Kohima: Nagaland is overhauling its approach to Sustainable Development Goals. Principal Secretary Y Kikheto Sema met with UNDP Policy Specialist Jaimon Uthup in Kohima on Friday to map out the Viksit Nagaland 2047 vision. They want to fix the state's lagging performance.
Data reporting failures caused the poor 2024 SDG assessment score. Many departments neglected to upload information to state dashboards, leaving indicators blank. Sema said, "One of the major reasons for the State's low performance was inadequate awareness among departments about the importance of SDG related data submission. Several departments had either failed to submit accurate data or had not uploaded the required information on the designated dashboards and portals."
The state also faces basic technical hurdles. Some Anganwadi workers lack the smartphones needed to log data. Officials are now launching new training programs to boost capacity. Sema also argued that national metrics often ignore local realities. Nagaland uses traditional, low-fertilizer farming methods. These yield lower results than commercial farms, yet the state is being penalized by rigid performance indicators.
Gender equality reporting is also shifting. Early data missed the heavy female involvement in Village Development Boards and financial services. While gaps exist in roads and health, some areas are thriving. The July 2025 NITI Aayog report ranked Mokokchung fourth, Kohima sixth, and Dimapur tenth among all Northeast districts. Yet, other districts still lag behind.
Lead Consultant Sunder Subramanyam is now drafting the vision roadmap. He intends to use accurate, modern statistics to guide the plan. Sema is pushing for a sit-down with the Planning and Finance departments to lock in consistent economic growth figures. The UNDP promised ongoing technical aid to help Nagaland bridge these developmental divides.
Comments