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The Centre is working out indicators to measure the progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are aimed at improving the global economic, social and environment situation.
The implementation and progress on meeting the goals is measured by the NITI Aayog along with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
The United Nations had in September 2015 adopted a new set of SDGs for the next 15 years, or up to 2030. In all, there are 17 goals containing 169 targets, which are common for all member countries and are being implemented since January 1, 2016.
While the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office in the NITI Aayog is expected to identify the targets and assign them to nodal Ministries for implementation, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (Mospi) that has trained statisticians collates data.
Mospi has now sought comments from stakeholders on the draft national indicator framework for monitoring SDGs by April 7. Sources said the monitoring would be started later this year and a report is likely towards the end of next year.
For the goal to eradicate poverty by 2030, the Ministry has proposed to use data on below poverty line and percentage of resources allocated by the government directly to poverty reduction programme.
Similarly, it plans to tap into data on the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana to monitor the progress on providing equal rights to economic resources by 2030.
While it has tried to provide detailed measurement indicators for each target, the note says that some are still “being developed”.
For instance, indicators for measuring the progress of preventing trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, acquiring knowledge and skills for development, improving water quality and doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030 are under development.
The issue of proper indicators and better monitoring of SDGs has been a concern with many civil society activists and was also raised by DV Sadananda Gowda, Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation, last year, who had noted that this would also further the government’s development goals.
Interestingly, on the target to build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries by 2030, the Ministry has said that the indicator is still being developed.
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