This assignment involved the evaluation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) under Package 4- Urban Transformation & Skill Development, commissioned by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog, Government of India. The objective was to evaluate each of the CSS using the REESI+C+E (Relevance, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Sustainability, Impact, Coherence, and Equity) framework. The evaluation adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining secondary data review, large-scale primary data collection, and rigorous qualitative and quantitative analysis, aligned with national evaluation frameworks and SDGs. The findings were intended to inform evidence-based policy decisions and future programme design and implementation.
Five CSS schemes under the Urban Transformation Sector included Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) (PMAY(U)), Smart Cities Mission (SCM), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).
Three CSS Schemes under the Skill Development Sector included Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP), Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) and Strengthening of Infrastructure for Institutional Training (SIIT).
Our Role
- As part of the evaluation, we conducted 200 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), 50 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and 2100 household/beneficiary surveys across 60 cities (in 13 states/UT) in the urban sector. In the skill development sector, we conducted 250 KIIs, 50 FGDs, and 860 beneficiary surveys across 13 states/UTs.
- Designed and implemented robust evaluation frameworks, including evaluation matrices, sampling strategies, and data collection tools (household surveys, KIIs, FGDs, and institutional surveys).
- Evaluation followed a structured approach, presenting sectoral and scheme-wise findings under clearly demarcated themes. It offered actionable insights and forward-looking recommendations to enhance the responsiveness, efficiency, and impact of government interventions in the urban transformation and skill development sector. Wherever possible, state-specific nuances and best practices were highlighted to inform adaptive policy design.
- Engaged with central ministries, state governments, ULBs, training institutions, and other stakeholders to validate findings and identify implementation gaps.
