Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland shine in NITI Aayog’s NE SDG Index 2023-24; gaps persist

Districts from Mizoram, Tripura, and Nagaland have emerged as top performers in the second edition of NITI Aayog’s North Eastern Region (NER) District SDG Index 2023-24, even as intra-state disparities and data challenges remain.

Hnahthial district in Mizoram topped the list with a score of 81.43, followed by Champhai (Mizoram), Gomati and West Tripura (Tripura), and Mokokchung (Nagaland) among the top five districts in the region. 

The index, jointly developed by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER) with technical support from UNDP, assessed 131 districts—covering 92 percent of the North East—across 15 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 84 indicators. SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 17 (Partnerships) were excluded due to limited relevance at the district level.

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Districts were scored between 0 and 100 based on their overall achievement in realising SDG targets. They were classified as Achievers (score of 100), Front Runners (65–99), Performers (50–64), and Aspirants (below 50). In this edition, 85 percent of districts fell under the Front Runner category, marking significant progress from 62 percent in the previous 2021 edition.

Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura stood out with all their districts achieving Front Runner status. Longding district in Arunachal Pradesh ranked the lowest in the region with a score of 58.71. Nagaland showed the widest intra-state disparity with a 15.07-point difference between its top and bottom districts, while Sikkim demonstrated the most consistent performance with just a 5.5-point range. Tripura also performed strongly, with high-scoring districts and a minimal 6.5-point variation.

Despite the improvements, the report highlighted key challenges, including persistent development gaps within states and the lack of reliable data for 10 districts, which were excluded from the computation. 

Released after a two-year gap, this second edition builds on the 2021 report and continues to serve as a vital tool for evidence-based planning, monitoring, and ensuring that no district is left behind in the region’s development journey.