Baramulla: Union Joint Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Central Prabhari Officer for NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), Ajeet Kumar Sahu, chaired a high-level meeting in Baramulla on Sunday to assess the district’s progress across key developmental indicators under the ADP.
The review meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Minga Sherpa, Joint Director Planning, Principal GMC Baramulla, ACD, CMO, and other senior officials from line departments.
Officials informed the Union Joint Secretary that Baramulla has demonstrated significant improvement in NITI Aayog’s Delta Rankings, having surged from the 108th position to 35th among 112 aspirational districts, with an impressive composite score of 61.3.
Presenting a detailed overview, Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa highlighted notable achievements in the health sector. He said the district has reached 100% saturation in key areas such as nutrition support for pregnant women, complete child immunization, institutional deliveries, and has recorded major reductions in both infant and maternal mortality rates. Additionally, tuberculosis cases have seen a notable decline due to focused interventions, including the effective implementation of the Poshan Abhiyan to tackle malnutrition.
In the education sector, Baramulla has shown marked progress, with increased student enrolment, the establishment of 18 Model Academic Schools and Lab Schools across educational zones, and the expansion of Atal Tinkering Labs from 2 to 42. The district has also undertaken continuous teacher training programmes and introduced sanitary measures in schools, including the installation of incinerators and sanitary vending machines.
During the meeting, Ajeet Kumar Sahu conducted a comprehensive review of developmental projects across sectors such as Agriculture, Financial Inclusion, Skill Development, and Infrastructure. He also evaluated the implementation of various central and state-sponsored welfare schemes, including PMSBY, PMJBY, PM-JDY, PM-APY, PM-MUDRA, and the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP).
Focusing on public health, Sahu directed officials of the Health Department to undertake in-depth research into the root causes of tuberculosis in the district and develop targeted interventions to eliminate the disease.
Regarding the low uptake of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans among farmers, the Union Joint Secretary instructed the Agriculture Department to set up a dedicated team to investigate the underlying reasons and recommend measures to boost participation.
He also stressed the importance of scientific soil testing across all agricultural lands in the district. Sahu emphasised that the findings, particularly regarding nutrient deficiencies, should be communicated clearly to farmers along with expert recommendations on fertiliser usage and soil health enhancement to boost productivity and sustainability.
Earlier, DC Minga Sherpa presented a comprehensive report on the district’s performance under the five major thematic indicators of the Aspirational District Programme—Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development, and Infrastructure.
The review highlighted Baramulla’s transformation into one of the leading aspirational districts in the country and reiterated the administration’s commitment to inclusive and accelerated development.
