Page 579 - ES 2020-21_Volume-1-2 [28-01-21]

206 Economic Survey 2020-21 Volume 1

with the myriad manifestations of these challenges, the nature of engagement will have to be
adaptive, iterative and based on feedback, which institutionalised dialogue can provide.
6.7 The preparation of the VNR also provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen the
engagement with the private sector on SDGs. In the recent past, private sector spending under
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives has been a major avenue for private sector
involvement in the SDG framework. The VNR process enhanced the uptake in adoption of business
responsibility and sustainability frameworks and created greater consciousness among industry
leaders for the same. This is echoed in the ‘Report of the Committee on Business Responsibility
Reporting’ which was released in 2020. Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report
(BRSR) frameworks outlined in this report emanate from the National Guidelines on Responsible
Business Conduct (NGRBC) which are aligned to the SDGs, and the United Nations Guiding
Principles on Business & Human Rights (UNGPs). BRSR formats incorporate the growing
salience of non-financial disclosures along with the annual financial disclosures ensuring the
recognition of environmental and social responsibilities.
Localization of the SDGs

6.8 Localisation of SDGs is crucial to any strategy aimed at achieving the goals under the 2030
Agenda. Essentially, localising SDGs involves the process of adapting, planning, implementing
and monitoring the SDGs from national to local levels by relevant institutions and stakeholders.
In terms of engagement and collaboration of institutions, it is consequential how the Centre,
State and Local Governments work together to achieve the SDGs at the national level; and how
SDGs provide a framework for subnational and local policy, planning and action for realisation
of the SDG targets at local levels. To accelerate SDG achievements, the country has adopted the
approach of cooperative and competitive federalism which is based on Centre-State collaboration
in nation building and healthy competition among the States in various development outcomes.
The SDG India Index and Dashboard, designed and developed by NITI Aayog, is the principal
tool to measure and monitor SDG performance at the national and sub-national levels. The
states are institutionally empowered and positioned to achieve the SDGs with the support of the
Central Government and allied institutions. Hence, the States are the key actors in the process
of localisation of SDGs with the Central Government playing an enabling role.
Figure 2: SDG Localisation

A. From Global to Local to Meet the Goals

Mapping of SDG targets to schemes/
programmes/policies

Coordination with central ministries
National level
National level
leadership
leadership
Coordination with State Planning
Departments

Developing monitoring framework and
capacities

Source: NITI Aayog