IMPHAL, July 8: Eight districts from Manipur have emerged as top performers in the NER District SDG Index 2023-24, specifically under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 — focused on peace, justice, and strong institutions. The index, released by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region and UNDP, tracks the performance of districts across India’s Northeast on select SDG targets.
The report places Kamjong, Noney, and Pherzawl at the very top, with impressive scores of 97, 96, and 93 respectively. Other high-ranking Manipur districts include Kangpokpi (90), Tengnoupal (86), Churachandpur (84), Ukhrul (84), and Tamenglong (83). All eight districts are categorised as front runners — scoring between 65 and 99 on SDG 16.
Out of 131 districts across the Northeast, 121 were assessed, including all 16 of Manipur. The SDG 16 evaluation covered eight core targets: reduction in violence, child protection, judicial capacity, digital governance, and legal identity, among others. Crime data was sourced from the National Crime Records Bureau (2022), the latest available. This data precedes the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023, beginning in Churachandpur and later engulfing the state, claiming over 260 lives and displacing 50,000 people.
Despite this turmoil, the 2022 statistics show low murder rates in Manipur. Imphal West recorded the lowest at 0.10 per 10,000 population, while Churachandpur reported the highest at 0.39. Several districts including Tamenglong, Kamjong, and Pherzawl reported zero murders.
Judicial infrastructure also significantly contributed to the high rankings. Most districts, including Kamjong, Kangpokpi, Noney, Pherzawl, Churachandpur, Chandel, Jiribam, Kakching, Tamenglong, Tengnoupal, Thoubal, and Ukhrul, reported a 1.00 ratio of working to sanctioned judges in district and subordinate courts. Only Senapati (0.67) and Imphal East (0.63) had lower ratios.
Digital access through Common Service Centres (CSCs) was another key indicator. Districts like Churachandpur (13.53 CSCs/10,000 population), Ukhrul (12.45), Noney (11.99), and Thoubal (11.98) exceeded the national benchmark of 11.88. However, CSC data was unavailable for Jiribam, Kakching, Kangpokpi, Noney, Pherzawl, and Tengnoupal.
Birth registration was highest in Chandel (91.4%), Ukhrul (87.3%), and Thoubal (87.2%), while Bishnupur (83.6%) and Imphal East (86.1%) were on the lower end. For death registration, Tengnoupal (86%), Ukhrul (84%), and Tamenglong (83%) led, while Bishnupur (24.4%), Imphal East (32.8%), and Thoubal (40.4%) lagged behind.
Aadhaar coverage exceeded 100% in Imphal East (114%), Thoubal (112%), and Bishnupur (112%), with other districts like Ukhrul (86%) and Chandel (78%) also performing well. Yet, several top-ranking districts lacked complete data on Aadhaar and civil registration — marked as ‘null’ in the index — under SDG target 16.9. Still, a combination of zero crime, full judicial staffing, and digital infrastructure helped them score high.
Despite Manipur’s strong showing in SDG 16, Pherzawl ranked lowest under SDG 5 (Gender Equality) across the entire Northeast, scoring below 50 and thus labelled as an Aspirant. Other low scorers under gender equality include Imphal West (63), Kangpokpi (63), and Bishnupur (59).
The NER District SDG Index, last released in August 2021, serves as a strategic monitoring tool for states and districts to track progress on the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Overall, Mizoram, Tripura, and Nagaland topped the regional SDG performance, while Assam and Manipur shared a score of 74.29, and Meghalaya was the lowest at 73.
State-wise highest and lowest scores of districts within states:
Arunachal Pradesh: Lower Dibang Valley (73.36) to Longding (58.71)
Assam: Dibrugarh (74.29), South Salmara-Mankachar (59.71)
Manipur: Imphal West (73.21), Pherzawl (59.71)
Meghalaya: East Khasi Hills (73.00), East Jaintia Hills (63.00)
Mizoram: Hnahthial (81.43), Lawngtlai (67.71)
Nagaland: Mokokchung (78.43), Zunheboto (63.36)
Sikkim: Gangtok (76.64), Gyalshing (71.14)
Tripura: Gomati (78.79), Dhalai (72.29)
The report was officially launched by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery, CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, MDoNER Secretary Chanchal Kumar, and Dr. Angela Lusigi, UNDP’s Resident Representative in India.
Calling the Northeast the “Ashta Lakshmi” of India, CEO Subrahmanyam underlined the importance of region-specific development as part of India’s march toward Viksit Bharat @2047.
Dr Lusigi emphasized the need to translate data insights into “meaningful action that advances human development.”
The SDG Index will serve as a critical planning tool, guiding resource allocation, evidence-based policymaking, and targeted interventions. Officials emphasized that with consistent monitoring and implementation of national flagship programs, the region is set to accelerate toward the SDGs by 2030, ensuring that no district is left behind.
