After a four year hiatus, INCLUSION returns in print with its special issue—timely, compelling and deeply resonant. The pandemic reshaped governance models; now, as we rekindle our public discourse in ink and paper, two compelling threads take center stage: the SKOCH State of Governance; and, the latest SKOCH’s States of Viksit Bharat 2024 that expands analysis across six indices developed by SKOCH—governance, egovernment, fiscal prudence and more—advocating competitive federalism.
It echoes INCLUSION’s editorial mission: policy must serve as a fulcrum—not just to uplift the underprivileged, but to knit together the capacities of governance, finance and technology. SKOCH’s State of Governance index, since 2003, has gained renown for its rigorous, bottomup evaluation—tracking real projects vetted by experts, peers, field validation and citizens. Its output isn’t theoretical ranking; it shines light on actual governance practices that work.
The 2024 report places Maharashtra in the top spot, followed by Gujarat (#2) and Andhra Pradesh (#3)—not simply by volume, but by depth of innovation in diverse sectors including health, revenue and cooperation.
The release also coincides with the 11th year of Narendra Modi’s tenure as Prime Minister—a period marked by bold reforms: GST implementation, digital identity (Aadhaar) and the push for PM-JAY health coverage; infrastructural campaigns like Smart Cities; as well as flagship social programmes.
But the SKOCH evidence suggests this is not just a veneer of progress: states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra—traditionally aligned with central policies—excel in SKOCH metrics. Yet so do Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, under regional regimes, signalling that structural policy frameworks, when responsibly executed at the state level, drive real change.
Even as national policy sets the direction, the path to a Viksit Bharat runs through state machinery—replete with capacity, documentation, digital platforms and accountable delivery. Over 11 years, the Modi government has built the scaffold.
