Economic Advisory Council to PM to release the Social Progress Index for states and districts
Economic Advisory Council to
Prime Minister (EAC-PM) will release the Social Progress Index (SPI) for states
and districts of India on December 20, 2022. The report has been prepared
by Institute for Competitiveness, headed by Dr Amit Kapoor and the Social
Progress Imperative, headed by Michael Green and was mandated by Economic
Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.
SPI is a
comprehensive tool intended to be a holistic measure of the Social Progress
made by the country at the national and sub-national levels. Understanding that
the social progress of citizens is key to sustaining economic growth in the
long run, the index complements the conventional measures of economic growth
and development. Keeping in mind the pressing need for a measurement model that
can better understand the needs of society, while also equipping
decision-makers with the necessary knowledge and tools, the team embarked on an
extensive research phase to identify appropriate indicators and measures of
social progress for the report.
SPI
assesses the performance of states and districts on three dimensions of social
progress: Basic Human Needs, Foundations
of Wellbeing, and Opportunity.
Within each dimension, there are four components.
- The
dimension of Basic Human Needs assesses
the performance of states and districts in terms of Nutrition and Basic
Medical Care, Water and Sanitation, Personal Safety and Shelter.
- The
dimension of Foundations of Wellbeing evaluates
the progress made by the country across the components of Access to Basic
Knowledge, Access to Information and Communication, Health and Wellness,
and Environmental Quality.
- The
dimension of Opportunity focuses
on aspects of Personal Rights, Personal Freedom and Choice, Inclusiveness,
and Access to Advanced Education.
The report
will be released by Smriti Irani,
Minister of Women and Child Development of India and Dr Bibek Debroy, Chairman EAC-PM. The event shall
also have insights and remarks by Michael Green, CEO, Social Progress Imperative and Dr Amit Kapoor, Honorary Chairman, Institute for
Competitiveness and Lecturer, Stanford University who are the authors of the
report.
With state
and district-wise rankings and scorecards, the report aims to provide a
systematic account of the social progress made at all levels in the country.
The report also sheds light on the achievements of the districts that have
performed well on the index and the role of the states in achieving social
progress. A special section of the report provides an analysis of the
Aspirational Districts of India, leading to a broader understanding of the
social progress at the grassroots level. The report will act as a critical
enabler and tool for policymakers in the coming years for achieving sustained
socio-economic growth.
The release
event takes place at National Nehru Memorial Museum, New Delhi.