VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has emerged as one of the top five performing States in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the year 2020. NITI Aayog released the Sustainable Development Goals India Index 2020-21 on Thursday. With a composite score of 72, AP stood fourth in the country. Its overall performance has improved from 2019, when its composite score was 67.
Kerala topped the list with composite score of 75, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu with 74. Beside Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Uttarakhand secured 72 points and were placed fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. India’s composite score on a global scale also improved from 60 in 2019 to 66 in 2020. AP stood first in SDG Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by achieving 100 points. The State secured sixth place with 86 points in 2019.
“The State getting 100 points in Affordable and Clean Energy is a great achievement. It is a result of continuous monitoring by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is committed to promoting clean energy. Complete electrification will have a positive impact for posterity. We are very happy for the recognition and will continue our efforts to remain on top,” Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy said.
AP secured second place in SDG 14 (Life Below Water) by getting 79 points, while Odisha stood top with 82 points in the goal. Only Odisha and AP figured in front-runners category while Tamil Nadu fell in aspirant category with a score of less than 50. The State got fourth place in SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) with 92 points. In 2019, it became a front-runner from a performing State. Now, it is set to reach Achiever’s category. The 100 per cent achievement of the goal is very much possible in the next two years, officials said.
“We are on a mission to provide 100 per cent tap connections in rural areas by March 2024. We have already provided 45 lakh tap connections as of now against the target of 95 lakh to supply protected water,” said P Sanjeeva Rao, Chief Engineer, Jal Jeevan Mission.In SDG 1 (No Poverty), AP secured fifth place with 81 points, which is equivalent to Delhi, the top performer among Union Territories. It also got fifth place in SDG 5 (Gender Equality) with 58 points.However, the is still in the performers category in it. But, it improved its performance from 17th place with 37 points in 2019. In fact no State is in the front-runner category (above 65 points) in SDG 5. Only two Union Territories – Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry – are in the front-runners category.
As a matter of concern, AP lagged behind in SDG 4 (Quality Education). It secured 19th place with 50 points against the national average of 57 points. The State secured 18th place with 52 points in 2019 as against third place with 77 points in 2018. Though several reforms were introduced in education sector and school infrastructure is being upgraded, the Covid pandemic hit the functioning of schools in the academic year 2020-21. It could be the reason for the decrease in AP’s score in SDG 4. However, the matter of great concern is that the State fell behind in SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). With 77 points, it secured ninth place in it. In 2019, AP topped the list with 86 points.
The State bagged sixth place in SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) with 74 points, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) with 84 points and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) with 67 points. In pursuit of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), the State slid to seventh place with 77 points from second in 2019. It also secured seventh rank in SDG 13 (Climate Action), In SDG 15 (Life on Land), Andhra Pradesh ranked ninth with 60 points. In SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), the State got 11th place with 78 points. With 52 points in SDG 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), the State got 13th place. In SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), the State scored 52 points and got 14th rank. The State moved up in the goal from 19th place with 35 points in 2019.
Performance indicators
1st place
SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
2nd place
SDG 14
(Life Below Water)
4th place
SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation
5th place
SDG 5 (Gender Equality)