SDG India Index
Uttarakhand and Kerala have emerged as the top performing states in NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Index 2023-24 while Bihar has been rated as the worst performer.
NITI Aayog evaluates progress on social, economic and environmental parameters through this index. It assesses the performance of states and union territories in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).
According to NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24, India’s overall SDG score increased to 71 in the financial year 2023-24, while it was 66 in 2020-21. The performance has improved due to significant progress on poverty eradication, providing dignified work opportunities, economic growth, action related to climate change and life on the ground.
Uttarakhand and Kerala have jointly emerged as the top performing states with 79 points on these parameters. They are followed by Tamil Nadu (78) and Goa (77). On the other hand, Bihar (57), Jharkhand (62) and Nagaland (63) have become the worst performing states in this year’s index. Whereas among the Union Territories, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Delhi have been included in the top five.
Releasing the report, NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subramaniam said that the targeted intervention of the government has helped India register significant improvement in the 16 goals set as sustainable development goals. He said that India is not only on the path of achieving most of the goals under SDG but is also ahead of others. The government hopes to achieve some of these goals before 2030. The SDG index shows that out of the 16 goals, India’s overall performance is less than 50 points only on the goal of gender equality. (Input Bhasha)