ASR tops the NITI Aayog infrastructure rankings

Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district has been ranked first in the country in the Basic Infrastructure theme of NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Program as per March 2026 ranking, District Collector T. Nishanthi announced on Sunday.

Describing it as a major milestone for the tribal-dominated district, Ms. Nishanthi attributed the achievement to a sustained focus on strengthening basic infrastructure, even in the remotest tribal habitations of the district. She cited improvements in drinking water supply, road connectivity, electricity, solar street lighting, modernized basic health centers and school buildings and construction of public toilets along with effective implementation of social programs as key factors in the outcome.

The Collector appreciated the close coordination between government departments, deployment of field workers and continuous monitoring by the district administration. She described the ranking as a reflection of a collective effort and acknowledged the contributions of members of the public, cross-departmental officials and county residents.

Ms. Nishanthi said the administration will build on this momentum to improve performance on other development indicators with the aim of making ASR a model district at the national level. She congratulated the officers, staff, field level functionaries, public representatives and residents for their role in this achievement.

Launched by NITI Aayog, the Aspirational Districts Program ranks districts on indicators of health, nutrition, education, agriculture, water resources, financial inclusion and basic infrastructure.

Published – 12 Jul 2026 22:11 IST