Nagpur: Gadchiroli ranked among top 10 of the 112 districts in the country covered under central govt’s Aspirational District Programme in allocation of performance-based incentive funds, district collector Avishyant Panda said on Thursday.Panda was speaking at a review meeting held after three-day visit of Niti Aayog adviser Dadhich Indrodiya to the district and aspirational blocks of Aheri, Sironcha and Bhamragad. Panda said agencies in the district must look beyond stop-gap planning. Panda said, “All systems should prepare innovative development proposals with foresight, keeping future needs in mind, to sustain this performance.”Indrodiya inspected district hospital, primary health centres, anganwadis and schools in remote areas over 3 days. Institutional deliveries in Gadchiroli crossed 95%, but 60-70% of children in remote pockets such as Bhamragad were still being born underweight, according to authorities. Health officials and child development project officers were directed by Panda to hold joint meetings every 15 days.While infrastructure of anganwadis and implementation of Amrut Aahar scheme were found satisfactory, complaints surfaced over quality of the ready-to-cook moong dal khichdi given to pregnant women. Forest dept officials present said 33 villages had been selected under Project Samanvay to supply mahua nets to tribals collecting mahua flowers. The move is expected to raise price of mahua from 30-40/kg to 70/kg by preserving its quality.
