Uttarakhand has entered the top 10 states for the first time, securing the #7 national rank in the State of Governance Report 2024. This marks a significant milestone in the state’s governance trajectory, reflecting its commitment to policy efficiency, sectoral diversification and impactful reforms. With 31 well-performing projects, including two highly impactful and eight impactful initiatives, Uttarakhand has demonstrated substantial progress across multiple governance domains.
The State’s rise in rankings is particularly notable given its previous performance. The state climbed from #12 in 2023 to #7 in 2024, its highest-ever ranking. This improvement underscores a governance model driven by sectoral leadership and institutional reforms.
The state has performed exceptionally well in multiple governance categories, leading the nation in Education, Handlooms & Textiles and Infrastructure. It has also registered the highest improvements in Police & Safety, reflecting targeted law enforcement reforms. Additionally, Uttarakhand made a strong recovery in General Administration and Municipal Governance, re-establishing itself as a leader in urban management and administrative efficiency.
The state has also expanded its governance portfolio by participating for the first time in Women & Child Development, Animal Husbandry & Fisheries, Cooperation, Food & Civil Supplies, Social Justice & Security, Water and Rural Development, securing top 10 national positions across all these sectors. Particularly impressive is its #2 rank in Women & Child Development and Animal Husbandry & Fisheries, reinforcing its commitment to social welfare, economic empowerment and rural livelihood sustainability.
Despite its governance successes, Uttarakhand faces fiscal constraints that require strategic interventions. According to the NITI Aayog Fiscal Health Index 2025, the state is categorised as aspirational, with concerns over low revenue mobilisation, high fiscal deficits and increasing debt burdens. To sustain its governance momentum, Uttarakhand must focus on enhancing revenue generation through tax optimisation, reducing fiscal deficits through strategic expenditure management and strengthening public finance practices to ensure long-term economic resilience. Addressing these challenges will be crucial in maintaining financial stability and sustaining governance-driven development.
The state’s high-impact governance projects have played a pivotal role in its success. Initiatives such as Accelerating Economic Growth and Fast-Tracking SDGs by CPPGG, Operation PINK for Women’s Safety and the Water Supply Augmentation Project have significantly improved service delivery, governance efficiency and citizen welfare.
Projects like the Municipal Solid Waste Management Facility in Kirtinagar and Dumpsite Remediation & Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plant reflect Uttarakhand’s commitment to sustainability and environmental governance. Furthermore, the Uttarakhand Co-operative Development Programme (UKCDP) and Indigenous Breeds Conservation through Sexed Semen Production highlight efforts to empower rural communities and boost agricultural productivity.
The State must focus on strengthening district-level participation and ensuring greater policy continuity to improve its governance leadership. With its strategic policy interventions, sectoral growth and commitment to fiscal prudence, Uttarakhand is well-positioned to further enhance its governance excellence and development impact.
State's Performance in Different Sectors in Three Years
| Sector | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | 1 | 5 | |
| Infrastructure | 1 | ||
| Handlooms & Textiles | 1 | ||
| Animal Husbandry & Fisheries | 2 | ||
| Women & Child Development | 2 | ||
| Food & Civil Supplies | 3 | ||
| General Administration | 3 | ||
| Municipal Governance | 3 | 6 | |
| Cooperation | 3 | ||
| Social Justice & Social Security | 4 | ||
| Water | 5 | ||
| Police & Safety | 6 | 9 | 6 |
| Rural Development | 6 | ||
| Power & Energy | 8 | ||
| District Administration | 9 | 7 | 15 |
Sainik Kalyan Evam Punarvas
The Sainik Kalyan Evam Punarvas Programme, launched on 9 November 2000, by the Department of Soldier Welfare, Uttarakhand, aims to support ex-servicemen, war widows and their dependents. The programme has reached 188,081 beneficiaries, ensuring access to welfare schemes through block representatives and mobile camps in remote areas. It resolved Aadhaar-linked pension issues, assisted with ECHS membership registrations and introduced biometric systems for digital life certificate submissions. Outcomes include increased welfare scheme enrollment, enhanced digital empowerment and self-employment opportunities through vocational training and financial support. The programme serves as a model for effective welfare delivery in challenging terrains.
