Aspirational Block Programme: Aryaka Akhoury, Gaurav Singh Rajawat Named Central Prabhari Officers
The Government of India has issued an Office Memorandum announcing changes in the Central Prabhari Officers (CPOs) assigned to districts under the Aspirational Block Programme (ABP). The latest administrative order provides for the replacement of existing CPOs in the indicated districts, with the new appointments listed in an annexure issued by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet under the Department of Personnel and Training.
Among the officers named in the available annexure are Aryaka Akhoury, IAS, who has been appointed as Central Prabhari Officer for Ambedkar Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh, and Gaurav Singh Rajawat, IAS, who has been assigned the responsibility for Chittorgarh district in Rajasthan. The respective officers will oversee their assigned districts under the Aspirational Block Programme while continuing to remain associated with their parent ministries and departments.
Central Prabhari Officers Replaced Under Aspirational Block Programme
The Office Memorandum, bearing reference number 7/3/2017-EO(SM-I)(Pt.3), states that Central Prabhari Officers in respect of the indicated districts under the Aspirational Block Programme have been replaced in accordance with the enclosed annexure.
The order has been issued by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel and Training. It is signed by Annies Kanmani Joy, Director, and carries the telephone number 24010544.
The CPO arrangement forms part of the Centre’s administrative monitoring mechanism for the Aspirational Block Programme. Under this framework, designated senior government officers are associated with selected districts and blocks to facilitate monitoring, coordination and field-level engagement in areas covered by the programme.
Aryaka Akhoury Assigned to Ambedkar Nagar
As per the annexure accompanying the Office Memorandum, Aryaka Akhoury, IAS has been appointed as the Central Prabhari Officer for Ambedkar Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh.
The blocks listed against the district are Bhiti, Bhiyawn and Tanda. Akhoury is presently designated as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, under the Department of Personnel and Training.
Her appointment means that she will serve as the designated Central Prabhari Officer for the three identified Aspirational Blocks in Ambedkar Nagar. The assignment adds a field-monitoring and coordination responsibility alongside her existing position in the central government.
The CPO mechanism is designed to connect central-level administrative oversight with implementation on the ground. Officers assigned these responsibilities can interact with state and district administrations and monitor developments relating to the identified blocks under the programme.
Gaurav Singh Rajawat Gets Chittorgarh Assignment
The second officer named in the provided annexure is Gaurav Singh Rajawat, IAS, who has been assigned as Central Prabhari Officer for Chittorgarh district in Rajasthan.
The Aspirational Block listed against Chittorgarh is Nimbahera. Rajawat is currently serving as Director in the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
His new CPO responsibility will cover the designated Aspirational Block in Chittorgarh. Like other officers assigned under the arrangement, he will be expected to coordinate with the relevant administrative authorities in connection with the implementation and monitoring of the Aspirational Block Programme.
The assignment also brings together the work of a senior central government officer and the district-level administrative machinery. Such coordination is particularly relevant to programmes where development indicators need to be tracked across multiple sectors and where local implementation can vary considerably from one area to another.
NITI Aayog to Provide Coordination and Guidance
The Office Memorandum specifically identifies NITI Aayog as the coordinating institution for the Central Prabhari Officer mechanism. Newly appointed CPOs have been advised to contact Dr. Mahendra Kumar, Deputy Secretary (Additional MD – ADP/ABP), NITI Aayog, for clarification and guidance.
The order provides his telephone number as 24045411 and identifies his official email address in the communication. This arrangement gives the newly appointed officers a designated point of contact for matters relating to the Aspirational District Programme and Aspirational Block Programme.
The memorandum also directs the newly appointed CPOs to seek guidance wherever required. This indicates that the assignments are intended to operate through coordination between the central officers, NITI Aayog and the concerned state and district administrations.
What Is the Aspirational Block Programme?
The Aspirational Block Programme is a Government of India initiative aimed at improving development outcomes in identified blocks through focused monitoring and convergence of government interventions.
The programme builds on the broader approach of the Aspirational Districts Programme, with attention moving deeper into the administrative structure to blocks where development indicators may require concentrated intervention. Areas such as health and nutrition, education, agriculture and allied activities, basic infrastructure, social development and financial inclusion can form part of the development framework monitored under such initiatives.
The involvement of Central Prabhari Officers provides an additional layer of coordination. These officers are drawn from different ministries and departments, allowing the Centre to maintain a direct administrative link with districts and blocks covered by the programme.
Senior Officers to Coordinate With State Governments
The Office Memorandum has been circulated widely across the Union and state administrative machinery. It has been addressed to all Secretaries to the Government of India, all Chief Secretaries of the States and all Administrators of Union Territories.
This broad circulation reflects the inter-governmental nature of the CPO arrangement. The officers are expected to work within an existing administrative structure rather than functioning independently of state or district authorities.
Copies of the memorandum have also been sent to the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, the Cabinet Secretariat and officials of NITI Aayog. The communication specifically refers to a Cabinet Secretariat Office Memorandum dated August 13, 2026, indicating that the latest changes are part of an established administrative framework for coordination.
Two Different Ministries, One Field-Level Assignment
The appointments also highlight the cross-ministerial nature of the Central Prabhari Officer system. Aryaka Akhoury is serving under the Department of Personnel and Training, while Gaurav Singh Rajawat is serving under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Their parent assignments remain separate from their CPO responsibilities. The additional field-level role allows officers from different central ministries to participate in monitoring development efforts in specific districts and blocks.
For Ambedkar Nagar, the focus of the latest annexure is on Bhiti, Bhiyawn and Tanda. In Chittorgarh, the identified block is Nimbahera. The respective officers will coordinate with the concerned administrations as part of the programme’s monitoring structure.
Administrative Change at the Field Level
The latest Office Memorandum does not announce a change in the Aspirational Block Programme itself. Instead, it records a change in the officers responsible for the identified districts and blocks.
The replacement of CPOs is an administrative exercise intended to ensure that designated central officers remain available for monitoring and coordination responsibilities. The order also provides a direct channel to NITI Aayog for the newly appointed officers should they require clarification or guidance.
With Aryaka Akhoury taking responsibility for the selected blocks in Ambedkar Nagar and Gaurav Singh Rajawat being assigned to Nimbahera in Chittorgarh, the latest list brings fresh central-level administrative oversight to the two districts mentioned in the supplied annexure.
The Office Memorandum has been circulated to the concerned Union and state authorities, while NITI Aayog will continue to serve as the key coordinating institution for the Aspirational Block Programme. The assignments underline the Centre’s continuing effort to maintain direct administrative engagement with identified blocks and to monitor development-related implementation through senior government officers.
