The Challenge

The UN General Assembly’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development established 17 SDGs and 169 targets requiring monitoring at global, national, and sub-national levels. In India, NITI Aayog coordinates SDG efforts nationally, while MoSPI provides the National Indicator Framework (NIF). The Ministry of Panchayati Raj developed a Local Indicator Framework (LIF) mapped to nine thematic areas aligned with the 17 SDGs.

The State of Mizoram faced several challenges in SDG monitoring and implementation:

• No Digital Monitoring Infrastructure: Despite having drafted its State Indicator Framework (SIF), District Indicator Framework (DIF), and Local Indicator Framework (LIF), Mizoram lacked a digital platform to monitor progress across these multiple levels.
• Multi-Level Monitoring Gap: Progress needed to be tracked at state, district, Urban Local Body (ULB), and village levels, requiring a sophisticated data architecture that could handle hierarchical data aggregation.
• Limited Stakeholder Access: Administrative secretaries, policymakers, departments, external partners, and citizens had no unified tool to assess SDG progress, make course corrections, or report to NITI Aayog.
• No Mobile Access: Field-level officials and district administrators needed mobile access to SDG data, requiring both web and mobile application development (Android and iOS).
• Data Entry Infrastructure: A data input tool was needed to enable departments and state officials to systematically contribute data at multiple administrative levels.

The Government of Mizoram requested UNDP’s support in designing and developing a comprehensive SDG Dashboard for localized monitoring, prompting this engagement.

Velocity’s Solution

Scope of Work

Velocity designed, developed, and deployed an interactive SDG Localisation Dashboard as both a web application and mobile application (Android and iOS) for the Government of Mizoram, enabling comprehensive multi-level SDG monitoring from state down to village level with data entry, visualization, analytics, and reporting capabilities.

Key Features & Deliverables

Web Application – SDG Dashboard
– Interactive dashboard displaying progress on all 17 SDGs across state, district, ULB, and village levels
– Data visualization through charts, graphs, interactive maps, and tables
– Goal-wise, target-wise, and indicator-wise progress tracking
– Comparative analysis between districts, blocks, and villages
– Time-series analysis showing progress trends
– Responsive design for access across desktops, tablets, and mobile browsers

Mobile Applications (Android & iOS)
– Native mobile applications mirroring web dashboard functionality
– Field-level data access for district administrators and government officials
– Offline capability considerations for areas with limited connectivity
– Push notification support for data updates and alerts

Data Entry & Management System
– Structured data input tool for departments and state officials
– Multi-level data entry (state, district, ULB, village)
– Excel/CSV bulk upload capabilities
– Data validation and quality assurance mechanisms
– Role-based access for data contributors

Analytics & Reporting
– SDG progress scoring and ranking at all administrative levels
– Target achievement status with color-coded indicators
– Custom report generation capabilities
– Open APIs for integration with external applications (NITI Aayog national dashboard)
– Data extraction and download functionality

Phase-wise Implementation
– Phase I: Core SDG Dashboard with state and district level indicators, basic data entry, and primary visualizations

• Phase II: Enhanced features including village-level monitoring, advanced analytics, and mobile applications

• Phase III: Full integration, API connections, advanced reporting, and optimization

Technical & Documentation Deliverables
– System Requirement Specification (SRS)
– Design documents with code structure
– Database architecture with E-R diagrams
– System manual (updated per version)
– User manual (updated per version)
– Security audit report
– Application installation guide with infrastructure recommendations
– Working copy of source code with data flow diagrams
– Complete documentation of external dependencies
– Open APIs documentation

Capacity Building
– Training of DES/District admin staff on data management and dashboard maintenance
– Training of department/state officials on data input tools
– Technical training/support to operationalize the software

Technology Stack

• Web Application: Open-source technologies with responsive design
• Mobile: Native Android and iOS application development
• Frontend: Interactive UI with data visualization libraries, geospatial mapping
• Backend: Open-source framework with API integration capabilities
• Database: Open-source RDBMS with hierarchical data management
• APIs: RESTful APIs for external application integration
• Security: Third-party security audit compliance
• Hosting: Initial hosting by vendor with planned migration to NIC/government server

Implementation Approach

The project followed a four-phase delivery model over 12 months:

1. Phase I – Foundation (30%): Core SDG Dashboard development with state and district level indicators, primary data entry functionality, and base visualizations. Beta version delivery within the first month.
2. Phase II – Enhancement (30%): Extended functionality including village-level monitoring, mobile applications, advanced analytics, and comprehensive API integrations.
3. Phase III – Optimization (30%): Full system integration, advanced reporting, performance optimization, user acceptance testing, and deployment on production infrastructure.
4. Phase IV – Post-Deployment Support (10%): Maintenance and bug fixing, hosting services until deployment on NIC/government server, small customizations and changes, and technical training on a need basis.

The project team comprised:
– Team Leader: Post-Graduate/Graduate in IT with 7+ years in IT system development, strong knowledge in development sectors, project management, and team leadership.
– Product/Project Management Expert: 5+ years with experience as UI developer, business analyst, frontend/backend developer, with full-stack capabilities.
– Software Development Expert: 4+ years specializing in IT system development, MIS, dashboard development, and mobile application development.
– Data Visualizer/Analyst: Expertise in interactive data presentation and geospatial mapping.

Key Outcomes & Impact

• Localized SDG Monitoring: Established Mizoram as one of the leading states in SDG localization by enabling monitoring at state, district, ULB, and village levels — going significantly deeper than most state-level dashboards.
• Data-Driven Governance: Empowered administrative secretaries and policymakers with real-time SDG progress data, enabling evidence-based course corrections and resource allocation.
• National Reporting Capability: Provided a systematic mechanism for Mizoram to report SDG progress to NITI Aayog, strengthening the state’s contribution to India’s global SDG reporting.
• Field-Level Access: Mobile applications enabled district administrators and field officials to access and contribute SDG data from anywhere in the state, critical for Mizoram’s geographically challenging terrain.
• Multi-Stakeholder Transparency: The public-facing dashboard enhanced transparency, enabling citizens, external partners, and civil society to independently assess the state’s development progress.
• Foundation for CSR Integration: The dashboard established the data infrastructure that would later power the CSR Matchmaking Platform, creating a comprehensive SDG-CSR ecosystem for Mizoram.

Why Velocity

Velocity was selected through UNDP’s competitive evaluation (70% technical, 30% financial) based on:

• End-to-End Technology Solution Experience: Demonstrated expertise in managing complete technology solution development, deployment, and management for government and UN technology projects.
• Mobile Application Development: Proven capabilities in both Android and iOS native application development, meeting the critical requirement for mobile SDG monitoring tools.
• Data Dashboard Excellence: Track record in developing interactive, responsive web-based dashboards with complex data visualization requirements for government clients.
• Open-Source Technology Proficiency: Deep expertise in open-source technologies with minimum 3 years of team experience in frontend UI development, backend development, full-stack development, and data visualization.
• API Integration Experience: Demonstrated capability in building applications with API integrations to external platforms, essential for connecting with NITI Aayog’s national SDG dashboard.
• Government & UN Project Track Record: Prior execution of data-driven dashboard projects for central/state governments, UN organizations, and international institutions.