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| Table of Content |
| Human Development Indices (Health & Poverty) Economic & Industrial Indices Education & Learning Outcomes Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index Innovation & Technology |
Trend: Shift from “BIMARU” tag to “Front Runner” status in poverty reduction and basic services.
A. Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
- Status: According to the NITI Aayog Discussion Paper (2024), Uttar Pradesh recorded the largest decline in the number of poor in India.
- Data:
- 5.94 Crore people escaped multidimensional poverty in the last 9 years.
- Headcount Ratio: Declined from 37.68% (2015-16) to 17.40% (2022-23 estimates).
- Drivers: Massive saturation in Sanitation (Swachh Bharat), Cooking Fuel (Ujjwala), and Electricity (Saubhagya).
B. Health Indicators (NFHS-5 vs Recent Trends)
- Institutional Births: Rose to 83.8% (NFHS-5), significantly reducing Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR).
- Sex Ratio: Improvement in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) due to the strict enforcement of the Mukhbir Yojana (Informer Scheme).
- NITI Aayog Health Index: UP consistently ranks as the “Top Incremental Performer,” acknowledging the massive upgrade in medical infrastructure (One District One Medical College).
Current Affairs Linkage :
- Ayushman Vay Vandana: In 2024-25, UP achieved the highest enrollment of senior citizens (70+) under this new health cover, directly impacting the “Health” parameter of the SDG index.
Trend: “Revenue Surplus” and “Ease of Doing Business.”
A. Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)
- Rank: Uttar Pradesh is currently the 3rd Largest Economy in India (after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu), contributing ~9.2% to the national GDP.
- Growth Rate: The state is clocking a nominal growth rate of ~11-13%, outpacing the national average.
- Fiscal Health: UP is a Revenue Surplus state, indicating strong fiscal discipline despite high capital expenditure.
B. Logistics & Business Indices
- LEADS Report 2024:
- Status: UP retained the “Achiever” status for the 3rd consecutive year in the Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) report.
- Reason: Excellent connectivity via the Expressway Network and Inland Waterways (Varanasi Multi-Modal Terminal).
- Export Preparedness Index: UP is the top-performing landlocked state, with exports crossing ₹1.75 Lakh Crore driven by ODOP (One District One Product).
Trend: “Foundational Literacy” and “School Infrastructure.”
A. ASER Report 2024 (Released Jan 2025)
- The Turnaround: The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 highlighted a “remarkable turnaround” in UP’s government schools.
- Reading Levels: The percentage of Class 3 students who can read Class 2 text doubled compared to 2018 levels.
- Arithmetic: Basic arithmetic skills (subtraction/division) tripled.
- Infrastructure:
- Electricity: 97% of schools now have functional electricity (up from 66% in 2018).
- Girl’s Toilets: 88% of schools have usable separate toilets for girls.
B. Performance Grading Index (PGI)
- Status: UP has moved up to the “Uttam” grade, showing significant improvement in “Governance Processes” due to the digitization of teacher attendance and student tracking (Vidya Samiksha Kendra).
Trend: “Clean Energy” and “Law & Order.”
A. NITI Aayog SDG India Index 2023-24
- Overall Rank: UP moved from the ‘Performer’ to the ‘Front Runner’ category (Score: 67).
- Top Performance:
- Goal 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy): UP scored a perfect 100/100 (“Achiever”), driven by the massive rollout of solar pumps (PM-KUSUM) and Saubhagya electrification.
- Goal 16 (Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions): Significant improvement due to the “Zero Tolerance” policy on crime and rapid disposal of cases.
Trend: “Startup Ecosystem” and “Digital Governance.”
A. India Innovation Index
- Ecosystem: UP is now the 4th largest startup ecosystem in India with 8 Unicorns (e.g., Paytm, PhysicsWallah).
- e-Governance: UP ranks #1 in the number of e-Transactions on the e-Taal portal, reflecting high digital adoption (DBT, Ration distribution).
B. Smart City Ranking
- Agra & Varanasi: Consistently ranked among the Top 10 Smart Cities in India for their Integrated Command and Control Centers (ICCC) and waste management systems.
Current Affairs Linkage :
- Digital Census Readiness: In 2025, UP was declared the “Most Ready State” for the upcoming Digital Census, with Gram Sachivalayas in every village equipped with optical fiber (BharatNet) to serve as data centers.




