NITI Aayog has signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with NIIT Foundation to roll out targeted interventions across India’s Aspirational Blocks, aimed at strengthening grassroots digital capacity, financial inclusion and employability.
The partnership seeks to achieve 100 per cent block-level coverage, reach approximately 1.2 lakh beneficiaries and ensure at least 40 per cent participation by women. The initiative aligns with the government’s focus on inclusive and sustainable development and will focus on digital literacy, financial inclusion, employability skills and community-based learning interventions.
Under the collaboration, NIIT Foundation will lead on-ground implementation through trained mobilisers and trainers, while also building the capacity of community facilitators, self-help group leaders and peer educators. This approach is designed to embed learning and skill development within local communities and ensure that outcomes are sustained beyond the formal programme period.
The SoI was signed in the presence of B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog; Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, Aspirational Districts Programme and Aspirational Blocks Programme; and Mahendra Kumar, Additional Mission Director, ADP/ABP. Senior representatives from NIIT Foundation, including Charu Kapoor, were also present.
Commenting on the partnership, Subrahmanyam said in a media statement that the collaboration would help create resilient and self-sustaining Aspirational Blocks, which remain a key focus area for India’s development agenda.
Rohit Kumar highlighted the programme’s inclusive design, noting that its scale and emphasis on women’s participation would play a critical role in driving foundational change across Aspirational Blocks.
Charu Kapoor said the foundation aims to contribute meaningfully to India’s digital growth story and sustain programme outcomes, adding that the partnership with NITI Aayog would ensure that relevant beneficiaries are effectively reached.
Through the collaboration, NITI Aayog and NIIT Foundation aim to strengthen development indicators across Aspirational Blocks while advancing India’s broader goals of digital inclusion and future-ready communities.
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