The NITI Aayog, in association with the Indo-German Cooperation, has recently unveiled the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Urban Index and Dashboard 2021–22. This unveiling follows the earlier release of the third edition of the Sustainable Development Goals India Index and Dashboard 2020–21 back in June 2021. These tools have been devised as a part of an intensive collaboration between NITI Aayog-Germany’s International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) and BMZ.
About the SDGs Index and Dashboard
The index and dashboard came into existence as a result of a focused collaboration between the NITI Aayog, GIZ and BMZ, under the aegis of the Indo-German Development Cooperation. The primary aim of this partnership is to drive the localization of the SDGs in our cities. The tool ranks 56 urban areas based on 77 SDG indicators spread across 46 targets of the SDG framework. This innovative approach will fortify the process of SDG localization and establish a robust SDG monitoring mechanism at the city level.
The Ranking Scale
Urban territories are ranked on a scale of 0-100. An urban area that scores 100 indicates that it has accomplished the set targets for 2030 while a score of zero means the area is the farthest from achieving its targets among the chosen urban regions. Composite urban area scores are computed from the Goal-wise scores to evaluate the aggregate performance of the region. Depending on their composite score, urban areas are categorised into Aspirants (0–49), Performers (50–64), Front-Runners (65–99), and Achievers (100).
Performance of the States
Top performing urban regions in this evaluation include Shimla, Coimbatore, Chandigarh, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. On the other hand, Dhanbad, Meerut, Itanagar, Guwahati and Patna are among the worst performers.
Significance of the Index
Cities are swiftly becoming pillars of growth and development. The SDG Urban index and dashboard can play a significant role in instituting a sturdy SDG monitoring structure in our cities and is a noteworthy advancement in our SDG localisation endeavour. This transformative shift is deemed essential by the Niti Aayog due to the rising prominence of cities and urban areas in shaping the course of development in India. The tool also highlights the strengths and challenges of Urban Local Body (ULB) level data, monitoring, and reporting systems.
About Indo-German Development Cooperation
The year 2008 marked the golden jubilee of the Indo-German development cooperation. Initiated in the ’50s, this collaboration expanded so swiftly that within a brief period, India became the largest beneficiary of German development aid. An epitome of such extensive cooperation was the establishment of the Rourkela Steel Plant in Orissa during the ’60s. Subsequently, both countries collaborated to establish one of India’s premier educational institutions, the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras. By the ’90s, the focus of this cooperation shifted towards poverty alleviation and social infrastructure.
Indo-German development cooperation is a critical pillar of the strategic partnership between the two countries. Both sides are equally committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and addressing global challenges in climate and environment. Today, this cooperation programme focuses on priority areas including energy, environment and management of natural resources, and sustainable urban development.
