SDG India Index 2023-24

July 13, 2024

GS Paper III Governance

SDG India Index 2023-24, the fourth edition, was released by NITI Aayog.

About SDG India Index

It was first Launched in 2018 to drive SDG localization efforts.
It provides a comparative analysis of state and UT progress on SDGs and fosters collaboration by highlighting achievements and encouraging mutual learning among states and UTs.
It is developed through consultations with stakeholders, including states, UTs, MoSPI, ministries, and UN agencies.
It reflects the comprehensive nature of the Global Goals while considering national priorities.
SDG India Index 2023-24

- The SDG India Index 2023-24 tracks the progress of all States and Union Territories (UTs) in India using 113 indicators aligned with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s National Indicator Framework (NIF).
- It calculates scores for each State and UT across the 16 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting their performance on individual goals.
- Composite Scores, ranging from 0 to 100, are derived from these goal-wise scores to assess the overall performance of each sub-national unit.
- A score of 100 indicates that a State/UT has achieved all targets for the SDGs, with higher scores indicating greater progress towards these goals.

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Importance of SDG India Index 2023-24

Reflects India’s Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals
- Demonstrates India’s alignment with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- Highlights national efforts to achieve global sustainability targets through measurable indicators.
Promotes Competitive Federalism Among States
- Encourages states to compete and learn from each other’s best practices in achieving SDGs.
- Fosters a spirit of collaboration and mutual learning to accelerate progress nationwide.
Integrates SDGs into National and Sub-national Development Plans

- Provides a structured framework for integrating SDGs into both national and sub-national development strategies.
- Enhances coordination and alignment of development efforts across different levels of governance, promoting holistic and sustainable development practices.

NITI Aayog’s Role

Leads national SDG adoption and monitoring efforts.
Promotes “competitive and cooperative federalism” among states and UTs.
Works with states and UTs to:
- Institutionalize SDGs – integrate them into national and subnational development plans.
- Develop capacity and encourage collaboration among stakeholders.
- Take a “whole-of-society” approach for comprehensive SDG implementation.

Key highlights of the SDG India Index 2023-24

SDG India Index

Composite Score Improvement
- India’s composite score improved significantly from 57 in 2018 to 71 in 2023-24.
- This progression reflects enhanced national efforts towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Noteworthy Goal Achievements
- Front Runner Goals: Goals 1 (No Poverty), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and 13 (Climate Action) have entered the ‘Front Runner’ category (scores between 65-99).
  - Goal 13 (Climate Action): This goal saw the most substantial improvement, rising from 54 to 67, indicating enhanced focus on climate-related initiatives.
  - Goal 1 (No Poverty): Goal 1 also showed significant progress, increasing from 60 to 72, highlighting effective poverty alleviation measures.

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- Sector-specific Progress

- - Significant strides in Goals 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 11 were noted, underscoring advancements in areas like health, sanitation, renewable energy, and infrastructure.
  - Government initiatives such as PM Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Jal Jeevan Mission, and others have contributed to these improvements.

SDG India Index

State and UT Performance
- Performance Range: State scores range from 57 to 79, while UTs score between 65 and 77.
- Increase in Front Runners: The number of States/UTs achieving Front Runner status increased to 32, up from 22 in the previous edition.
- Notable Performers: There are 10 new States and UTs in the Front Runner category.
  - These include Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

Goal-wise progress of states based on the SDG India Index 2023-24

Goal	Improvement	Key Points
No Poverty	12 points (Front Runner)	Multidimensional poverty reduced significantly. Increased employment under MGNREGA. Improved housing and health insurance coverage.
Zero Hunger	Moved from Aspirant to Performer category in SDG	Increased coverage under the National Food Security Act. Improved agricultural productivity (rice and wheat ) and GVA.
Good Health and Well-being	Substantial increase ( 52 in 2018 to 77 in 2023-24)	Reduced maternal and child mortality rates. Improved immunization coverage and institutional deliveries.
Quality Education	Increased enrolment and improved infrastructure (from 87.26% in 2018-19 to 96.5% for 2021-22)	Achieved target pupil teacher ratio. Increased access to electricity and drinking water in schools. Maintenance of 100% parity between females and males in higher education
Gender Equality	A significant increase (36 in 2018 to 49 in 2023-24.)	Improved sex ratio at birth (929 females per 1,000 males) Increased female labor force participation and economic equality. Progress in family planning access. Access to mobile phones by women.
Clean Water and Sanitation	Increased from 63 in 2018 to 89 in 2023-24	Universal household toilet coverage and ODF verification (94.7%) Improved drinking water sources in rural areas (99.29%) Reduced water resource overexploitation (from 17.24% in 2017 to 11.23% in 2022.)
Affordable and Clean Energy	Highest score improvement (from 51 in 2018 to 96 in 2023-24)	100% household electricity access. Increased clean cooking fuel usage ((LPG + PNG) connections from 92.02% (2020) to 96.35% (2024))
Decent Work and Economic Growth	Strong economic growth (5.88% of annual growth rate )	Reduced unemployment rate and increased labor force participation. Improved financial inclusion (55.63% of accounts in Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY))
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure	Increased from 41 in 2018 to 61 in 2023-24	Improved rural connectivity with all weather roads. Access to one mobile phone in each household and internet penetration in villages.
Reduced Inequalities	Increased representation (Panchayati Raj Institutions by women and SC/ST persons)	More women in Panchayati Raj institutions (45.61% seats) Increased representation of SC/ST communities in legislatures.
Sustainable Cities and Communities	Significant increase (from 39 in 2018 to 83 in 2023-24)	Improved sewage treatment and waste management in urban areas. High coverage of door-to-door waste collection (97%) and source segregation (90%).
Responsible Consumption and Production	Improved waste management	Increased treatment of biomedical waste (91.5%) and recycling of hazardous waste (from 44.89% in 2018-19 to 54.99% in 2022-23).
Climate Action	Drastic improvement (from 54 (Performer category) to 67 (Front Runner category).	Increased use of renewable energy and industry compliance with environmental standards.
Life on Land	Increased score (from 66 in Index 3 (2020-21) to 75 in Index 4 (2023-24).)	Increased forest and tree cover along with improved carbon stock (1.11% increase)
Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	Increased legal identity and crime reporting	High Aadhaar coverage (95.5% of the population) and birth registration rates (89% of births) Improved charge sheeting rate for IPC crimes (71.3% charge)

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Key interventions facilitating SDG achievements include

PM Awas Yojana (PMAY): Over 4 crore houses built under this scheme.
Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM): 11 crore Toilets & 2.23 lakh Community Sanitary Complexes in rural areas.
PM Ujjwala Yojana: 10 crore LPG connections distributed under this scheme.
Jal Jeevan Mission: over 14.9 crore households provide tap water connections.
Ayushman Bharat -Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: Over 30 crore beneficiaries covered under this scheme.
National Food Security Act (NFSA): Provides subsidised food to over 80 crore beneficiaries.
PM-Jan Dhan Accounts: Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of ₹34 lakh crore made through.
ThSkill India Mission: over 1.4 crore youth are being trained and upskilled, and has reskilled 54 lakh youth.
PM Mudra Yojana: 43 crore loans aggregating ₹22.5 lakh crore were sanctioned for the entrepreneurial aspirations of the youth, in addition to Funds of Funds.
The Saubhagya scheme for access to electricity.

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