SDG India Index and Surprising Results

The NITI Aayog’s SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) India Index released in December 2018 has thrown up surprising results regarding poverty eradication among states.

In-Detail :

• The general convention is that more advanced is states development more is the chance for eradicating poverty as it has the resources to do it.
• But, the SDG India Index shows that it is not the case.
• Industrially well-developed states like Maharashtra and Gujarat lag behind states like Chattisgarh and Odisha in eradicating poverty.
• As per the index, Southern States – Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu – and North East states – Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram – and Uttarakhand are ‘Front runners’ in eradicating poverty.
• States that are designated as ‘Performers’ are West Bengal, Telangana, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Nagaland and Punjab.
• Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chandigarh are ‘Aspirant’ States.

The Index :

• The Index developed by NITI Aayog will measure the progress made at the state and Union Territory level on the 13 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• It helps trigger action and fuel advocacy.
• The 13 SDGs the index measured were:
  1. No Poverty
  2. Zero Hunger
  3. Good Health and Well-Being
  4. Quality Education
  5. Gender Equality
  6. Clean Water and Sanitation
  7. Affordable and Clean Energy
  8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
  9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  10. Reduced Inequality
  11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
  12. Responsible Consumption and Production
  13. Climate Action.

• The four UN SDGs that were left in the index are:

1. Life below water
2. Life on land
3. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
4. Partnerships for the Goal

• The UN SDGs are to be achieved by 2030.
• NITI Aayog used 62 priority indicators for computing the index.

Strange Case :

• A strange case is that of Andhra Pradesh.
• Though the state is struggling with access to financial resources, it had performed well on numerous parameters.

Composite Index :

• In the composite index, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh are on the top of the list.
• Due to its efforts to reduce hunger, achieving gender equality, and quality education, Kerala was ranked higher.
• Himachal Pradesh for its efforts to provide clean drinking water and sanitation, preserving the mountain ecosystem and reducing inequalities.
• Gujarat ranks first in providing clean water and sanitation along with UTs – Chandigarh, Lakshadweep and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

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Funding and Performance :

• Though many states are on course to achieve some SDGs by 2030, the major issue that might hamper the progress is funding for implementation.
• A preliminary estimate has put that India needs $2.5 trillion at 2014-15 prices to achieve SDG 13 – Climate action by 2030.
• The SDG Index 2018 released by The Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has shown that among the G20 national India has large performance gaps in achieving SDGs by 2030.
• State governments have to identify these gaps and ensure that effective implementation of plans and policies take place.
• Only then can SDGs be achieved even after 2030.