Municipal Solid Waste Management Facility
The Municipal Solid Waste Management Facility at Kirtinagar, established under the Swachh Bharat Mission, is the first sanitary landfill in Uttarakhand’s hilly areas. Operational since December 2023, it prevents 350 tons of waste annually from polluting the Ganga River and surrounding areas. The facility ensures zero liquid discharge, promotes recycling of plastic, rubber and glass and mitigates air, water and soil pollution. It has significantly reduced public health risks associated with open dumping and created 2,090 employment opportunities, setting a model for sustainable waste management in mountainous region.
Water Supply Augmentation
The Water Supply Augmentation Project, launched on 20 June 2020, by Dehradun Smart City Limited, aims to modernise water infrastructure and enhance distribution efficiency. The project replaced 34.5 km of aging pipelines with durable DI pipelines and added 1.54 km of rising mains to strengthen the network. It installed smart water meters for 4,934 domestic and 967 non-domestic connections, ensuring accurate billing and reduced wastage. Additionally, 15 Water ATMs were introduced, providing affordable access to clean drinking water. Key outcomes include 10% annual energy savings, minimised water losses and improved service reliability, directly benefiting thousands of residents.
Dumpsite Remediation and Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plant
The Dumpsite Remediation and Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plant Project, initiated on 1 December 2020, by the Urban Development Directorate, Uttarakhand, focuses on sustainable waste management and environmental restoration. The project processed 1.2 lakh metric tons of legacy waste, reclaiming land for green spaces and reducing soil and groundwater contamination. It established an engineered landfill and introduced CBG production, achieving methane content of over 95%. The initiative generated clean fuel, mitigated greenhouse gas emissions and created employment opportunities for 200 external beneficiaries, offering a replicable model for urban waste management.
Operation PINK
The Operation PINK Project, launched on 1 November 2022, by the Uttarakhand Police, focuses on ensuring safety and security for women and girls in public spaces and the digital world.
The initiative deployed PINK Units and trained over 15,000 schoolgirls in self-defense and cybersecurity awareness. It enhanced patrolling, response times and established a dedicated support system for women’s safety. The project covered 150+ schools and colleges daily, reducing harassment incidents and building confidence among women to move freely and safely.
Baini Sena Haldwani
The Baini Sena Haldwani Project, initiated on 27 October 2022, by the Nagar Nigam Haldwani, enhances solid waste management (SWM) through women’s participation. The initiative engages self-help groups (SHGs) under the DAY-NULM scheme. It has achieved 85% household coverage for door-to-door waste collection, 100% waste collection efficiency and a manifold increase in user charges.
The project also improved sanitation monitoring, provided livelihoods to SHGs and reduced the financial burden on urban local bodies.
Figure 1: Sectors with Enhanced Focus - Uttarakhand
Naini-Saini Airport Upgradation
The Upgradation of Naini-Saini Airport, executed by BRIDCUL under the UDAN Scheme, has significantly improved regional connectivity in the remote Pithoragarh district near the India-China border. The project includes a 1570x30m runway, ATC tower for night operations, helipad and 500 kVA power backup, enabling both commercial and defense operations. It facilitates the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, serves as a disaster management base and supports medical evacuations. The airport has enhanced logistics for pilgrims, boosted regional tourism, strengthened national security and improved emergency response capabilities in this strategic border region.
Accelerating Economic Growth and Fast-Tracking SDGs by CPPGG
The Centre of Public Policy and Good Governance (CPPGG), under the Planning Department of Uttarakhand, launched the Accelerating Economic Growth and Fast-Tracking SDGs project on 8 August 2017. This initiative aims to align state policies with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing governance inefficiencies and promoting inclusive growth through innovative solutions.
