What is ‘Sankalp Saptaah’?

About ‘Sankalp Saptah’

• It is linked to the effective implementation of the Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP). 
• To implement the ABP and prepare an effective block development strategy, “chintan shivirs (brainstorming sessions)” were organized at village and block levels across the country. The Sankalp Saptah is the culmination of these chintan shivirs.
• Sankalp Saptah will be observed in all 500 aspirational blocks.
• Each day in Sankalp Saptah will be dedicated to a specific development theme on which all aspirational blocks will work.
• The themes for the first six days are “Sampoorna Swasthya”, “Suposhit Parivar”, “Swachhta”, “Krishi”, “Shiksha”, and “Samridhi Diwas”.
• The last day of the week will be a celebration of the work conducted during the entire week, as “Sankalp Saptah – Samavesh Samaroh”.
• The inaugural programme will witness the participation of about 3,000 panchayat and block-level people’s representatives and functionaries from across the country at the Bharat Mandapam.

Key Facts about Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP):

• ABP was launched on January 7, 2023, on the lines of the Aspirational District Programme that was launched in 2018 and covers 112 districts across the country.
• Aim: Enhancing governance and improving the quality of life in 500 Aspirational Blocks spanning 329 districts across India.
• Over half of these blocks are in 6 states: Uttar Pradesh (68 blocks), Bihar (61), Madhya Pradesh (42), Jharkhand (34), Odisha (29) and West Bengal (29). 
• It will be attained by converging existing schemes, defining outcomes, and monitoring them on a constant basis, enabling holistic development in areas that require added assistance.

Q1) What is the Aspirational District Programme?

It was launched in 2018 and aims to transform districts that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas.

3C Strategy: The broad contours of the programme 

• Convergence (of Central & State Schemes)
• Collaboration (of Central, State level ‘Prabhari’ Officers & District Collectors)
• Competition (among districts driven by a Mass Movement )

Source: PM Modi to launch Sankalp Saptah, aims at elevating citizens’ quality of life