India, Its SDG Pledge Goal, and the Strategy to Apply

01-05-2023

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Mains GS-III: Environment & Ecology

India, Its SDG Pledge Goal, and the Strategy to Apply Blog Image

Why in News?

The Prime Minister of India 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”.
The sheer population size of India means that realising SDGs at a global scale is intrinsically tied to the success of India.

Image Caption: List of 17 SDGs

Understanding SDGs

The SDGs/Global Goals were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
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.
The 17 SDGs are integrated; they recognise that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
Countries have committed to prioritise progress for those who are the farthest behind.
The creativity, technology, and financial resources from all of society are necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context.

India's initiatives to meet SDGs

India follows a holistic approach for achieving the SDGs by implementing a comprehensive array of schemes.
Current flagship policies and programmes of Government of India such as Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) have substantially contributed to India’s progress in this regard.
Namami Gange Mission - a key policy priority towards achieving SDG 6 was launched as a priority programme with a budget of 20,000 crores for the period 2015-2020.

India's progress so far in achieving its SDGs

Positive Trends

India is ‘On-Target’ to meeting 14 of the 33 SDG indicators, including indicators for neonatal and under-five mortality, full vaccination, improved sanitation, and electricity access.
Indicators such as eliminating adolescent pregnancy, reducing multidimensional poverty, and women having bank accounts have improved across a vast majority of the districts between the years 2016 and 2021.

Concerning Trends

The national ‘On-Target’ designation does not apply equally across all districts.
While neonatal and under-five mortality are currently both ‘On-Target’ for the country, neonatal mortality for 286 districts and under-five mortality for 208 districts (out of 707 districts) are not on-target.
Similarly, significant progress on access to improved sanitation excludes 129 districts that are not on course to meet this SDG indicator.
Despite a national policy push for clean fuel for cooking (PM Ujjwala Yojana), more than two-thirds (479) of districts remain ‘Off-Target’.
Some 415 and 278 districts are ‘Off-Target’ for improved water and handwashing facilities, respectively.
No district in India has yet succeeded in eliminating the practice of girl child marriage before the legal age of 18 years.
- India needs to escalate as priorities other critical and related indicators such as teenage pregnancy (15-19 years) and partner violence (physical and sexual) which may be traced back to child marriage.
Despite the overall expansion of mobile phone access in India (93% of households), only 56% women own a mobile phone, with 567 districts remaining ‘Off-Target.’

How can India impart lessons from Covid-19 management to meet its SDGs?

India adopted an “optimisation” approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, focussing on resources necessary to succeed.
Strong and sustained political leadership supported by a responsive administrative structure at all levels, from national to the district level, was critical to the success both of India’s COVID-19 vaccination programme and its efficient rollout of a comprehensive relief package.
Existing digital infrastructure coupled with indigenous initiatives such as the Co-WIN data platform, and the Aarogya Setu application were key players in India’s Covid-19 management.
Following this example, India must put in place a coordinated, public data platform for population health management, by consolidating its different platforms into an integrated digital resource for district administrators, as well as State and national policy makers.
A targeted SDG strategy delivered at scale must be executed as was done during the pandemic; India’s COVID-19 relief package.
Creating a similar mission-oriented ethos that is assessment-oriented and which provides adequate support for accomplishing India’s district-level SDGs is now urgently needed.

Way Forward

India needs to innovate a new policy path in order to meet the aspirations of its people in the decade ahead.
To succeed in meeting its SDG targets, especially those related to health and well-being, basic quality infrastructure and gender equality, a similar concerted pioneering effort on the lines of India’s Covid-19 management would be the need of the hour.

Conclusion

There is considerable confidence in India becoming the third-largest economy in the world over the next decade. However, translating this growth into progress on social and human development must be equally valued.
In successfully delivering a real-time response to the COVID-19 pandemic, India has proved that it is possible to deliver at scale in such an ambitious and comprehensive manner.

Q) What’s the impact of Covid19 and Ukraine war on progress towards SDGs in Asia and the Pacific?

The pandemic has set back the fight against poverty in Asia and the Pacific by at least two years. Government fiscal space has shrunk with severe implications for public service delivery and major social sectors such as health and education. These crises have increased vulnerability and exclusion. The Central and West Asia region has been affected the most, while higher fuel and food prices are pervasive throughout the entire region, contributing to increased living costs.

Q) Are the Sustainable Development Goals legally binding?

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not legally binding. Nevertheless, countries are expected to take ownership and establish a national framework for achieving the 17 Goals. Implementation and success will rely on countries’ own sustainable development policies, plans and programmes.

Source: The Hindu