The project has delivered remarkable results, with Uttarakhand’s SDG India Index rank improving from 9th in 2019 to 4th in 2020. It achieved Rank 1 in Goal 7 (Affordable Clean Energy) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), alongside a sharp decline in multidimensional poverty from 17.71% in 2017 to 9.67% in 2021-22. The state also secured Rank 1 in the Export Preparedness Index 2020 and Citizen-Centric Governance 2021 for Himalayan states.
CPPGG implemented an innovative governance model using the C3N approach (Convergence, Coordination, Community Participation and Networking), fostering collaboration among academia, civil society and private sector stakeholders. Key milestones include the publication of Uttarakhand Vision 2030, the development of a real-time SDG Dashboard and the localisation of SDG planning across Panchayats and ULBs.
Through strategic capacity building, evidence-based policymaking and data-driven monitoring, CPPGG has positioned Uttarakhand as a leader in SDG-aligned governance.
Indigenous Breeds Conservation
The Indigenous Breeds Conservation through Sexed Semen Production Project, initiated on August 11, 2018, by the Deep Frozen Semen Production Center, Uttarakhand, focuses on genetic improvement and conservation of native cattle and buffalo breeds. The project has produced 1.7 million doses of sexed semen and facilitated the birth of 74,619 female calves in 2024-25 alone. It has reduced the stray cattle population by increasing female births, boosting milk production and enhancing farmer incomes. The initiative also promotes youth employment in dairy farming and strengthens livestock productivity across multiple states.
Naini-Saini Airport Upgradation
The Upgradation of Naini-Saini Airport, executed by BRIDCUL under the UDAN Scheme, has significantly improved regional connectivity in the remote Pithoragarh district near the India-China border. The project includes a 1570x30m runway, ATC tower for night operations, helipad and 500 kVA power backup, enabling both commercial and defense operations. It facilitates the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, serves as a disaster management base and supports medical evacuations. The airport has enhanced logistics for pilgrims, boosted regional tourism, strengthened national security and improved emergency response capabilities in this strategic border region.
Accelerating Economic Growth and Fast-Tracking SDGs by CPPGG
The Centre of Public Policy and Good Governance (CPPGG), under the Planning Department of Uttarakhand, launched the Accelerating Economic Growth and Fast-Tracking SDGs project on 8 August 2017. This initiative aims to align state policies with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing governance inefficiencies and promoting inclusive growth through innovative solutions.
The project has delivered remarkable results, with Uttarakhand’s SDG India Index rank improving from 9th in 2019 to 4th in 2020. It achieved Rank 1 in Goal 7 (Affordable Clean Energy) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), alongside a sharp decline in multidimensional poverty from 17.71% in 2017 to 9.67% in 2021-22. The state also secured Rank 1 in the Export Preparedness Index 2020 and Citizen-Centric Governance 2021 for Himalayan states.
CPPGG implemented an innovative governance model using the C3N approach (Convergence, Coordination, Community Participation and Networking), fostering collaboration among academia, civil society and private sector stakeholders. Key milestones include the publication of Uttarakhand Vision 2030, the development of a real-time SDG Dashboard and the localisation of SDG planning across Panchayats and ULBs.
Through strategic capacity building, evidence-based policymaking and data-driven monitoring, CPPGG has positioned Uttarakhand as a leader in SDG-aligned governance.
Indigenous Breeds Conservation
The Indigenous Breeds Conservation through Sexed Semen Production Project, initiated on August 11, 2018, by the Deep Frozen Semen Production Center, Uttarakhand, focuses on genetic improvement and conservation of native cattle and buffalo breeds. The project has produced 1.7 million doses of sexed semen and facilitated the birth of 74,619 female calves in 2024-25 alone. It has reduced the stray cattle population by increasing female births, boosting milk production and enhancing farmer incomes. The initiative also promotes youth employment in dairy farming and strengthens livestock productivity across multiple states.
