New Delhi

Lauding the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the government should strive to extend the programme to the block and city levels.

The Prime Minister's remarks came during the three-day-long national conference of chief secretaries which is currently underway at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. Deliberations were held on 'Crop Diversification and Achieving Self-Sufficiency in Oilseeds, Pulses and Other Agri-Commodities' and 'Implementation of National Education Policy-School Education'.

There were sessions on 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav: Road to 2047' and the Aspirational Districts Programme. According to a release by the NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister stressed that India's best, young officers should be posted to the Aspirational Districts to bring about noticeable changes through their creative thinking and fresh ideas.

The experience and learnings gained by them while working in these districts would be unparalleled and prove useful for the entire country, he said. Speaking on education, the Prime Minister said that teachers' training can be strengthened by leveraging digital technology and learning mobile apps.

PM  Modi stated that award-winning retired school teachers could also be roped in for visiting schools and training teachers. He stated that there could be a dedicated TV Channel for teachers' training. It may be recalled that in the Budget 2022-23, the Government of India announced that 200 TV Channels would be launched for improving access to high-quality education in the remotest parts of the country.

The Prime Minister suggested organising competitions among young entrepreneurs, start-ups and youth across states for the preparation of quality content in various mediums such as drama, animation, mono-acting, etc. in regional languages. 

ALSO READ: Leaders ask Muslims not to protest after Friday prayers

All the states and union territories actively participated, flagged concerns, highlighted best practices and suggested possible solution in every session. The national conference of chief secretaries is a first-of-its-kind exercise towards strengthening the partnership between the Centre and the states, to build a shared vision for Amrit Kaal.