Nagaland has emerged as the worst-performing state overall in the Northeast region with poor performances in poverty, health and affordable energy, according to a report released by the NITI Aayog last week.
In the first edition of NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index, focusing on the North East Region (NER), 12 districts of Nagaland have been placed in the ‘performer’ category of the index.
According to the performance, all districts of the 7 states in the Northeast have been placed in one of four categories — aspirant (0-49), performer (50-64), front-runner (65-99), and achiever (100).
As per the SDG index, Nagaland performed poorly in six goals — no poverty, good health and well-being, affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, industry and innovation and infrastructure.
The NITI Aayog report indicated a mixed performance by Nagaland in quality education, reducing inequalities, climate action and peace, justice and strong institutions.
The state has done well in the no hunger SDG, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth.
Nagaland has excelled in the life on land SDG with just one district in the performer category and the rest under the front-runner category.
A media report quoted experts from the region as saying that Nagaland, which is home to India’s longest insurgency problem, has given rise to the absence of development.
“Though all states have a history of insurgency, insurgents have the most sizable control over the government in Nagaland,” said Suhas Chakma, who hails from Tripura and is the director of Rights and Risks Analysis Group, a New Delhi-based think tank.
“Tribal armed groups in Manipur have been in some form of peace talks the past 10 years. All other states in the northeast have not been facing any insurgency problems — which plays a key role because you cannot govern without their cooperation,”
“Nagaland has an Opposition-less government, unheard across India, and this shows how conflict-struck the state is,” said Sukma.