Analyzing the SDG India Index 2023-24: Progress, Performance, and Path Ahead

SDG INDIA INDEX 2023-24: PROGRESS IN KEY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index, released annually by NITI Aayog since 2018, serves as a comprehensive tool to track the progress of Indian states and union territories (UTs) towards achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The 2023-24 edition highlights significant improvements in several key areas, reflecting the country’s ongoing efforts to meet these global targets.

Progress in Key Goals

The SDG India Index 2023-24 reports marked advancements in several goals:

• Goal 1: No Poverty: The score for this goal rose from 60 in 2020-21 to 72 in 2023-24, demonstrating significant progress in poverty reduction across the country.
• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: Economic growth and employment opportunities have also improved, contributing to a higher score in this goal.
• Goal 13: Climate Action: This goal saw the largest increase in score, rising from 54 to 67, indicating substantial strides in addressing climate-related challenges.
• Goal 15: Life on Land: Efforts to preserve terrestrial ecosystems have resulted in improved scores for this goal as well.

However, despite these achievements, the overall score for Goal 5: Gender Equality remains below 50, underlining the need for intensified efforts to achieve gender parity.

State-Wise Performance

The index reveals significant variation in performance across states and UTs:

• Top-Performing States: Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Himachal Pradesh emerged as the highest-scoring states.
• Lagging States: Bihar, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh were identified as the lowest performers, highlighting regional disparities in achieving SDG targets.
• Top-Performing Union Territories: Among the UTs, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Delhi performed exceptionally well.

Sustainable Development Goal-Wise Performance

The report also provides a detailed breakdown of the top-performing states and UTs across individual SDGs:

• Goal 1: No Poverty: Tamil Nadu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were the leaders.
• Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being: Gujarat and Delhi scored highest.
• Goal 13: Climate Action: Sikkim and Tamil Nadu, along with Chandigarh, led the way in climate action initiatives.
• Goal 15: Life on Land: Jharkhand and Tripura, along with Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, were top performers.

State and UT Score Categories

The SDG Index scores range from 0 to 100, categorizing states and UTs as:

• Aspirant: 0–49
• Performer: 50–64
• Front-Runner: 65–99
• Achiever: 100

The 2023-24 report highlights that all states have shown progress, with score improvements ranging from 1 to 8 points. Notably, the number of states and UTs achieving ‘Front Runner’ status increased to 32, up from 22 in 2020-21. New entrants to the ‘Front Runner’ category include Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Chhattisgarh, among others.

Government Initiatives Driving Progress

Several central government interventions have significantly contributed to the improvements in SDG scores:

• PM Awas Yojana (PMAY): Over 40 million houses were constructed under this scheme, contributing to progress in Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
• Jal Jeevan Mission: Over 149 million households received tap water connections, advancing progress in Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
• Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: Over 300 million people benefited from this health initiative, impacting Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
• National Food Security Act (NFSA): 800 million people received benefits, aiding in the fight against hunger and poverty.
• PM Ujjwala Yojana: 100 million LPG connections were provided, promoting clean energy and improving living standards.

The SDG India Index 2023-24 underscores India’s ongoing commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with notable progress in several areas, while also highlighting the challenges that remain, particularly in achieving gender equality.