SDG India Index 2023-24

SDG India Index 2023-24, the fourth edition of the country’s principal tool for measuring national and subnational progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) was released by NITI Aayog. Read here to learn more.

India’s commitment to the SDGs since adopting the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development is reflected in concerted efforts on SDG localisation spearheaded by NITI Aayog, which works closely with States and UTs.

NITI Aayog has the twin mandate to oversee the adoption and monitoring of the SDGs in the country and promote competitive and cooperative federalism among States and UTs.

SDG India Index 2023-24

The SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) India Index 2023-24 is an important framework developed by the NITI Aayog to track and rank the progress of Indian states and union territories in achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDG India Index aims to foster competitive and cooperative federalism by comprehensively reviewing social, economic, and environmental indicators.

SDG India Index 2023-24 measures and tracks the national progress of all States and UTs on 113 indicators aligned to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s (MoSPI) National Indicator Framework (NIF).

• The SDG India Index computes goal-wise scores on the 16 SDGs for each State and UT.
• Overall State and UT scores or Composite Scores are generated from goal-wise scores to measure the aggregate performance of the sub-national unit based on its performance across the 16 SDGs.
• These scores range between 0–100, and if a State/UT achieves a score of 100, it signifies it has completed the targets.
• The higher the score of a State/UT, the greater the distance covered to the target.

Key Highlights of the SDG India Index 2023-24

• Comprehensive Assessment: The index assesses 16 goals (excluding Goal 14: Life Below Water) across various indicators, covering sectors like health, education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, economic growth, and climate action.
• Scoring and Ranking: States and union territories are scored on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being the highest. The scores are categorized as Aspirant (0–49), Performer (50–64), Front Runner (65–99), and Achiever (100).
• Top Performers: Kerala continues to be a top performer in the SDG India Index, showcasing strong achievements across multiple goals. Other high-ranking states include Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, which have made significant progress in areas like health, education, and clean energy.
• Areas of Improvement: States like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh have been identified as regions requiring considerable efforts to improve their performance, especially in areas like poverty reduction, education quality, and gender equality.
• Data-Driven Approach: The index relies on data from various government sources and international databases, ensuring a robust and evidence-based assessment. It incorporates data from over 100 indicators to provide a holistic view of progress.
• Policy Implications: The index is designed to inform policymakers at the central and state levels, helping them to identify gaps, set priorities, and formulate strategies to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. It also promotes transparency and accountability in governance.

Scores and progress

All States have shown an improvement in the overall score

• The overall SDG score for the country is 71 for 2023-24, a significant improvement from 66 in 2020-21 and 57 in 2018 (Baseline report).
• Scores for States range from 57 to 79 in 2023-24, marking a substantial improvement from the  year  2018  range  of  42  to
• Significant progress  in Goals 1 (No Poverty), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 13 (Climate  Action) and 15 (Life  on  Land)
• Goal 13 (Climate Action) records the highest increase in score from 54 in 2020-21 to 67 in 2023-24 followed by Goal 1 (No Poverty) from 60 to 72
• States and UTs in the front-runner category with 10 new entrants -Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
• Between 2018 and 2023-24, the fastest moving States are Uttar Pradesh (increase in score by 25), followed by J&K (21), Uttarakhand (19), Sikkim (18), Haryana (17), Assam, Tripura and Punjab (16 each), Madhya Pradesh and Odisha (15 each).

Significance of the SDG India Index

The launch of the SDG India Index in 2018 provided the impetus for the localisation push, reaffirming States and UTs as key stakeholders in this transformative journey.

• Benchmarking Progress: The index serves as a benchmarking tool to measure the progress of states and union territories, highlighting best practices and areas needing attention.
• Promoting Cooperative Federalism: By ranking states, the index encourages a spirit of competition and cooperation among states, fostering a collaborative approach to achieving sustainable development.
• Guiding Policy and Investment: The insights from the index guide policymakers, investors, and stakeholders in making informed decisions, and directing resources to areas with the most significant impact potential.
• Public Awareness: The index increases public awareness and engagement by making information on sustainable development accessible, thus encouraging community participation and accountability.

Challenges and Future Directions

• Data Gaps: Despite improvements, there are still data gaps and inconsistencies, particularly in indicators related to newer and more complex goals like climate action and life on land.
• Regional Disparities: Significant disparities in development levels across states need targeted interventions and tailored strategies to address local challenges effectively.
• Integration of New Indicators: The inclusion of more comprehensive and real-time data, possibly incorporating new technologies and methodologies, can enhance the accuracy and relevance of the index.

Conclusion

The SDG India Index has been consistently improved over the years to provide a comprehensive and comparative analysis of progress on the goals.

By fostering collaborative competition, the Index not only highlights achievements but also encourages States and UTs to learn from each other to close outcome-based gaps.

Grounded in the globally accepted SDSN methodology, the development of the Index followed extensive consultations with the States and UTs (the primary stakeholders); MoSPI; Union Ministries; and UN agencies.

The Index represents the articulation of the comprehensive nature of the Global Goals under the 2030 Agenda while being attuned to the national priorities.

The recent SDG India index shows significant progress in the goals of eliminating poverty, providing decent work, economic growth, climate action and life on land.

Targeted interventions by the Government such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ujjwala, Swachh Bharat, Jan Dhan, Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, Ayushman Arogya Mandir, PM-Mudra Yojana, Saubhgaya, Start-up India etc. had an impact and led to rapid improvement.

Read the full report here

-Article by Swathi Satish