LOCALIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: AN ANALYSIS OF NATIONAL POLICIES & PROGRAMMES OF INDIA

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be met through high standards of governance at all levels. In the spirit of cooperative federalism, the two levels of the Government i.e. Centre and State have joined hands to bring about the change that India needs. But the Local Governments shall also be made to join the hands to achieve the SDGs. The SDGs shall be integrated across the 3 dimensions of sustainability, across all sectors of the economy and society, and from the local to National level. India has an age-old local government system. Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in rural areas and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in urban areas. After substantial financial devolution to the PRIs under the award of the 14th Finance Commission, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj is supporting village-level PRIs in planning and implementing development initiatives in their respective areas keeping in view the importance of SDGs. But they need to strengthen the hands of Local Governments to achieve the SDGs in terms of resources through convergence. The campaign of ‘SabkaSaath, Sabka Vikas’ i.e. “Collective Effort, Inclusive Development” and the “Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)” as the tools, the SDGs must be localized at the level of Local Governments. The study focuses on the analysis of wide range of National level policies and programmes of India and the role as well as prominence of the Local Governments in the policies and programmes.