Kerala retains top rank in SDG India Index 2020-21, Bihar worst performer

Kerala retains top rank in SDG India Index 2020-21, Bihar worst performer

Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II – Development; Governance 

In news

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index 2020-21 was recently released. 
• Launched by: NITI Aayog 
• The SDG India Index was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Global Green Growth Institute and United Nations in India.
• Kerala has retained the top rank, while Bihar was ranked as the worst performer.

Key takeaways 

• Second best performers: Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu 
• Worst performing States besides Bihar: Jharkhand and Assam

Why does the index matter? 

• It is a primary tool for monitoring progress on the SDGs in India 
• It fosters competitive spirit among the states and UTs
• It evaluates progress of states and UTs on social, economic and environmental parameters.
• The index has been successful as an advocacy tool to propagate sustainability, resilience, and partnerships. 

Important value additions 

The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals 

• They are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals. 
• They are designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. 
• Set up in 2015 
• Set up by United Nations General Assembly 
• Target to achieve the goals: 2030.