On 7^th July, 2025, the second edition of the North Eastern Region (NER) District Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index Report (2023-24) was released by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER), with technical support from UNDP.

The Report tracks the progress of NER districts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report was launched by top officials from NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, and UNDP in the presence of other senior officials.

The Second Edition of the NER District SDG Index Report (2023-24)

This Index measures the performance of districts across eight (8) North Eastern States on the SDGs and builds upon the momentum of the first edition released in 2021. The first edition was released on August 26, 2021.

It is a significant step towards improving monitoring at the regional level and reflects a commitment to addressing development challenges across social, economic, and environmental dimensions in the NER.

Based on NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index methodology, this report serves as a crucial tool for monitoring development progress at the district level in the region to inform decision-making.

Source: PIB Press Release

The second edition covers 121 out of 131 districts, with 84 indicators sourced from the Union Government and State departments.

Results and findings

District performance has improved, with 85% of districts in the Front Runner category (score 65-99) compared to 62% in the previous edition. This growth reflects the combined impact of national flagship schemes, state-level localisation efforts, and the saturation of benefits from initiatives such as the Aspirational Districts Programme.

The composite scores of 121 districts range from 58.71 to 81.43.

Districts are categorised into four groups based on their scores: Achiever, Front Runner, Performer, and Aspirant.

Achiever districts have a score of 100, Front Runner districts have a score between 65 and 99, Performer districts have a score between 50 and 65, and Aspirant districts have a score less than 50.

Source: NER District SDG Index Report, NITI Aayog.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) reveals substantial progress across various sectors: access to clean cooking fuel, improved housing and utilities, enhanced healthcare (maternal and child), greater educational opportunities, improved birth registration, better family planning access, and increased health insurance coverage.

To close the gap with the national average and achieve top performance, these improvements are essential.

Close examination of indicators is key to finding shortcomings and boosting progress, both immediately and in the future. Regional and district performance disparities can be addressed through this analysis to achieve or surpass national averages.

Top 10 Districts in NER District SDG Index 2023-24:

All districts in Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura have achieved Front Runner status, with Mizoram having the highest-scoring district in the Northeast region and Arunachal Pradesh having the lowest. Sikkim has the most consistent performance across its districts, with the narrowest range in scores.

Source: PIB Press Releases

Tripura has some of the highest-scoring districts with minimal intra-state variation. Mizoram and Nagaland also have high-scoring districts but show more variation.

All districts in Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura have achieved Front Runner status, with Mizoram having the highest-scoring district in the Northeast region and Arunachal Pradesh having the lowest.

Sikkim shows the most consistent performance with the narrowest range in scores, while Tripura has high-scoring districts with minimal variation. Mizoram and Nagaland also have high-scoring districts but with greater variation.

State-wise Highest and Lowest Scores of Districts within States

Evidence-based planning, resource allocation, and development monitoring rely heavily on the NER District SDG Index 2023-24.

District performance has improved significantly due to the combined impact of national flagship schemes and localised initiatives, including the Aspirational Districts Programme.

Conclusion

To bolster regional development, the index report includes district-specific analyses and recommendations designed to expedite progress toward the SDGs by 2030, with full district coverage.

The report offers detailed analysis and recommendations to help districts have balanced development across the region.