NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Transformation and Development Department, Government of Assam, organised the North Eastern Region Workshop on Enhancing SDG Outcomes at District Level under the State Support Mission (SSM) today at the Assam Administrative Staff College, Guwahati. The workshop brought together senior policymakers, administrators and development partners to deliberate on strengthening the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across districts in the North Eastern Region.

The inaugural programme was graced by Shri Charan Boro, Hon’ble Minister of Transport and Bodoland Welfare Department, Government of Assam, Dr. V.K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Shri Narayan Chandra Borkataky, Vice-Chairman, SITA; Dr. Ravi Kota, Chief Secretary, Assam, Shri Satinder Bhalla, Secretary, North Eastern Council, Shri Rajib Sen, Programme Director (SDGs), NITI Aayog, Dr. Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP, Shri Dilip Kumar Bora, Secretary, Transformation and Development Department and P. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, CEO, SITA, among others.

Addressing the inaugural session Shri Charan Boro emphasised that while SDGs are global in vision, their true success is realised at the local level. He stated that the impact of these goals must be felt in villages, towns, schools and homes. He highlighted Assam’s progress from an aspirant to a front-runner in the SDG India Index.

Dr V.K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog in his address acknowledged the role of UNDP and said that India would shine if the SDGs remain a priority. He emphasized the need to identify gaps and develop a clear action plan. Shri Narayan Chandra Borkataky commended NITI Aayog’s continued efforts to strengthen cooperative federalism and support states in achieving SDG targets.

In his inaugural address Dr. Ravi Kota, Chief Secretary, Assam in his inaugural address spoke at length about the initiatives undertaken since 2016, during his tenure in the Finance department , which were closely aligned with the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals. He highlighted how these measures laid the foundation for inclusive and sustainable development. Emphasizing collective responsibility, he called upon all the North Eastern states to reflect on where they currently stand in terms of SDG achievements, identify gaps and work together to move forward in a focused and coordinated manner.

Shri Satinder Bhalla, Secretary, NEC reaffirmed the North Eastern Council’s commitment to partnering with states to advance inclusive and sustainable development in the region.

Dr. Angela Lusigi noted that the North East is setting a benchmark in SDG implementation and highlighted the importance of robust data systems, effective localisation of SDGs and efficient delivery mechanisms for sustained progress.

The workshop aims to present a comprehensive picture of SDG progress across districts of the North Eastern Region and encourage district administrations to translate findings into concrete, time-bound action plans. A key focus is the “Zoom-In Effect,” an approach to data convergence that enables District Collectors to identify gaps through the NER Index and utilise the Panchayat Advancement Index to pinpoint specific blocks or Gram Panchayats requiring targeted interventions.

Sustainable development requires a financial architecture where state and district budgets are directly aligned with SDG targets. To facilitate this, the workshop will introduce a "Step-by-Step Guide for SDG Budget Tagging," developed in collaboration with UNDP.

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