TNI Bureau: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today announced week-long ‘Akanksha Haat’ campaign while inaugurating the Sampoornata Abhiyan Samman Samaroh at State Convention Centre in Bhubaneswar.
The Planning & Convergence Department organized the Sampoornata Abhiyan Samman Samaroh event with the aim to celebrate the achievements under Aspirational Blocks and Districts initiative.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that the Aspirational District and Block Programme has proven to be a successful model for promoting local development and assured that the aspirations of the aspirational districts will be fulfilled in the coming days.
The Chief Minister said, “The Aspirational District and Block Programme focuses on how to implement the scheme at the grassroots level. Work is being done towards achieving the goals of inclusive development through socio-economic indicators based on health and nutrition, education, agriculture, water resources, financial inclusion and skill development. After districts, now this scheme has been extended to blocks. In this programme, 3 Cs have been emphasized, namely Convergence i.e. coordination of central and state schemes, Collaboration i.e. cooperation between the centre, state, district and citizens, and Competition i.e. healthy competition among districts on key performance indicators. In remote and underdeveloped blocks, the standard of living of the people is being improved and quality services are being provided to them.”
He further said “The call of the Prime Minister of India – ‘Vocal For Local’ has become a mass movement today. To make this a reality, ‘Akanksha Brand’ has been launched in 2024. I am very happy to announce that a week-long Akanksha Haat campaign is being started from today to take this Akanksha Brand to the grassroots level. This Akanksha Haat campaign will increase the market availability of locally produced products in the remote and underdeveloped areas of our state. Through this, the economic condition of local women self-help groups, farmers, artisans, weavers brothers and sisters will improve and local products will be available to consumers at affordable and fair prices. Local products under Akanksha Haat will also be made available in digital e-marketplaces for marketing within the state and outside the state. This will further expand the market connectivity and number of consumers of these products. The use of Akanksha brand will be further promoted to increase the standardization, pricing and availability of products as per market demand.”
He further said, “The eminent Prime Minister had launched the Aspirational Districts Programme in January 2018. Following the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme, the Aspirational Block Programme was implemented in January 2023. Odisha is also implementing the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) in 10 districts and the Aspirational Block Programme (ABP) in 29 blocks of 16 districts. The Sampurnata Abhiyan under the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme, as a final initiative, has been implemented in the Aspirational Districts and Blocks across India from July to September 2024.”
Congratulating the officers of the districts and blocks awarded for their excellent performance, the Chief Minister said, “It is a matter of pride for our state that all the Aspirational Districts of Odisha are consistently achieving top positions in various fields under the Aspirational Districts Programme. Ten districts of the state have collectively been awarded Rs 165 crore.
It is worth noting that the Central Government has announced awards for Aspirational Districts and Blocks. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presented these awards today. Among the Aspirational Districts, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur have won gold medals, Kandhamal and Koraput have won silver medals, and Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Kalahandi and Nuapada have won bronze medals. Similarly, in the Aspirational Block program, Khairput, Maithili, Chitrakonda and Dabuga – these four blocks have won gold medals. Another 7 blocks have won silver medals, and 3 blocks have won bronze medals, and 11 blocks have won copper medals.
Teamwork involving everyone in all development-related work is a great achievement. Working with a growth mindset in the district is the real work efficiency. It is a great joy to know that all the aspiring districts and blocks are being rewarded today for showing their work efficiency and this is a sign of development mindset and teamwork, said the state Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja in his speech.