The North-Eastern Region workshop on enhancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outcomes at the district level was organised by NITI Aayog under the State Support Mission (SSM) in collaboration with the Government of Assam and with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India. The event was held in Guwahati on 12 February 2026 and brought together more than 120 participants from the eight North Eastern states, including planning secretaries, district collectors, senior state officials and representatives of the North Eastern Council (NEC) and UN agencies. The programme provided a platform to deliberate on district-led planning, convergence, financing and implementation of the SDGs with emphasis on translating evidence into actionable outcomes.

Participants underlined that success on the SDG agenda depends on effective district-level implementation where policies translate into tangible outcomes for citizens. The North-Eastern Region District SDG Index was presented as a critical decision-support tool for districts to identify strengths, diagnose development gaps and prioritise interventions to strengthen inter-sectoral convergence. Deliberations emphasised early SDG localisation by states to embed the goals within planning and governance processes and to shift from measurement to mission-mode implementation.

A presentation by the programme director of SDG work at NITI Aayog showcased district-level progress and gaps using the District SDG Index while an additional presentation introduced the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) as a complementary tool to reinforce granular local-level monitoring and last-mile delivery. The technical programme included sessions on translating evidence into action, sectoral deep dives based on district evidence, and a step-by-step guide for SDG budget tagging to align planning and budgeting with SDG priorities at the sub-national level. District administrations shared field-level experiences and discussed how granular evidence can inform targeted sectoral interventions.

The workshop sought to strengthen capacities for district-led planning and to foster systematic use of evidence in prioritisation and resource allocation. Organisers indicated that such initiatives are aimed at enabling districts to pursue integrated, outcome-oriented strategies that respond to local development needs. Follow-up engagement by central and state agencies was encouraged to sustain momentum and operationalise the recommendations.