India, its SDG pledge goal, and the strategy to apply

Context:

The country needs to replicate its COVID-19 response plan to succeed in meeting its SDG targets — one that is also pioneering and a nationwide effort

Background:

• The Prime Minister, while addressing the first meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors under India’s G20 Presidency, expressed concern that “progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) seems to be slowing down”.
• Regardless of the global progress that has been made to date, the sheer population size of India means that realising SDGs at a global scale is intrinsically tied to the success of India.
• India becoming the third largest economy in the near future and translating this growth into progress on social and human development have to be equally valued.

India’s progress is mixed

• The SDGs framework sets targets for 231 unique indicators across 17 SDG goals related to economic development, social welfare and environmental sustainability, to be met by 2030.
• India is ‘On-Target’ to meeting 14 of the 33 SDGs, including indicators for neonatal and under-five mortality, full vaccination, improved sanitation, and electricity access, all of which have substantially improved in the last five years.
• Of concern, for 19 of the 33 SDG indicators, the current pace of improvement is not enough to meet SDG targets. Despite a national policy push for clean fuel for cooking, more than two-thirds (479) of districts remain ‘Off-Target’.