Ecological Ranking of Indian States (CSE & Down To Earth)

• No Indian state scored above 70/100 in the environment category according to the latest “State of India’s Environment” report .
• Andhra Pradesh led the pack, topping the environment rankings among states with a score of 68.38/100, closely followed by Telangana, Gujarat, and Goa .

Key Insights

1. Overall State Performance
   • Even top-performing states did not cross the 70-point mark, highlighting shortcomings in pollution control, sewage treatment, and river health .
2. Andhra Pradesh’s Strengths & Weaknesses
   • Strong in forest and biodiversity management and combating climate impacts.
   • Lagging in sewage treatment coverage and cleaning polluted river stretches .
3. Comparative Leaders
   • After Andhra, the top-performing states are Telangana, Gujarat, and Goa, driven by robust municipal waste management, forest gains, and water conservation .
4. National Context
   • States with the lowest scores include Rajasthan, Nagaland, Bihar, and several north-eastern states, pointing to severe environmental stress in these regions .

UPSC Relevance

• GS Paper 1 & 3 (Environment & Ecology): Topic connects to forest cover trends, river pollution, urban waste, and policymaking.
• Consider including in Essay: “Assessing the effectiveness of environmental governance across Indian states”.
• Useful for Case Studies: Benchmarking best practices (forest cover, waste management) and gaps (sewage treatment, river conservation).

Policy Implications & Discussion Points

• Need to bridge the environmental performance gap between top and lagging states via focused investments in:
  • Sewage treatment & drainage
  • River cleanup and water pollution controls
  • Expanded green cover and biodiversity protection
• Strengthen inter-state benchmarking and incentivize states scoring below 70 with central grants or conditional funding.
• Encourage stakeholder engagement: communities, municipalities, and NGOs in sustainability efforts.