Sustainable Development Gains Momentum In Northeast: 85 Per Cent Districts Show Progress In SDG Index

In a significant gain for regional development efforts, the second edition of the North Eastern Region (NER) District SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Index (2023-24), released by NITI Aayog, shows that 85 per cent of districts recorded an improvement in their composite scores, NITI Aayog said in a statement. 

The report, developed with support from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER) and UNDP, evaluates district-level progress across eight northeastern states using indicators aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mizoram’s Hnahthial emerged as the top-performing district with a score of 81.43, while all districts of Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura attained 'Front Runner' status. 

Nagaland placed three districts in the top ten, signalling strong progress.

Sikkim stood out for its consistency, with minimal variation in scores between districts, while Tripura also showed high performance with narrow intra-state differences.

Meanwhile, Assam marked across-the-board improvement, particularly in Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Clean Water and Sanitation, and Decent Work and Economic Growth.

The index categorizes districts into four groups based on performance: Achiever (100), Front Runner (65 to 99), Performer (50 to 65), and Aspirant (below 50). No district achieved a perfect score or fell into the lowest category.

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery emphasised the role of SDG milestones in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. CEO BVR Subrahmanyam recalled the Prime Minister’s reference to the region as "Ashta Lakshmi," underlining the importance of inclusive development.

According to NITI Aayog, the NER District SDG Index 2023-24 serves as a vital policy tool for evidence-based planning, resource allocation, and monitoring of development efforts in the region.

The significant improvement in district-level performance, it noted, reflects the combined impact of national flagship schemes and localised interventions, particularly through initiatives such as the Aspirational Districts Programme.

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