New Delhi:The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has issued detailed guidelines describing the role of responsibilities of Centre and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs).
Additional Secretary Panchayatiraj Chandra Sekhar Kumar has issued detailed Guidelines.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The 17 SDGs and 169 related targets were adopted and signed by all UN Member States in September 2015, as part of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development.
Government of India is also a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 agenda and committed to achieve the Goals and targets adopting multipronged strategy with the involvement of NITI Aayog, Central Ministries, State Governments, UN agencies specialised in respective fields, PRIs etc.
To achieve the goal, NITI Aayog has been entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating the SDGs among the Central Ministries and the State Governments, and monitoring the progress.
Similarly, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is responsible for the formulation of the National Indicator Framework (NIF) to monitor the SDGs;
The Central Ministries and their schemes are mapped with SDGs and targets. The Ministries are also responsible for providing data for the National Indicator Framework (NIF).
As per the guidelines, the NITI Aayog has initiated activities for the localisation of SDGs but the same has remained confined up to the district level. The PRIs are mandated for delivery of critical public services including water supply, sanitation, internal roads, drainage, street lighting, health, education and nutrition etc. in villages.
The 29 subjects listed in the eleventh schedule of the Constitution are quite relevant for achieving SDGs. Therefore, role of the PRIs assumes greater significance in achieving the SDGs at panchayat level.
Accordingly, the MoPR setup an Expert Group on ‘Localization of SDGs through Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)’ to provide guidance on localization of SDGs.
The Expert Committee has recommended a thematic approach to incorporate the 17 SDGs in 9 themes. These themes have been mapped to the 17 SDGs and the local targets have been aligned to the National Targets.
The 9 themes and respective mapped SDGs are Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihoods in Village, Healthy Village, Child-Friendly Village, Water Sufficient Village, Clean and Green Village, Self-Sufficient Infrastructure in Village, Socially Secured Villages, Village with Good Governance and Engendered Development in Village.
The goals on these themes should be attained by 2030 in a graduated manner by embracing the following approach.
The report also recommended the Panchayat Dashboard incorporating 310 local indicators necessary to measure progress toward localization of SDGs. The dashboard will facilitate capturing information on each indicator and also will help in cross-comparison among states and within states.
The report also covers a detailed framework for Capacity building and training, framework of targets and indicators, monitoring, incentivizing, partnerships and collaborations and ownership of the three tiers of local self-government to localize the SDGs.
To achieve the goal, first round of Inter-Ministerial meetings with the concerned Central Ministries have been organised and Joint Advisories have been issued to the States for convergent activities for taking forward LSDGs. Joint Resolution by 26 Central Ministries have also been signed for working together in attainment of SDGs through PRIs.
The localizing SDGs framework in rural areas would be used as a consolidating tool for integration of SDGs into GPDPs. The localization of the SDGs within the GPDP can provide GPs with a vision for development that is local, while in sync with national & global priorities, providing the thrust that is required for the SDGs to be a reality.