NITI Aayog’s Second Delta Ranking of the Aspirational Districts

The NITI Aayog on December 27, 2018 released the Second Delta ranking for the Aspirational Districts which measures the incremental progress made by them between June 1, 2018 and October 31, 2018.

Parameters

• The ranking of districts were based on six developmental areas of Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion, Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure.

Third-party Data Validation

• For the first time, the ranking includes validated data from Household Surveys conducted by NITI Aayog’s knowledge partners, namely, TATA Trusts and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

Delta Ranking

• The delta ranking of the Aspirational Districts combines the innovative use of data science with pragmatic administration, keeping the district at the centre of inclusive development. This positioning is expected to aid the District Magistrates/Collectors to focus more on these sectors and improve their ranking in future.

First Delta Ranking

• The first Delta Ranking for the Aspirational Districts was released in June 2018. It ranked the Aspirational Districts on improved performance across five developmental areas of Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure.

Significance of Delta Ranking of ADP

• The Index is expected to promote the spirit of ‘competitive and cooperative federalism’ in the country, and ensure sustainable and effective management of resources.
• The Program focuses on the broad contours of Convergence of Central & State Schemes, Collaboration of Central, State level ‘Prabhari’ Officers & District Collectors, and Competition among districts driven by a mass Movement.
• It will improve the country’s parameters on Health & nutrition; financial inclusion; education; skill development; agriculture & water resources and basic infrastructure.

Outcome of Second Delta Ranking

In the overall ranking, most and least improved districts are as follows:

The districts which have shown great initiative and displayed a qualitative jump in their scores between June and October 2018 have been dubbed as ‘Fast Movers’: