State of States Report

February 28, 2025

India, as the world’s most populous nation, faces challenges in achieving the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the State of States report released on February 27, 2025, India lags in nine out of the 16 SDGs. This report marks the performance of all 36 state of Indias and Union territories (UTs) in relation to these goals.

About Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals are a set of 17 global goals aimed at addressing various global challenges. These include poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. Each goal has specific targets and indicators to measure progress.

Current Status of India’s SDG Performance

The report reveals that only four out of the 15 assessed SDGs have been met at least halfway by all states and UTs. These are SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). SDG 14 (Life Below Water) was excluded as it pertains only to coastal states.

Gaps in SDG Framework

India’s SDG framework has notable gaps. Key indicators are missing across several goals. For example, the indicator for eradicating extreme poverty under SDG 1 (No Poverty) was removed in the latest assessment. Furthermore, SDG 6 lacks a direct measure for water quality, which is crucial for effective monitoring.

Missing Indicators and Data Gaps

The report identifies missing indicators in various SDGs. For SDG 7, two global indicators related to carbon emissions and renewable energy consumption are absent. SDG 11 does not consider air quality or public transport metrics. Additionally, SDG 12 lacks measures for electronic waste management.

Challenges in Data Collection

Data collection presents obstacle. India tracks 108 indicators for its coastal states and 106 for other states. However, many key areas still suffer from data gaps. For instance, under SDG 14, data is lacking for coastal UTs like Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep. Moreover, SDG 15 has missing data on afforestation schemes for 13 states.

Regional Disparities in SDG Achievement

The report reveals that all states and UTs encounter challenges across key SDG indicators. Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu, despite having fewer lagging indicators, still face issues in one out of every six indicators. In contrast, populous states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat have met less than half of the targets in 30-43% of SDG indicators.

Data Sources and Future Prospects

The insights from the report are derived from three primary sources, including the “Sustainable Development Report 2024” and the “SDG Index 2023-24”. These findings reflect both the challenges and successes in India’s journey towards the 2030 agenda. The pressing question remains whether India can accelerate its progress to bridge these gaps effectively.

« Previous Post Next Post »