‘Need to change development model’: Himachal CM releases District Good Governance Index report-2022

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 10 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday released the District Good Governance Index (HPDGGI) Annual Report-2022, on various critical governance indicators, including the implementation of schemes and programmes for the wellbeing of the citizens.

According to an official release, the DGGI-2022 framework covered 8 themes, 19 focus subjects and 90 indicators.

CM Sukhu said that as the districts function as the basic unit of field administration and governance, the performance of the districts must be measured for inclusive development.

“Good government with good governance was imperative for the welfare of people of the State and there is a need to change the development model to meet out the forthcoming challenges,” he said.

CM Sukhu said that Himachal has performed better than many other States on different development indicators relating to education, health, electricity supply, water supply and several other areas and has emerged as a model State for inclusive and equitable development.

The report on the District Good Governance Index has been prepared by the Department of Economics and Statistics, Himachal Pradesh on the basis of secondary data of 12 districts, collected to assess the comparative performance of all districts.

Himachal Pradesh is the first State in the country who has started to measure the quality of governance in vital sectors, said officials.

The DGGI-2022 includes eight themes viz. essential infrastructure, support to human development, social protection, women and children, crime, law and order, environment, transparency and accountability and economic performance.

At the second tier there are 19 focus subjects, each of which falls into the respective themes from which they originate.

They encompass power, water, roads, education, health, public distribution scheme, social justice, employment, issues related to children and women, violent crimes, law and order, atrocities, environmental violations, forest cover, issues related to transparency and accountability, contribution as agriculture and allied sector and finally, commerce and industry in the economy.

At the third tier, there are 90 specific variables on which the data available in the districts is analysed and integrated. The aggregation at the three levels finally results in the district level index which is used to rank the twelve districts, under examination in this report.

As per ranking for 2022, Kangra district bagged the first prize of Rs 50 lakh, while Hamirpur has been ranked second with prize money of Rs.35 lakh and Lahaul-Spiti received the third prize of Rs 25 lakh.

The Chief Minister gave away prizes to Deputy Commissioner Kangra Nipun Jindal, Deputy Commissioner Hamirpur Hemraj Bairwa and Deputy Commissioner Lahaul-Spiti Rahul Kumar on the occasion.