JALANDHAR, July 5 — Jalandhar district has secured the first prize in the country under Zone II of NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP), earning a ₹1.5 crore grant to accelerate development in Shahkot block.
Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal, speaking during a video conference with NITI Aayog officials, credited the achievement to a series of targeted interventions that elevated Shahkot’s performance across key sectors. “This award money will be spent on development work across health, education, nutrition, agriculture and basic infrastructure,” Aggarwal said. “Shahkot’s rise is a model of focused development and collaborative effort.”
Aggarwal said that over the past few months, the administration had implemented initiatives specifically designed to address long-standing gaps in service delivery. These interventions led to measurable improvements in performance indicators, positioning Shahkot as the top-performing aspirational block in Zone II.
The Aspirational Blocks Programme, launched by the central government on January 7, 2023, during the second National Conference of Chief Secretaries, is aimed at transforming the country’s most underdeveloped blocks through data-driven, sustainable governance models. The programme focuses on enhancing quality of life in remote areas through improvements in sectors like education, healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Jalandhar’s top ranking underlines the potential of localized, performance-driven governance in pushing forward India’s broader development goals. The ₹1.5 crore development grant is expected to further empower the district administration to sustain its momentum in Shahkot and inspire similar progress across the region.
