Building upon the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), the Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) was launched on 7 January 2023. The program aims to strengthen governance and improve the quality of life in India’s most underdeveloped blocks through convergence of schemes, capacity building, evidence-based planning, data-driven monitoring, and knowledge management. The programme builds upon the successful framework of the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) and is guided by the three core principles of Convergence, Collaboration, and Competition.

In this context, a one-day training workshop for District Planning Officers was organised on 23 February 2026 at the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Bihar. The workshop aimed to strengthen planning capacities, enhance data-based monitoring, and improve implementation strategies at the block level.

The programme was chaired by Additional Chief Secretary of the Planning and Development Department, Dr N. Vijaya Lakshmi, , along with senior officers from the Planning Department, State Transformation Cell Team and distinguished officials from various departments.

In Bihar, the Aspirational Blocks Programme is currently being implemented in 61 blocks across 27 districts. The state has demonstrated strong commitment towards performance-based development. Under the Aspirational Districts Programme, ₹280.26 crore has been disbursed to districts. Additionally, under the Aspirational Blocks Programme, 16 blocks across 6 districts have received ₹20.50 crore as performance-linked incentives, further reinforcing the state’s focus on outcome-based governance.

A key component of ABP is the "Block Saturation Strategy", which aims to ensure 100% achievement of services under key performance indicators in the 61 identified blocks. The strategy emphasized on last-mile delivery, real-time monitoring, and effective convergence of central and state schemes to ensure that no eligible beneficiary or habitation is left behind.

The workshop served as an important platform to enhance knowledge, strengthen inter-departmental coordination, and promote evidence-based planning among district and state-level officers. It reaffirmed the Government of Bihar’s commitment to accelerating inclusive development and achieving measurable improvements in service delivery across 61 Aspirational Blocks.

Additional Chief Secretary, Planning and Development Department instructed the officials to insure 100% expenditure ans provide U.C. to NITI Aayog by 15th March, 2026. District Officials were instructed to review the progress of the program every month.