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1. NITI Aayog releases second edition of the North Eastern Region District SDG Index (2023-24)

NITI Aayog releases second edition of the North Eastern Region District SDG Index (2023-24)

Overview & Significance

• Released by: NITI Aayog and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), with technical support from UNDP.
• Edition: Second edition; first released on 26 August 2021.
• Objective: To measure district-level SDG progress across 121 districts in 8 Northeastern states.
• Methodology: Based on the SDG India Index framework developed by NITI Aayog.
• Utility: Facilitates evidence-based planning, identifies development gaps, and guides interventions.
• Categories of Districts:
  • Achiever: Score = 100
  • Front Runner: 65–99
  • Performer: 50–64
  • Aspirant: <50

Relevance : GS 2(Governance )

Key Highlights

• 85% of districts showed an increase in composite score over the previous edition.
• All districts in Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura are in the Front Runner category.
• Hnahthial (Mizoram): Top performer in NER with a score of 81.43.
• Longding (Arunachal Pradesh): Lowest scoring district at 58.71.
• Nagaland: For the first time, 3 districts feature in the Top 10.
• Sikkim: Most consistent performance across districts (only 5.5-point score variation).
• Tripura: High performers with low intra-state variation (6.5 points).
• Mizoram and Nagaland: Strong performers but higher intra-state score variations (13.72 and 15.07 points, respectively).

SDG Goal-wise Insights

• Good Health & Well-being (SDG 3): Improved scores in 93 districts.
• Assam: Notable improvements in:
  • Zero Hunger (SDG 2)
  • Quality Education (SDG 4)
  • Clean Water & Sanitation (SDG 6)
  • Decent Work & Economic Growth (SDG 8)

State-wise Best & Worst Performing Districts

Institutional Remarks

• Suman Bery (Vice Chair, NITI Aayog): Emphasized the importance of achieving SDGs by 2030 as an intermediate step to Viksit Bharat @2047.
• B.V.R. Subrahmanyam (CEO, NITI Aayog): Highlighted PM’s vision of Ashta Lakshmi and development of the NE region.
• Chanchal Kumar (Secy, MoDoNER): Index helps identify gaps and informs efficient resource allocation.
• Dr. Angela Lusigi (UNDP): Stressed data-to-action transformation for human development.

Implications & Takeaways

• Reflects strong policy alignment, especially with flagship schemes like Aspirational Districts Programme.
• Reinforces localization of SDGs with robust district-level monitoring.
• Encourages cooperative federalism through collaborative monitoring and development.
• Sets the foundation for targeted interventions and improved public service delivery in the Northeast.

NITI Aayog SDG India Index – Key Highlights

• Launched: First introduced in 2018 to track India’s progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the state and UT level.
• Prepared by: NITI Aayog, with support from UNDP India and technical expertise from GIZ (in earlier editions).
• Framework: Aligned with the 17 SDGs adopted by UN Member States under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Latest Edition: SDG Index 2023 includes 100+ indicators across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
• Coverage: Tracks all States and Union Territories, and increasingly also district-level performance (e.g., North Eastern Region Index, Aspirational Districts).
• Scoring Categories:
  • Achiever: 100
  • Front Runner: 65–99
  • Performer: 50–64
  • Aspirant: Below 50
• Top Performers (2023):
  • In 2023–24, Kerala and Uttarakhand jointly topped the Index with a score of 79, followed by Tamil Nadu (78) and Goa & Himachal Pradesh (77)