Amrit Prayas conclave focuses on unlocking growth potential of 'Middle India'
New Delhi, June 6
Senior leaders from industry, government, and policy institutions gathered at Shangri-La, New Delhi, for the Amrit Prayas Conclave, an invitation-only forum that placed "Middle India" -- India's long-overlooked districts -- at the centre of the country's investment and development agenda.
Organised under Amrit Prayas, a decade-long economic development initiative for the Deoria Lok Sabha constituency, the conclave brought together corporate leaders, policymakers, and institutional stakeholders from sectors including healthcare, tourism, education, skilling, manufacturing, and agriculture. Discussions focused on strategies to unlock district-level growth and create sustainable development models that can be replicated across the country.
Delivering the Vision Address, Shashank Mani, Member of Parliament from Deoria, outlined a district-centric development framework aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat and the principle of "Sabka Prayas" -- collective effort as the foundation of national transformation.
He described Amrit Prayas as a structured platform that brings together government, industry, and citizens to co-create economic growth and social progress.
Mani said the initiative draws strength from the policy support and institutional backing of both the Central Government and the Uttar Pradesh Government. He noted that sustained efforts to improve infrastructure, enhance ease of doing business, and promote balanced regional development have created favourable conditions for districts such as Deoria to emerge as new engines of growth.
Emphasising the importance of janbhagidari (people's participation), he said the success of Amrit Prayas depends on active community involvement -- from farmers adopting modern agricultural practices and youth participating in skilling programmes to local stakeholders shaping development outcomes.
"This is not growth delivered to a district; it is growth built with the district," Mani remarked, highlighting the shift from beneficiary-based development models to participatory and locally driven growth frameworks.
A key highlight of the evening was a panel discussion titled "Investment in Middle India", featuring industry and government leaders Masoom Ali Sarwar, William Bessel, J.D. Giri, and Sheetal Arora.
The discussion examined how coordinated efforts between the Centre and states can reduce investment risks in emerging districts and how policy support, infrastructure development, and local implementation capacity can together create attractive investment destinations.
Delivering special remarks, Saurabh Garg, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), underscored the crucial role of districts in achieving India's long-term economic aspirations. He highlighted the importance of data-driven governance, institutional convergence, and private-sector participation in translating national development goals into tangible local outcomes and noted that initiatives such as Amrit Prayas can serve as important catalysts in this process.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Sounds promising, but I hope it's not just another talk-shop. The real test will be how much actually reaches the ground level. Will farmers in Deoria see better prices? Will youth get real jobs? Let's wait and watch. But yes, janbhagidari is key — we need people to own this vision.
This is the kind of thinking that will take India to a $5 trillion economy. Deoria is not just a district; it's a symbol of what's possible when policy meets local ambition. The infrastructure push by the Centre and UP govt is already visible. Amrit Prayas could be a blueprint for the entire country. Well done.
Fascinating approach. In many countries, district-level development remains fragmented. The idea of "growth built with the district" rather than "delivered to the district" is a paradigm shift. Data-driven governance and private sector participation as highlighted by Saurabh Garg ji will be crucial for scalability. Impressive vision.
As someone from a small town in UP, I can tell you the difference infrastructure makes. Just having better roads and internet opens up so many opportunities. If Amrit Prayas brings skilling programs and local manufacturing to places like Deoria, it will stop migration to cities. This is real development. 👍
One concern: Will this be sustainable after the political push fades? District-level development needs long-term institutional commitment, not just a decade-long initiative. Also, need to ensure transparency in how funds are used. But yes, the direction is right. Viksit Bharat needs
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