Child Well-Being and SDG Status of Indian States

Monitoring progress toward the SDG targets and understanding present status in relation to the well-being of children are crucial. This chapter explores the status of child well-being in Indian states, focusing on child-specific target indicators and the progress made towards SDG attainment. The analysis presents current and the required growth rates to gauge states’ trajectories. These rates indicate whether the states are “on track” or exhibit insufficient progress toward SDG target achievement. An overall child well-being index for 2015–16 and 2019–21 is developed based on the Range Equalization Method (REM). Furthermore, the states are categorised as leading, moderate, or lagging using the index scores. The assessment covers dimensions such as nutrition, health, education, gender equality, basic amenities, and child protection, offering a comprehensive overview of child development. While some of the states have made significant progress in achieving SDG targets, several other states are facing hurdles in improving the child development. The lagging states and regions would require focused interventions and resource allocation to ensure well-being for all children, which will advance child-wellbeing status throughout the country.