Press Release
Press Release from the Office of the Press Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister
Information & Public Relations Department
In a significant stride toward sustainable and inclusive development, Sikkim has emerged as one of the top-performing states in the North Eastern Region (NER) District SDG Index 2023-24, released by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER) and UNDP on July 07, 2025.
Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang Golay, all districts of Sikkim have been categorised as Front Runners - a rare distinction shared only with Mizoram and Tripura. With the narrowest intra-state performance gap of just 5.5 points between Gangtok (76.64) and Gyalshing (71.14), Sikkim stands out as the most consistent and balanced state in the entire Northeast.
This milestone reflects the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s steadfast commitment to inclusive growth, grassroots empowerment, and evidence-based governance. His forward-looking leadership has successfully aligned Sikkim’s policies with national and global SDG frameworks, ensuring seamless implementation of social, environmental, and economic development programmes across all districts.
Sikkim’s consistent performance serves as a model for balanced development. In contrast, while Mizoram leads with the highest-scoring district in the region- Hnahthial at 81.43- it shows a wider district-wise variation of 13.72 points. Tripura, too, posted strong numbers with Gomati (78.79) and Dhalai (72.29) but showed slightly more intra-state disparity than Sikkim.
The NER District SDG Index 2023-24 was unveiled by a distinguished panel comprising Shri Suman Bery, Hon’ble Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog; Shri Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, MoDoNER; and Dr. Angela Lusigi, UNDP Resident Representative in India, in the presence of Shri Rajib Kumar Sen, Programme Director (SDGs), NITI Aayog, and other senior dignitaries.
During the launch, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Shri Suman Bery underlined the urgency of achieving SDG targets by 2030, as a vital step toward realizing Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. CEO Shri Subrahmanyam further reiterated the PM’s emphasis on empowering the “Ashta Lakshmi” states, recognizing their pivotal role in shaping India’s development future.
The SDG Index serves as a vital tool for evidence-based planning, resource allocation, and district-level monitoring. Sikkim’s outstanding performance reaffirms the state’s governance model defined by political will, decentralized planning, and outcome-oriented delivery firmly rooted in the Hon'ble Chief Minister’s vision of “development with equity, impact, and integrity.”
As India marches toward becoming a developed nation, Sikkim continues to illuminate the path with its model of sustainable, inclusive governance- demonstrating that visionary leadership, when combined with collective action, can truly transform aspirations into achievements.
Source/Inputs: PIB
Issued by:
Yougan Tamang
Press Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim
Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang Golay, all districts of Sikkim have been categorised as Front Runners - a rare distinction shared only with Mizoram and Tripura. With the narrowest intra-state performance gap of just 5.5 points between Gangtok (76.64) and Gyalshing (71.14), Sikkim stands out as the most consistent and balanced state in the entire Northeast.
This milestone reflects the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s steadfast commitment to inclusive growth, grassroots empowerment, and evidence-based governance. His forward-looking leadership has successfully aligned Sikkim’s policies with national and global SDG frameworks, ensuring seamless implementation of social, environmental, and economic development programmes across all districts.
Sikkim’s consistent performance serves as a model for balanced development. In contrast, while Mizoram leads with the highest-scoring district in the region- Hnahthial at 81.43- it shows a wider district-wise variation of 13.72 points. Tripura, too, posted strong numbers with Gomati (78.79) and Dhalai (72.29) but showed slightly more intra-state disparity than Sikkim.
The NER District SDG Index 2023-24 was unveiled by a distinguished panel comprising Shri Suman Bery, Hon’ble Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog; Shri Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, MoDoNER; and Dr. Angela Lusigi, UNDP Resident Representative in India, in the presence of Shri Rajib Kumar Sen, Programme Director (SDGs), NITI Aayog, and other senior dignitaries.
During the launch, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Shri Suman Bery underlined the urgency of achieving SDG targets by 2030, as a vital step toward realizing Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. CEO Shri Subrahmanyam further reiterated the PM’s emphasis on empowering the “Ashta Lakshmi” states, recognizing their pivotal role in shaping India’s development future.
The SDG Index serves as a vital tool for evidence-based planning, resource allocation, and district-level monitoring. Sikkim’s outstanding performance reaffirms the state’s governance model defined by political will, decentralized planning, and outcome-oriented delivery firmly rooted in the Hon'ble Chief Minister’s vision of “development with equity, impact, and integrity.”
As India marches toward becoming a developed nation, Sikkim continues to illuminate the path with its model of sustainable, inclusive governance- demonstrating that visionary leadership, when combined with collective action, can truly transform aspirations into achievements.
Source/Inputs: PIB
Issued by:
Yougan Tamang
Press Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim