“206 indicators shortlisted covering 81 targets in UT”
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, July 13: Aiming at the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) along with other states and Union Territories, J&K, after the District Indicator Framework (DIF), is now planning to put in place the SDG dashboard including the SDG Index to ensure monitoring of the implementation.
In its report titled “The Indian Model of SDG Localization,” which deliberates on the sub-national action to meet the SDGs, the experiences from States and Union Territories in India, NITI Aayog, while highlighting the SDH monitoring, said that J&K has shortlisted 206 monitoring indicators covering 81 targets for UT level monitoring.
“This includes 23 UT-specific localized indicators. The Directorate of Economics and Statistics has released the SDG Progress Report-2020 with baseline data for the year 2015 and progress achieved up to the year 2018.”
As per the report, the UT has also prepared the District Indicator Framework (DIF) for further localization of the SDGs. “Moving forward; the UT government is planning to develop an SDG dashboard, SDG Index, for the UT and its districts for monitoring the implementation,” it said.
In this connection, NITI Aayog said that detailed metadata sheets are being prepared to get a clear picture of the various indicators.
Concerning the communication, awareness generation, and advocacy of the SDGs, NITI Aayog said that the UT has realized that capacity development is required at every level and sensitization is very vital to integrate SDGs into all governance processes.
“To facilitate the formulation of a localized indicator framework and capacity development at all levels, the UT government has partnered with NITI Aayog and UNDP for conducting training programs to help build capacity on various aspects of monitoring the SDGs including methodology, identifying data sources, preparing metadata sheets, etc,” NITI said.
Further, for sensitization of officials, the reports said, workshops are also organized by the UT government. Back-to-village programs were organized by the government as a part of which the officers of the J&K Government at the highest levels visited villages and spent two days assessing the ground-level development.
On the institutional mechanisms for the ‘Whole-of Government’ approach, the NITI Aayog said that the Planning Development & Monitoring Department (PD & MD), Government of J&K, is the nodal department for monitoring SDGs in the UT.
“The SDG Unit of PD & MD coordinates with the line departments regarding implementation of the SDG framework. Government of Jammu & Kashmir has constituted a committee for implementation and monitoring of SDGs under the Chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary, J&K with administrative secretaries of major departments as members,” the report said.
The NITI Aayog said that the UT Government is also planning to establish a Sustainable Development Goals Coordination Centre (SDGCC) to fast-track the progress on achieving the SDGs in the UT.
Concerning SDG-based budgeting, the report said that the budget has been aligned with SDGs since 2016-17 while it said that all the targets set in the SDGs are being addressed through the annual budget and annual plans.
“All the departments/sectoral heads at the UT and district levels prepare the annual budget and annual plans which are targeted to achieve the desired objective under that particular sector.”
On the strategies for Leaving No One Behind, the NITI said that studies have been planned under the Strengthening Statistical Systems (SSS) program for upgrading the UT data and statistical system for a more robust SDG monitoring system, which, it said, will offer insights into the situation of at-risk and groups in situations of vulnerability.
Follow our WhatsApp channel