Kerala ranks highest, Bihar lowest in Niti Aayog's SDG index 2020-21

In the Niti Aayog's Index for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2020-21 launched by Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar on Thursday, Kerala has been ascertained the top rank and Bihar the worst. The index evaluates the progress of states and union territories on social, economic and environmental parameters.

While Kerala ranks first with a score of 75, Himanchal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu follow close at heels with 74. Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam performed the worst. Amongst UTs, Chandigarh heads with a score of 79, followed by Delhi at 68. About 12 states belong to the score range of 65-99 this year, unlike 2019 when only ten states/UTs belonged to the category of front runners. The overall score of the country improved from 60 in 2019 to 66 in 2020-21, mainly due to targets achieved in clean water and sanitation and affordable and clean energy.

"The report reflects on the partnerships we have built and strengthened during our SDG efforts. The narrative throws light on how collaborative initiatives can result in better outcomes and greater impacts," Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said. The index, developed in collaboration with the United Nations, was first launched in 2018 and served as a key tool for monitoring progress on SDGs.