Assam has emerged as one of the top performers in the latest SDG India Index 2023-24, released by NITI Aayog, showcasing significant progress in sustainable development. The northeastern state improved its overall score by 8 points since the 2020-21 edition, highlighting its commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2018, Assam has consistently increased its score by 16 points, earning a spot in the “Front Runner” category, which indicates a score between 65 and 99 on the SDG index.
Manipur also matched Assam’s progress, improving its score by 8 points and entering the “Front Runner” category. Other northeastern states showed varying degrees of improvement: Tripura advanced by 6 points, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim by 5 points each, Mizoram by 4 points, Meghalaya by 3 points, and Nagaland by 2 points. While most northeastern states achieved “Front Runner” status, Meghalaya and Nagaland remained in the “Performer” category. Notably, Meghalaya reached “Front Runner” status for the specific goal of Good Health and Well-Being, demonstrating significant progress in this area.
The NITI Aayog report categorizes states into four performance levels: achiever, front runner, performer, and aspirant, providing a framework to track progress and encourage competition among states to meet sustainable development goals. Nationally, the SDG India Index 2023-24 reflects positive trends across all states and union territories, with the country’s overall SDG score rising to 71, up from 66 in 2020-21 and 57 in 2018. Significant progress was observed in areas such as poverty elimination, decent work and economic growth, climate action, and life on land.
