Social Progress Index: Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Goa best-performing states; Jharkhand, Bihar worst

According to the report, Puducherry had the very best rating of 65.99 for its exceptional efficiency throughout parts like private freedom and selection, shelter, and water and sanitation. Lakshadweep and Goa adopted shut with scores of 65.89 and 65.53, respectively.

“Jharkhand and Bihar scored the bottom, 43.95 and 44.47, respectively,” it said.

SPI is a comprehensive tool that can serve as a holistic measure of a country’s social progress at the national and sub-national levels. The index assesses states and districts based on 12 components across three critical dimensions of social progress – Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity. The index uses an extensive framework comprising 89 indicators at the state level and 49 at the district level.

Based on the SPI scores, states and districts have been ranked under six tiers of social progress which are Very High Social Progress, High Social Progress, Upper Middle Social Progress, Lower Middle Social Progress, Low Social Progress and Very Low Social Progress.

Releasing the report, Bibek Debroy, Chairman, EAC-PM said that the report is based extensively on objective data and is primarily a normative/prescriptive exercise. “It presents a cross-section of data across states and districts and the focus is on looking at various tiers of development by grouping the states rather than the individual rankings of the selected states and districts,” he stated.

Sanjeev Sanyal, Member EAC-PM, remarked, “ GDP is an incomplete measure of progress, although not inaccurate. Endeavours such because the Social Progress Index that research social parameters, the methodologies and evaluation of the information might be made extra sturdy and dependable.”

Prof. Sonalde Desai, Professor, NACER lauded the report and said, “It is an excellent diagnostic tool for the state and district administrators to study the areas that need improvement. There is no better compendium than this report, at the moment, that offers such a diagnosis. The most interesting part of the report is the diversity among the districts and I would encourage you to compile a ranklist of heterogeneity among the states”

For the dimension of Basic Human Needs, Goa, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, and Chandigarh are the highest 4 states with the perfect efficiency in Water and Sanitation and Shelter as in comparison with the opposite states and union territories. In addition, Goa has the very best part rating for Water and Sanitation, adopted by Kerala, scoring the very best throughout the Nutrition and Basic Medical Care part. For Shelter and Personal Safety, Chandigarh and Nagaland have emerged because the front-runners, respectively.

Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Goa emerged because the best-performing states for the Foundations of Wellbeing. Within the dimension for the Access to Basic Knowledge part, Punjab had the very best part rating of 62.92, whereas Delhi topped the record for Access to Information and Communication with a rating of 71.30. For Health and Wellness, Rajasthan had the very best part rating of 73.74. For Environmental Quality, the highest three states belong to the northeast, specifically, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Meghalaya.

Tamil Nadu achieved the very best part rating of 72.00 for the Opportunity dimension. Within this dimension, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have the very best part rating for Personal Rights, whereas Sikkim has topped the record for Inclusiveness. It is commendable to witness Puducherry attaining the very best scores throughout two parts on this dimension, i.e., Personal Freedom and Choice and Access to Advanced Education.