NITI Aayog Deputy Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri chaired a high-level meeting in Varanasi to review the Kashi-Vindhya region's development plan. The vision is to make it a $600B economic hub, creating up to 700,000 jobs.
A high-level meeting was organised on Saturday to review various developmental and priority subjects under the chairmanship of Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Deputy Chairman of NITI Aayog. Senior officers of the concerned departments, including Divisional Commissioner S. Rajalingam, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar, and Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal, participated in the meeting.
Kashi-Vindhya Region: A $600B Economic Hub Vision
During the meeting, the Vice Chairman of the Development Authority, Purna Bora, first discussed the development of the Kashi-Vindhya region as an economic hub, showcasing the prepared development model. The Kashi-Vindhya region comprises seven districts with a total population of 23 million and contributes a total of $24 billion to the state's GDP (7.7% of Uttar Pradesh's GDP). The proposal includes developing the Vindhya region as a $600 billion economic hub under the "Develop India 2047" vision, which involves creating 500,000 to 700,000 new jobs, building premium hotels, strengthening manufacturing and logistics hubs, securing new investments in the power and energy sectors, and strengthening allied sectors in agriculture.
Focus on Comprehensive Development and Health
Special emphasis was placed on timely, well-planned, and comprehensive development in the region's water conservation, social sector, primary agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, alongside the development of basic education, health, and nutrition. Chief Development Officer Prakhar Kumar highlighted the work being done for rural development in the district before the Deputy Chairman. He presented the work being done across 76 parameters for the development of the district. The Deputy Chairman asked officials to monitor anaemia patients similarly to the TB eradication program and to encourage them to take their medication by calling them, ensuring rapid progress toward creating a healthy society.
Directives for Timely and Quality Implementation
He also directed everyone to make continuous efforts to achieve the 2030 goals swiftly. During the meeting, a detailed review of the current progress of various schemes and programs was conducted. The Deputy Chairman emphasised timely and quality implementation, directing that better coordination be established among departments to achieve set goals.
He stated that ensuring the benefits of development schemes reach the last person is the government's top priority. To achieve this, regular monitoring, transparency, and accountability must be ensured. Emphasis was also placed on further strengthening technology-based monitoring systems and data-driven decision-making. Officials presented suggestions regarding the progress of various schemes, challenges, and their solutions. The Deputy Chairman provided necessary guidance and directed all concerned departments to ensure timely progress.
The meeting concluded with the confidence that all departments will ensure the achievement of development goals through mutual coordination and commitment. At the end of the meeting, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar expressed his gratitude to the Deputy Chairman and assured him that the suggested measures would be implemented. (ANI)
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