiled, documenting impactful initiatives from southern districts. * This compendium serves as a repository of replicable models for improving service delivery and development outcomes in Aspirational Districts and Blocks. **Impact Analysis** * **Senior Officials from Central and State Governments:** * **Impact:** Gained insights into successful district-led innovations and governance practices in southern India. Opportunities for peer learning and knowledge sharing were provided. * **Action Required:** Document and disseminate best practices within their respective departments and states to encourage replication and scale-up. * **District Collectors and Officers from Southern States:** * **Impact:** Presented their successful initiatives, received recognition, and learned from peers. Their efforts in implementing ADP/ABP were highlighted. * **Action Required:** Continue to document and implement successful innovations, contribute to future compendiums, and foster further peer learning. * **Aspirational Districts and Blocks:** * **Impact:** Will benefit from the sharing of replicable models and best practices, leading to enhanced service delivery and improved development outcomes. * **Action Required:** Utilize the Best Practices Compendium to identify and adapt successful strategies to strengthen local implementation of the ADP/ABP. * **Citizens in Aspirational Districts and Blocks:** * **Impact:** Will potentially experience improved development outcomes and enhanced service delivery as a result of the successful implementation of innovative practices. * **Action Required:** No direct action required by citizens, but they are the ultimate beneficiaries of the initiatives discussed and documented.

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