BHUBANESWAR:The much talked about programme for development of aspirational districts launched by the Centre is facing bottleneck in its implementation as a large number of villages in the selected areas do not have road communication.
As connectivity has emerged as a major challenge for ushering in development in these villages, it has deprived people from getting minimum public services.Official sources said the State Government has brought this to the notice of the NITI Aayog and requested it to take up the matter with the Centre for relaxation of norms for providing connectivity to unconnected habitations under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
Besides, it has also requested the Aayog to address the special development needs of these districts. Ten backward districts from Odisha - Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Nabarangapur, Koraput and Malkangiri - have been selected as aspirational districts by the Centre.
Habitations with population of 250 or more in Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts are covered under PMGSY. Similarly, habitations with more than 500 population are also covered under the Yojana. As IAP has been discontinued by the Centre, villages with a population of less than 250 are not being covered under PMGSY.
Villages having population between 100 and 250 in Maoist-affected districts are covered under PMGSY. Official sources said relaxation of PMGSY guidelines on similar lines should be considered by the Centre so that benefits under aspirational districts programme can reach these habitations.
The Prabhari officers who visited the aspirational districts had also underscored the need for higher level of funding in health sector. The State Government is reported to have urged the Centre to raise provision of funds for aspirational districts under the National Health Mission (NHM) by at least 30 per cent.
Though credit delivery for agriculture and allied sectors for aspirational districts has been given priority, inadequate credit facilities has posed a major hindrance in promoting economic activities in these backward areas.