The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), in collaboration with UNICEF, organised a two-day Regional Workshop on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on 2-3 November, 2017 in Guwahati. This Workshop is the fourth in the series of five Regional Workshops being organised for sensitisation of States on SDG Monitoring Framework.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Chief Statistician of India and Secretary, MoSPI, Dr. T.C.A Anant, sharing the salient features of the SDGs and enhanced need for continuous and holistic monitoring, stressed that the SDGs have brought in a new set of responsibilities and challenges for the country’s Statisticians. SDGs require monitoring at National and State level in additional to the Global Monitoring by United Nations. The Workshop helped in identifying good practices from States’ implementation and monitoring of SDGs, so that other States can adopt/replicate these practices. He mentioned that MoSPI would be working in close collaboration with the State Governments to strengthen systems in measuring and monitoring SDG progress.

While informing the States on the work in progress, Dr. Anant said, “The National SDG Indicators are being finalised following an elaborate consultation process with Ministries in Central Government, State Governments and other stake holders. It is a dynamic framework and a system to refine the framework also will be in place”. He also stressed the need for more investment in Data infrastructure in view of the new demand for data to monitor SDGs.

Addressing the Workshop, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, Shri V B Pyarelal stated that the State of Assam is one of the first states to adopt SDGs as a policy for States development plans. He said detailed plans are in place to implement SDGs upto the grassroots level. They have established a Centre for SDGs to coordinate the SDG activities in the State Government and also foster research in collaboration with reputed institutions.

Additional Director General, MoSPI, Shri Pravin Srivastava highlighted the salient features of the National Monitoring framework. He said the national SDG indicators will help the States to align their developmental schemes with the SDG goals and to build capacity to improve monitoring on progress of the national indicators. He also emphasised the need for strengthening the statistical system in the states using open standards so that there is regular data flow from States to monitor the SDGs using technological solutions to harness the data revolution in view of the SDGs.

Policy, Planning and Evaluation (PPE) Specialist, UNICEF Delhi, Shri K D Maiti, informed that the Regional Workshop at Guwahati is the fourth such Regional Workshops. “These workshops would be helpful in developing a shared system of monitoring SDG progress at the national and state level” he added.

The two days Workshop was attended by senior officers from the States of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The outcome of the Workshop is to come up with documentation on the various initiatives being taken by the States towards SDG implementation and to share best practices.

SDG monitoring framework: align state schemes with national indicators and strengthen data systems for regular monitoring. The workshop aimed to operationalise a SDG monitoring framework by finalising national SDG indicators through consultation, aligning State development schemes with those indicators, and strengthening state statistical systems and data infrastructure. Emphasis was placed on capacity building, adoption of open technical standards for regular data flows, documentation of state initiatives and best practices, and institutional coordination to support state-level implementation and monitoring.