What is regional development policy for and how does it work
AASC Presentation Feb 2016
1. Lessons of the
Millennium Development Goals
for the SDGs
Shiladitya Chatterjee
Conference on Sustainable Development Goals
Assam Administrative Staff College 10-11 February, 2016
2. Plan of presentation
• Performance on the MDGs
• Lessons of the MDGs
• The contributions made by the MDGs
• Eight major lessons from the MDG experience
5. Assam has made similar
progress as most states
towards the MDGs
• Using 4-way classification of
progress on each indicator
• Assam “on–track” on 9 out of
19 indicators; India “on-track”
on 10
6. In several areas, Assam has made similar or even
more progress than the India average
52.2
63.21
76
50.7
42.4
71.5
27.1
78.1
93
86.1
74.1
76.2
87.8
54.6 42.1 64.4
74
25.8
18
47.7
37.1
68
63.1
82.4
80.1
65.5
85.9
88
Population above poverty (%)
Primary survival Grade V:I (%)
Youth literacy rate (%)
Measles immunization rate (%)Skilled Birth attendance (%)
Water access (%)
Sanitation access (%)
Selected indicator values earliest and latest for India and Assam
India Earliest India Latest Assam Earliest Assam Latest
7. However, in terms of absolute achievements Assam has
fallen behind, as other states have done even better
0.813
0.790
0.736
0.719
0.694
0.659 0.658 0.650
0.627 0.626 0.616 0.609 0.603 0.592 0.585 0.584 0.577
0.565
0.530
0.506
0.466 0.464
0.452 0.451
0.426
0.398 0.396
0.342
0.313
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
Ranking of states by MDG Composite Performance Index latest year
9. Some important contributions of the MDGs
• Introduced a comprehensive approach to development
• Established concrete objectives with clear targets
• Practical, results based approach
• Forged consensus among the development community on
development priorities
• Brought international peer pressure to bear on Governments
spurring action
• For example, there was a surge in India’s efforts after mid 2000s
• MDG targets incorporated in 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12)
• National Rural Health Mission (2005), MNREGA (2005), Universalization of ICDS (2006)
Universalization of Midday Meals Scheme (2003), Right to Education Act (2009)
10. Major lessons
1. Avoid delays in starting
• Little action till 2005 even at Central level
• Assam has rectified this for the SDGs
2. Expand participation
• MDGs focused mainly on public sector, national government level
• State governments played a minor role
• Assam now taking lead
• Non-state players neglected
• Private sector
• Can play a major role through PPPs and CSR
• Communities
• Have a crucial role in monitoring and feedback e.g. Bangalore report card system
• Media
• Must be effectively mobilized for advocacy and awareness
11. Major lessons
3. Strengthen monitoring of the SDGs
• MDG data remained poor; gaps large particularly in State-level data
• Drive to obtain state-level data needed for SDGs
• No monitoring report at Centre till 2005; hardly any at State level
• Lack of adequate monitoring makes it impossible to make course-corrections
• Annual state-level report on SDGs suggested
4. Avoid sector bias and move to outcome (results based) approach
• MDGs failed to adequately address cross-sectoral impacts and synergies
• Accounting for them requires good coordination at outcome (goal) level
• Would need appropriate organizational structure such as working groups
• Cross-sectoral effects will be particularly relevant in the SDGs
• Trade-offs between growth and environment; social objectives and environment etc.
12. Coordination of child hunger elimination
Eliminating
Child
Hunger
Guaranteeing
family’s access to
food
Targeted
child and
maternal
heath
interventions
Women’s
development
13. Major lessons
5. The MDGs focused on average accomplishment at the aggregate
level and not on reaching all disadvantaged groups – SDGs must correct
this
• Such as addressing needs of SCs, STs and OBCs
• Remote or undeveloped geographical regions
• Low income groups
• Women
• Disaggregating SDG indicators to address these is needed.
14. Major lessons
6. Pay attention to “drivers” of development
• Economic growth – not in MDG structure (now rectified)
• Basic infrastructure – not in MDG structure (now rectified)
• Women’s development
AP
BR
CG
GA
GJ
HR
JH
KA
KL
MP
MH
OR
PB
RJ
TN
UP
WB
AR
AS
HP
JK
MN
ML
NL
SK
TR
UK
y = 0.046x + 0.34
R² = 0.29
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0
MDGPerformanceIndex
Per Capita NSDP Average Growth Rate
Growth and MDG Performance
AP
AS
BR
CG
GJ
HR
JK
JH
KA
KL
MP
MH
OR
PB
RJ
TN
UP
WB
y = 1.51x + 41.40
R² = 0.58
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Proportionofbirthsattendedbyskilledhealth
personnel
Kilometres of roads per 10,000 population
Impact of roads on births attended
15. Major lessons
7. Prioritize resources for SDGs – (now specifically stressed in SDGs)
• Health and education expenditure remained below norms
• Attention not only to raising resources but also placing adequate priority on SDG sectors
• Insufficient human resources
• Attention to developing cadre of trained personnel in education and health
8. Improve implementation of programs
• A number of well designed schemes were poorly implemented e.g. National
Rural Health Mission; MNREGA
17. References
S. Chatterjee, M.Hammill, N. Kumar and S. Panda (2015). Assessing India’s Progress
in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: Key Drivers of Inter-State
Variations. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific, South and Southwest Asia Regional Office Development Papers 1502. New
Delhi. September 2015.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Asian
Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (2015).
Making it Happen. Technology, Finance and Satistics for Sustainable Development
in Asia and the Pacific. Manila and Bangkok, May 2015.
United Nations (2015). India and the MDGs Towards a Sustainable Future for all.
UN India, New Delhi.
