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

Calling it a significant milestone for the tribal-dominated district, Ms. Nishanthi attributed the achievement to sustained focus on strengthening basic infrastructure, even in the district’s remotest tribal habitations. She cited improvements in drinking water supply, road connectivity, electricity, solar street lighting, upgraded primary health centres and school buildings, and the construction of public toilets, alongside the effective implementation of welfare schemes, as key drivers of the outcome.

The Collector credited close coordination among government departments, the commitment of field-level staff, and continuous monitoring by the district administration. She described the ranking as a reflection of collective effort, acknowledging the contribution of public representatives, officials across departments and the people of the district.

Ms. Nishanthi said that the administration would build on this momentum to improve performance across other development indicators, with the aim of establishing ASR as a model district nationally. She congratulated officers, employees, field-level functionaries, public representatives and residents for their role in the achievement.

The Aspirational Districts Programme, launched by NITI Aayog, ranks districts on health, nutrition, education, agriculture, water resources, financial inclusion and basic infrastructure indicators.