CEO, NITI Aayog; 100% Aspirational Block Coverage to Benefit 1.2 Lakh People Under NIIT Foundation Partnership

 New Delhi, 27th January 2026: In a significant push to strengthen grassroots digital capacity, financial inclusion and employability, NITI Aayog today signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with NIIT Foundation to roll out targeted interventions across India’s Aspirational Blocks.

The partnership aims to achieve 100 per cent block-level coverage, reach approximately 1.2 lakh beneficiaries, and ensure at least 40 per cent participation by women, aligning with the government’s broader focus on inclusive and sustainable development. The collaboration will focus on digital literacy, financial inclusion, employability skills and community-based learning interventions across selected Aspirational Blocks. The programme is designed to strengthen last-mile delivery by embedding learning and skill-building within local communities.

 

NIIT Foundation will lead on-ground implementation through trained mobilisers and trainers, while also building the capacity of community facilitators, self-help group (SHG) leaders and peer educators. This capacity-building approach is intended to ensure that programme outcomes are sustained well beyond the formal intervention period.

The SoI was signed in the presence of Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog; Shri Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP), NITI Aayog; and Dr. Mahendra Kumar, Additional Mission Director, ADP/ABP, NITI Aayog. Dr. Charu Kapoor, Country Director; Amar Gupta, Operations Director; and Akhilesh Sharma, National Program Head – Skills & Education, were present on behalf of NIIT Foundation.

 

B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, said, “This partnership will create resilient and self-sustainable Aspirational Blocks – a key focus area for the nation’s development.”

 

Shri Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, ADP and ABP, highlighted the inclusive design of the programme, stating, “The reach of the collaboration, along with the impetus given to women’s participation, will be instrumental in foundational changes in these Blocks.”

  

Dr. Charu Kapoor, Country Director, NIIT Foundation, said, “We are focused on contributing to India’s digital growth story and meaningfully sustain the outcomes of the programme. NITI Aayog’s partnership ensures that the relevant beneficiaries will be served.”

 

Through this partnership, NITI Aayog and NIIT Foundation seek to foster robust, inclusive and future-ready Aspirational Blocks, contributing to improved development indicators while advancing India’s broader digital growth and inclusion agenda.