Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
As per Public Affairs Index 2020, Kerala is judged as the best-governed state in the large state category, while Uttar Pradesh ended at the bottom of the ladder.
In the large state category, four southern States—Kerala (1.388), Tamil Nadu (0.912), Andhra Pradesh (0.531), and Karnataka (0.468) stood in the first four ranks in terms of governance. Whereas Uttar Pradesh (-1.461) Odisha (-1.201) and Bihar (-1.158) were at the bottom of the ranking.
In the small state category, Goa (1.745) stood first. Meghalaya (0.797) and Himachal Pradesh (0.725) followed the trend. Manipur (-0.363), Delhi (-0.289), and Uttarakhand (-0.277) were ranked as the worst performer in the category.
Chandigarh (1.05) emerged at the top in the category of Union Territories followed by Puducherry (0.52) and Lakshadweep (0.003); whereas, Dadar and Nagar Haveli (-0.69), Andaman, Jammu, and Kashmir (-0.50) and Nicobar (-0.30) were the worst performers.
The index comprises 3 Pillars, 5 themes, 13 SDGs, and 50 Indicators. The performance is analyzed in the context of sustainable development defined by the three pillars of equity, growth, and sustainability.
Public Affairs Index-2020 released by the Public Affairs Centre in Bengaluru on 30 October 2020. The city-based not-for-profit organization is headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr. K. Kasturirangan.
The organization started publishing Public Affairs Index in 2016 and the current edition is the 5th in the series.
Speaking on the occasion, Kasturirangan said: “The evidence that PAI 2020 generates and the insights that it provides must compel us to reflect on the economic and social transition that is underway in India.”