SDG India Index 2023-24: Significant progress in eliminating poverty, gender, income inequalities a concern

India improved its performance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during 2023-24 with significant progress in poverty alleviation, economic growth and climate action.

However, progress in access to equal opportunities needs to be addressed more effectively, along with addressing gender and income-related inequalities.

NITI Aayog on Friday released the fourth edition of the SDG India Index 2023-24, revealing “significant” progress across the goals of poverty alleviation, decent work, economic growth, climate action and providing life on land.

“Remarkable work is being done. Still a lot of work needs to be done. We have performed very well on Goal 1 (No poverty), Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth), Goal 13 (Climate action) and Goal 15 (Life on land), NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer BVR Subramaniam said.

Overall, the SDG score for India is 71 for 2023-24, compared to 66 in 2020-21 and 57 in 2018 (baseline report). Target 13 recorded the highest increase from 54 in 2020-21 to 67 in 2023-24, followed by Target 1 from 60 to 72.

The SDG India Index measures and tracks the national progress of states and union territories on 113 indicators linked to the National Indicator Framework (NIF) of the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation. It calculates target-wise scores on 16 SDGs for each state and union territory.

The progress is explained using colors – red or Aspirant (with an index score below 50), yellow or Performer (score between 50-64), green or Front Runner (score between 65-99) and blue or Achiever (score equal to 100).

It reported positive trends in the performance of states and union territories. The score for states now ranges between 57 to 79, while the score for UTs is between 65 and 77, which is an improvement compared to 2020-21, where the range was 52 to 75 for states and 62 for UTs. It was 79.

gender equality

This is the only SDG (Goal 5) where the index is in red, meaning performance below 50.

“It’s a topic of concern. There is improvement. We have moved from 36th to 49th position. Next year we may be in the yellow overall for the country. You will see that the states which are not performing well have problems like sex ratio at birth. There are states which are below 900 (girls per 1,000 males). That is reflected here. You also have other issues such as women owning land, women owning property, women’s labor force participation rates etc. If there is any area of ​​greatest concern, this is it. I think this is where the government is focusing on women empowerment, women-led development etc,” Subramaniam said.

The SDG Index score for Goal 5 ranges between 39 and 74 for states and between 41 and 65 for Union Territories.

Ending discrimination against women and girls is a fundamental human right and a prerequisite for sustainable development. This goal calls for the end of all forms of violence, trafficking and sexual exploitation against women and girls. Recognizing and valuing unpaid care and domestic work is a key component of this goal.

reduction in inequalities

This is the only SDG (Goal 10) where the index declined. It fell from 65 in 2023-24 to 67 in 2020-21 and 71 in 2018.

“This is the only SDG that has seen a modest decline. It also shows you the distribution of wealth. You can see that large parts of India are green, but there are also states where inequalities are higher,” Subramaniam said.

The goal calls for reducing not only income inequalities but also inequalities of outcome by ensuring access to equal opportunities and promoting social, economic and political inclusion of all irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion Is. or economic or any other situation relevant within a society.

Asked about the reasons behind the decline, he said, “The decline has happened because of the introduction of the Gini coefficient. It was not like this earlier. One, under inequality you have to bring the Gini coefficient. Two, if you look at all the states, you will clearly see that many have improved. “You will see a decline in some states.”