New Delhi: Against the backdrop of an increasing number of Covid19 cases in India, Niti Aayog on Monday claimed that 112 Aspirational Districts have done well as far as fighting and containment of the pandemic is concerned.
The Aspirational Districts programme piloted by NITI Aayog has been a phenomenal success in uplifting the lives of millions in 112 most backward (aspirational) districts of the country, said Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.
“As of now there are about 610 cases in 112 aspirational districts which is considered fairly low at less than 2 percent of the national level of infections,” said Kant.
Of the 112 districts six districts recorded the maximum number of cases such as Baramula (62), Nuh (57), Ranchi (55), YSR (55), Kupwara (47) and Jaisalmer(34).
“NITI Aayog has taken steps to ensure that these districts are able to contain the spread of the virus and has actively referred the requirements in testing kits, PPE & masks etc. to respective Empowered Groups for necessary action in order to address supply constraints,” said Kant who heads Empowered Group-6.
Earlier, central government has setup 11 Empowered Groups to look into the overall issues related to Covid19. The Empowered Group-6 has been assigned to engage Civil Society Organisations, NGOs and development partners, Industry partners, and International Organisations to create synergies with the central government.
It may be mentioned here that in January 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ programme to quickly and effectively transform backward districts through a mass movement.
Kant said that collaboration has been one of the guiding principles in Aspirational Districts and these partnerships have enabled the District Administrations in ramping up isolation camps, setting up control rooms, door-to-door Food supplies, distribution of cooked foods, mobilization of SHGs for making home-made masks, sanitizers and re-usable and sterilizable protective gear while simultaneously sustaining their livelihoods during lockdown period.
Osmanabad is one such district where a testing centre has been established by utilizing the CSR corpus.
‘Surakshit Dada-Dadi & Nana-Nani Abhiyan’ programme launched by the Piramal Foundation in 25 aims at an outreach focused on senior citizens in order to sensitize them on preventive measures and requisite behavioural changes and document and address issues related to food, ration, medicines, etc delivery, informed Kant.
He said that Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in partnership with NITI Aayog and other development partners, have developed a public good message repository with standardized content in local languages on mask-wearing, hygiene measures, social distancing etc.
Kant informed that his group has mobilised over 92,000 NGOs and CSO, appealing them to assist the State Governments and District Administrations in identifying hotspots and deputing volunteers; delivering essential services to the vulnerable, including the homeless, daily wage workers, migrants, and urban poor families.
He said that various UN and other international agencies have been facilitated in creating timely response action plans in coordination with various States and line ministries. “The group has been engaging with the Indian Red Cross Society whose 40,000 volunteers are working with district administration in over 500 districts. It has created quarantine-isolation facilities at 33 locations, facilitated donation of ventilators, masks, PPEs, and test kits valued at Rs 5.50 crore, apart from extensive relief and advocacy across the 500 districts,” said Kant.
He said that skill-building of 15,300 trainers, training for 3951 surveillance and health officers on Integrated Health Information Platform, infection prevention and control training in 890 hospitals, support to ICMR for testing, strengthening risk communication and community engagement capabilities of healthcare workers, procurement of 2 lakh PPEs and 4 lakh N95 masks, have been initiated by WHO and UNICEF.
“UNDP is engaged in the procurement of medical supplies including ventilators (initially 1000 units as per the current requests, but potentially higher based on future demand) for 25 States. Further, an order of 10,000 Ventilators and 10 million PPE Kits to UNICEF was expedited by Empowered Group-6,” said Kant.
Industries and startups have also been roped in during the process, added Kant.
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