Regional Disparities in India’s Sustainable Development Goals: A Comparison of Southern States and the Hindi Belt

Regional Disparities in India’s Sustainable Development Goals: A Comparison of Southern States and the Hindi Belt

As of March 5, 2025, India’s progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reveals stark regional disparities, particularly when comparing the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana with the northern Hindi Belt states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand. An analysis of the latest infographic data on SDG performance underscores the varying degrees of success across these regions in ensuring a dignified life for citizens through five critical goals: No Poverty (SDG 1), Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 12).

Southern States Lead the Way

The southern states—Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana—are performing exceptionally well in meeting SDG targets. Their scores, all above 70, place them in the 65–99.9 range (indicated in green on the infographic), signaling strong progress toward the target score of 100. Specifically:

• Tamil Nadu and Kerala both achieve the highest score of 80.2 among all states, demonstrating outstanding results in poverty reduction, hunger eradication, health, education, and economic growth.
• Karnataka follows with a score of 71.6, while Andhra Pradesh and Telangana score 70.4 and 74, respectively.

None of these states fall below the 65 threshold, indicating that they are significantly closer to achieving a dignified life for their citizens as outlined by the SDGs. This robust performance likely stems from better infrastructure, governance, education systems, and economic policies that have enabled these states to address poverty, hunger, and other developmental challenges effectively.

Challenges in the Hindi Belt

In contrast, the Hindi Belt states, often characterized by slower development, show more variability and generally poorer performance in achieving the SDGs. Most of these states score in the 50–64.9 range (yellow on the infographic), with Bihar registering a critically low score of 43.2—the lowest among all states and union territories, falling into the 0–49.9 range (red). Specific scores include:

• Uttar Pradesh: 56.4
• Bihar: 43.2
• Madhya Pradesh: 56.8
• Rajasthan: 69.4
• Jharkhand: 57.2

Rajasthan, with a score of 69.4, performs relatively better but still lags behind the southern states. The lower scores in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand indicate that a significant portion of their populations are struggling to meet SDG targets, particularly in areas like poverty reduction, hunger eradication, health, education, and economic growth. Bihar’s abysmal score of 43.2 highlights severe developmental challenges, possibly exacerbated by high population densities, resource constraints, and historical underdevelopment.

A Tale of Two Regions: Key Comparisons

The overall performance gap between the southern states and the Hindi Belt is striking. The southern states consistently score above 70, reflecting robust progress and better outcomes across all five SDGs. In contrast, most Hindi Belt states score below 65, with Bihar’s score underscoring a crisis in achieving even basic SDG targets.

Population Impact

The infographic reveals that states and union territories with scores below 65—predominantly including Hindi Belt states—account for a significant share of India’s population struggling to meet SDG targets. For instance:

• 17 states and 2 union territories, including many Hindi Belt states, account for nearly 79% of the population facing challenges with Zero Hunger (SDG 2).
• Similarly, 17 states and 3 union territories represent nearly 75% of the population struggling with Quality Education (SDG 4).
• For No Poverty (SDG 1), 7 states and 3 union territories, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, account for nearly 38% of the population with scores below 65.

The southern states, with their higher scores, contribute far less to this population struggling to meet SDG targets, indicating more equitable progress and better living conditions for their citizens.

Regional Disparities and Underlying Factors

The southern states’ advantage can be attributed to a combination of factors, including stronger infrastructure, effective governance, well-established education systems, and economic policies that prioritize sustainable growth. These elements have enabled Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana to make significant strides in reducing poverty, ensuring food security, improving health outcomes, enhancing education, and fostering decent work opportunities.

Conversely, the Hindi Belt states, particularly Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, face greater obstacles. Higher population densities, limited resources, and historical underdevelopment have hindered progress on critical SDGs. Bihar’s exceptionally low score of 43.2 suggests systemic challenges that require urgent attention, including addressing poverty, hunger, and access to quality education and healthcare.

Specific SDG Challenges

The disparities are evident across individual SDGs:

• No Poverty (SDG 1): Hindi Belt states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are part of the 7 states and 3 union territories where nearly 38% of the population scores below 65, indicating persistent poverty challenges.
• Zero Hunger (SDG 2): Nearly 79% of the population struggling with hunger resides in 17 states and 2 union territories, predominantly Hindi Belt states, while the southern states are not highlighted in this group.
• Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 12) show similar patterns, with Hindi Belt states lagging significantly behind their southern counterparts.

Conclusion: A Call for Regional Equity

The data clearly shows that Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana outperform the Hindi Belt states—Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and others—in achieving the five key Sustainable Development Goals. The southern states’ scores, ranging from 70.4 to 80.2, reflect strong progress, while most Hindi Belt states score between 43.2 and 69.4, with Bihar’s critically low 43.2 underscoring severe developmental gaps.

This disparity highlights significant regional differences in India’s journey toward ensuring a dignified life for all its citizens. While the southern states serve as models of progress, the Hindi Belt, particularly Bihar, faces substantial challenges that demand targeted interventions, including investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Bridging this gap is essential for India to meet its SDG targets by 2030 and ensure equitable development across all regions.

For a deeper understanding or specific SDG breakdowns, further analysis or web-based research could provide additional insights into the strategies driving success in the southern states and the barriers impeding progress in the Hindi Belt. As India moves forward, addressing these regional disparities will be critical to achieving a truly sustainable and dignified future for all its citizens.