‘Chintan Shivir’ under the NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Block Program was organised by the Community & Rural Development Department for the three Aspirational Blocks of the state.
This event aimed to chart a comprehensive development strategy for the aspirational blocks of Umling in Ri Bhoi District, Amlarem in West Jaintia Hills District and Resubelpara in North Garo Hills.
The programme held yesterday was chaired by Ri Bhoi Additional Deputy Commissioner, Raja Brahma which was attended by district and block officials, and the different line departments including Health, Social Welfare, Agriculture, Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, PHE and the C&RD Department.
At the programme, attendees were presented with comprehensive data on the three districts and insights into the ongoing initiatives across various government departments, spanning healthcare, education, infrastructure, and others.
The core focus remained on enhancing key development indicators while fostering active engagement and participation from local communities.
Regional Officer for Northeastern States, Dr. Priscilla C Ngaihte emphasized the purpose of the visit. She mentioned the forthcoming presentation of baseline assessments of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and documentation.
Furthermore, the Block Development Officer of Umling C&RD Block, Eric Kevin Dkhar presented their approach and strategy, focusing on the PDIA (Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation) methodology.
BDO of Amlarem, Gameliel L.C Mylliem and BDO of Resubelpara, Verdi Sangma also highlighted the need for ANMs to visit households more frequently, particularly with the establishment of Village Health Councils (VHCs). The VHCs will play a vital role in identifying Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) cases.
While discussing the challenges faced by the block, Mylliem stated, “We have a clear intention to prioritize various sectors, with a strong emphasis on education. We recognize the pressing need for improvement, and our plan is to adopt a community-driven approach to enhance the quality of education.”
A pledge was also taken by participants to dedicate their efforts in transforming the three blocks.
Bhaskar Kashyap, Assistant Director and State Nodal Officer for the ABP; Himani Sachdeva, Consultant Specialist; Dr Shelly Dabiya and T. Prachi Sharma, Young Professionals were also present at the programme.
