Gadchiroli ranks first in country in NITI Aayog's Delta ranking; CM Fadnavis congratulates district

Gadchiroli district has ranked first in the country in NITI Aayog's Delta ranking for the April-June 2026 quarter. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday congratulated the Gadchiroli district administration, social organisations and local residents on the achievement.

The quarterly ranking is prepared under NITI Aayog's Aspirational Districts Programme and assesses the progress of districts on key human development indicators. Gadchiroli stood first, while Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir is second.

In a post on X, Fadnavis called the achievement historic. He credited progress in several areas, including water conservation, healthcare, girls' education and industrial skill development. According to him, structural reforms and targeted government measures played a major role in the district's performance.

On water, Fadnavis said more than 6,000 water storage structures were built in the district under the relaunched Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. This has improved groundwater levels, benefited crop yields and strengthened water security in villages.

On education, separate toilets for girls were increased in primary and secondary schools in remote tribal areas. This helped reduce school dropouts and promote hygiene. Verification of Aadhaar-linked bank accounts was also sped up on a large scale, making the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) process easier and strengthening financial inclusion in rural areas.

For skill development, modern vocational courses were started at Gadchiroli's Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) with the support of companies such as Mahindra, Lloyds and Tata Trusts. Targeted improvements have also been made at primary health centres, and nutrition programmes were run for pregnant women.

Praising the shared effort behind the success, Fadnavis congratulated the district administration, health workers, social organisations, private partners and the citizens of Gadchiroli. He said big goals can be achieved through a dedicated administration, corporate partnerships and public participation, and that Gadchiroli's first place in the NITI Aayog Delta ranking is an example.

The achievement comes as Fadnavis has set a goal of making Gadchiroli India's leading green steel hub. The district, known for Maoist violence and backwardness, is now seen as going through a major transformation.

Referring to Gadchiroli's rich mineral wealth, Fadnavis said the district has high-grade iron ore, manganese and limestone. He expressed confidence that Gadchiroli will lead the country in environment-friendly, low-pollution steel production.