The North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24 marks a significant step toward localized monitoring of India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Released jointly by NITI Aayog, MoDoNER, and UNDP, this second edition evaluates 121 districts across the eight states of the Northeast, aiming to drive better planning and inclusive development.
Understanding the Aim of the Index
- To begin with, the North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24 serves as a regional tool to measure how districts are performing on key Sustainable Development Goals.
- The index categorises each district into one of four performance bands, Achiever, Front Runner, Performer, or Aspirant, depending on its composite score.
- Most importantly, this structure helps identify specific gaps at the district level and allows administrators to focus efforts accordingly.
- It also plays a major role in fostering decentralised decision-making, encouraging districts to innovate and compete positively.
- What sets this edition apart is that it promotes cooperative federalism by integrating the efforts of central ministries, state governments, and local officials.
Highlights of District-Level Performances
- A key highlight of the North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24 is that Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura have all their districts marked as Front Runners, which speaks volumes about the consistent development focus in these states.
- Among all the districts assessed, Hnahthial in Mizoram received the highest score of 81.43, demonstrating exceptional progress across multiple indicators.
- On the other hand, Longding in Arunachal Pradesh recorded the lowest score of 58.71, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions in this region.
- Sikkim stood out for its consistency, showing a very narrow score gap between its highest and lowest-performing districts, just about 5.5 points.
- In contrast, Nagaland and Mizoram displayed wider variations in district-level scores, which indicates uneven progress within these states.
District-Level Performance Across States
| State | Top Performing District | Score | Lowest Performing District | Score |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Lower Dibang Valley | 73.36 | Longding | 58.71 |
| Assam | Dibrugarh | 74.29 | South Salmara-Mankachar | 59.71 |
| Manipur | Imphal West | 73.21 | Pherzawl | 59.71 |
| Meghalaya | East Khasi Hills | 73.00 | East Jaintia Hills | 63.00 |
| Mizoram | Hnahthial | 81.43 | Lawngtlai | 67.71 |
| Nagaland | Mokokchung | 78.43 | Zunheboto | 63.36 |
| Sikkim | Gangtok | 76.64 | Gyalshing | 71.14 |
| Tripura | Gomati | 78.79 | Dhalai | 72.29 |
- Mizoram’s Hnahthial emerged as the best-performing district with a commendable score of 81.43.
- On the contrary, Longding in Arunachal Pradesh showed the lowest performance at 58.71, reflecting the need for targeted support.
- Additionally, Sikkim displayed remarkable consistency, with the narrowest gap (just 5.5 points) between its top and bottom districts.
Sectoral Gains and Key Indicators
- Significantly, Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3) showed improvements in 93 districts, indicating enhanced healthcare outreach.
- In addition, districts in Assam showed noticeable progress in Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Clean Water, and Decent Work.
- This reveals that flagship schemes like the Aspirational Districts Programme, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Ayushman Bharat have contributed to visible changes.
- Consequently, sectoral progress affirms that localisation of SDGs is possible through community-led and data-backed interventions.
Categories of Performance and Their Meaning
| Performance Category | Composite Score Range | Description |
| Achiever | 100 | The district has met all SDG targets |
| Front Runner | 65–99 | Strong progress toward SDGs |
| Performer | 50–64 | Moderate performance |
| Aspirant | 0–49 | Needs significant improvement |
- Interestingly, no district was classified as an Achiever, which underlines the challenge ahead.
- Encouragingly, many districts entered the Front Runner zone, especially in Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura.
- Nonetheless, districts in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland showed a wider internal disparity, indicating uneven development.
Role of Stakeholders in Driving the Index
- The North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24 reflects the power of cooperative federalism.
- Jointly, state governments, local officials, central ministries, and civil society have contributed to its evolution.
- As a result, the index serves as a living document, guiding future planning, budgeting, and implementation.
- Moreover, it promotes inter-district and inter-state learning by benchmarking best practices.
Importance of the 2030 SDG Agenda
- Undoubtedly, the index acts as a progress checker for India’s commitment to the United Nations SDGs.
- By highlighting gaps, it helps decision-makers direct efforts and investments toward lagging districts.
- Therefore, the North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24 plays a pivotal role in enabling balanced regional development and achieving the 2030 goals.
Final Thoughts
The North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24 is much more than a ranking; it’s a roadmap for action. It reflects both achievements and disparities. Some districts like Hnahthial and Dibrugarh are ahead, while others, such as Longding and Pherzawl, need special attention. What makes this index truly valuable is its ability to empower local governments with real-time data and insights, enabling them to act faster and smarter. As India moves closer to its 2030 SDG deadline, tools like this will become increasingly essential. Through sustained efforts, timely interventions, and community participation, the Northeast can truly become a model for bottom-up sustainable development in India.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A: The North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24 is a performance evaluation tool created by NITI Aayog, MoDoNER, and UNDP to track the progress of 121 districts in northeastern India on Sustainable Development Goals.
A: Hnahthial district in Mizoram secured the top rank with a score of 81.43, making it the best-performing district in the North Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24.
A: The index supports evidence-based policy decisions by highlighting development gaps at the district level, thereby enabling more focused and efficient resource planning.
A: Districts are grouped into four categories: Achiever (100 points), Front Runner (65–99), Performer (50–64), and Aspirant (0–49) based on their composite SDG scores.
A: While states like Sikkim and Tripura show consistent district-level performance, states like Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland exhibit wider disparities, indicating a need for targeted development strategies.
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