Basics of Sustainable Development

Basics of Sustainable Development

• This is a two credit course for Semester 1
• The course will likely cover various aspects of sustainable development.

SDG Index India

• This is a tool used to track progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Indian states and union territories.

Process of Localisation of SDGs

• Shows the institutional framework for planning and localisation
• Nodal agencies for SDG data and implementation at both national and sub-national levels.
• This system involves the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, the NITI Aayog, the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, and the State Planning Departments, as well as relevant union and state ministries.

National Indicator Framework and State Indicator Framework

• A framework developed by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and guidelines were circulated for state/UTs in 2019 to track SDG progress with 306 indicators or statistical indicators
• It provides technical support for the comprehensive and inclusive SDG Monitoring Framework at sub national levels.

SDG Index - India

• First launched in December 2018
• The Index tracks the progress of states and UTs on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• It identifies crucial gaps in tracking SDGs.
• It fosters competition among states and UTs by generating ranks
• States/UTs are given scores between 0 and 100 based on their performance
• The composite score is derived by assigning equal weight to each goal.

SDG Monitoring Progress

• The index presents a comprehensive measure of SDG performance and localizations with national and state/UT rankings
• Goal-wise ranking of states/UTs is a key part of the index
• The index has 3 various reports since 2018 with increasing goals, targets, and indicators

Poverty - A challenge to sustainable development

• Poverty is a key challenge for sustainable development

Defining Poverty

• The World Bank's current poverty line is $2.15 per person per day. - Based on this measure, the official poverty line differs for rural and urban areas in India

Characteristics of Poverty in India

• Significant portions of the poor reside in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand in rural areas
• 85% of India's tribespeople and Dalits reside in these states
• Other vulnerable groups include labourers, farm workers, and casual workers.

Critiques on Measuring Poverty

• Income and consumption data are crucial for measuring the poverty level
• The capacity of the poor to receive basic needs is a critical factor to assess
• This capacity depends on education, health, literacy levels and other socio-economic factors
• It is also important to note that households vary in size and may distribute resources unevenly, therefore, it's important to factor in those differences.

SDG 1: End Poverty in all its forms

everywhere

• Aims to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030
• Measures poverty based on less than $2.15 a day, which is the current extreme poverty line
• This goal also involves reducing poverty in all forms and dimensions.
• Further, measures in place will be aligned to national definitions
• Implementational measures include social protection systems, and achieve substantial coverage of vulnerable and poor people.

Understanding Poverty

• Poverty is not only about low income but also lacks several entitlements, including access to education, food, health care, and other needs
• Poverty is a multidimensional issue intricately linked to domestic and international politics.
• The concepts of human poverty index, multidimensional poverty index, and human development index are crucial to completely understand the complexity of poverty.
• Social indicators are crucial and encompass life expectancy, infant morality rate, nutrition levels, and access to basic services such as education, and utilities like clean drinking water.

Causes of Poverty

• Inadequate education, health, and employment opportunities.
• Environmental degradation
• Unsustainable development
• Poor governance failures
• Conflict
• Overpopulation
• Poverty traps
• Specific policy neglect (Areas).

Ways to Reduce Poverty

• Improved access to jobs and income generation
• Support for entrepreneurial talents
• Improved access to basic social services (education, health)
• Providing adequate food, sanitation, shelter, and clean water.
• Implementing agricultural development programs

India's Approach

• Poverty alleviation programs
• Self-employment schemes
• Wage employment schemes
• Direct cash transfers to the targeted groups
• Public distribution system (PDS)
• Various scheme have been implemented over the years to address this matter, such as Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana (PMRY), Rural Employment Generation Program (REGP) etc
• The approach reflects a desire for inclusive growth. This emphasizes special programs to help those with limited resources.

Pro-Poor/Inclusive Growth

• Growth that facilitates participation of less well-off in expanding market opportunities
• Improving basic services (health, education, etc.)
• Ensuring that benefits of economic growth reach all segments of society, including the poor, thus reducing income inequality.
• Increased incomes for the poor is a crucial step for poverty alleviation.
• Strategies such as promoting small and medium enterprises, developing skills, and economic diversification are also important.

This quiz covers the fundamental concepts of sustainable development, including the SDG Index in India and the localization process of the Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights the institutional frameworks and indicators used to monitor progress at various levels. Test your understanding of these critical concepts relevant to current sustainability efforts.