NITI Aayog & JICA Sign Phase II Pact To Advance SDG Implementation In Aspirational Districts

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Mar 3 (KNN) NITI Aayog and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have signed the Record of Discussions (RoD) for Phase II of the 'Project for Promotion of the Program for Japan–India Cooperative Actions Towards Sustainable Development Goals' to deepen development cooperation.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme at NITI Aayog, and Takeuchi Takuro, Chief Representative, JICA India.

Focus on Aspirational Districts and Blocks

The project aims to support the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP), with a focus on accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It seeks to strengthen policy frameworks and improve implementation systems in underserved regions.

The initiative will cover six priority areas: global partnerships, health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development, and basic infrastructure. It will also emphasise institutional capacity building, improved monitoring and evaluation, and local-level implementation of SDGs.

Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building

Key activities under the project include capacity-building exchanges, Japan–India knowledge forums, identification and sharing of best practices, and targeted support to selected districts and blocks.

Officials said the collaboration brings together institutional strengths, shared expertise and field experience to promote inclusive development. JICA representatives noted that India's district- and block-level monitoring systems have drawn international attention.

(KNN Bureau)

MENAFN03032026000155011030ID1110809748