New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) All districts in Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura have achieved the ‘Front Runner’ status, with no districts falling in the ‘Aspirant’ or ‘Achiever’ categories, a NITI Aayog report said on Monday, adding that three districts in Nagaland are now among top 10 performers.

According to the second edition of the North Eastern Region (NER) District Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index Report (2023-24), the composite scores for the 121 districts range from 58.71 in Longding, Arunachal Pradesh, to 81.43 in Hnahthial, Mizoram.

All districts of Assam have improved on indicators of Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Clean Water and Sanitation and Decent Work and Economic Growth, according to the report released by NITI Aayog, developed with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER), with technical support from the UNDP.

NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman, Suman Bery, emphasised that as India advances towards the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the achievement of intermediate milestones like the SDGs by 2030 is considered critical.

NITI Aayog’s CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the region Ashta Lakshmi of eight states, and highlighted the importance of their growth and progress.

According to the report, Sikkim has the narrowest range (5.5 points) in terms of the score of the highest and lowest district, showing the most consistent performance across its districts.

Tripura has the distinction of having some of the highest-scoring districts with minimum intra-state variation (6.5 points). Mizoram and Nagaland have some of the highest-scoring districts but also exhibit variation (ranges of 13.72 and 15.07, respectively).

The Index (2023-24) is a major milestone in improving monitoring at the regional level.

The index reflects the commitment to address development challenges across social, economic, and environmental dimensions while ensuring that no one is left behind in the NER.

Based on NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index methodology, it serves as a key tool for monitoring development-related progress at the district level in the region to inform decision-making.

Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, DoNER emphasised the role of the index as a tool for identifying gaps, offering actionable insights to guide interventions and efficient resource deployment. Dr Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP, stated that the ultimate priority is to ensure every data point translates into meaningful action that advances human development outcomes.

Districts are categorised into four categories: i) Achiever: Score equals 100 (achieved the targets set for identified indicators); ii) Front Runner: Score between 65 and 99 (excluding 100); iii) Performer: Score between 50 and 65 (excluding 65); and iv) Aspirant: Score less than 50.

–IANS

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