Srinagar: Jammu has once again emerged as the best-performing district in governance under the District Good Governance Index (DGGI) 5.0, securing the top rank among 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, while Kathua has been placed at the bottom of the rankings.
Prepared on the basis of 2024–25 district-level performance data, the latest governance assessment evaluates districts across 10 sectors and 58 parameters, offering a broad picture of administrative efficiency, public service delivery and developmental outcomes across the Union Territory.
The report has been compiled jointly by the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department and the Directorate of Economics and Statistics.
Jammu Retains First Position with Strong Administrative Performance
According to the report, Jammu secured the highest score of 7.0552 points, retaining its lead largely because of strong performance in healthcare services, social welfare delivery, human resource development and citizen-centric governance.
Although the district reportedly trailed slightly in some individual sectors, its overall consistency across core governance indicators helped it maintain first position.
Pulwama and Samba Secure Top Three Positions
Pulwama ranked second with 6.7655 points, while Samba secured third position with 6.7587 points.
The narrow score gap between the top-ranked districts reflects strong competition and relatively balanced administrative performance across several districts.
Kathua Slips to Last Position
Kathua finished 20th with a score of 5.5826 points.
Officials indicate that weaker performance in several important governance sectors contributed to its decline.
The report suggests that despite overall progress in district administration, Kathua failed to match improvements seen elsewhere.
Score Differences Narrow, Competition Intensifies
One major observation in the report is that score differences between districts remain relatively small.
This indicates that even minor improvements in service delivery or governance could significantly alter future rankings.
Officials believe this is creating stronger competitive pressure among districts.
Several Districts Show Significant Improvement
The latest index also records notable upward movement by several districts.
Kupwara Jumps from 19th to 12th
Kupwara registered one of the sharpest improvements, moving from 19th position to 12th.
Ganderbal and Udhampur Also Improve
Ganderbal and Udhampur also improved their rankings through stronger sectoral performance.
Shopian, Rajouri and Budgam See Decline
- Shopian dropped from 6th to 15th position.
- Rajouri slipped from 8th to 16th.
- Budgam declined from 14th to 19th.
The report notes that the index gives weight not only to current performance but also to year-on-year improvement.
Kashmir Districts Lead Agriculture and Environment
A clear regional trend emerges in sectoral performance.
Districts from Kashmir division dominate agriculture and environment indicators.
Pulwama Tops Agriculture Sector
- Pulwama secured first position in agriculture.
- Kishtwar and Doda also performed strongly in agricultural indicators.
Ganderbal Leads Environment Rankings
Ganderbal emerged as the top district in environmental performance.
Jammu Division Strong in Healthcare, Law and Order
Districts in Jammu division showed stronger outcomes in administrative sectors linked to institutional governance.
Kulgam Tops Healthcare
- Kulgam led healthcare rankings, followed by Samba and Jammu.
Udhampur Leads Law and Order
- Udhampur ranked first in law and order.
- Anantnag and Jammu also performed strongly in policing and public order indicators.
Infrastructure Leaders: Ganderbal, Shopian and Srinagar
- Srinagar, Ganderbal and Shopian emerged as leaders in roads, water supply and infrastructure delivery.
Reasi Tops Financial Services
Reasi secured first rank in financial services.
Samba and Pulwama also showed strong performance in this sector.
Citizen Service Delivery Led by Kulgam and Srinagar
Kulgam and Srinagar jointly secured top rank in public service delivery indicators.
This category includes responsiveness of administration and citizen-facing governance outcomes.
Index Covers 10 Sectors and 58 Parameters
The District Good Governance Index measures district performance across 10 sectors:
- agriculture
- industry
- education
- healthcare
- infrastructure
- financial services
- social welfare
- law and order
- environment
- civic services
A total of 58 measurable indicators are used.
Government Plans Online Dashboard for Continuous Monitoring
Officials say an online dashboard is being developed to improve monitoring of district performance in real time.
The aim is to identify weaker sectors quickly and support targeted intervention.
Government Expects Index to Drive Healthy Competition
The administration believes that regular district ranking will encourage healthy competition and improve governance standards.
Officials say future improvements will depend on how effectively districts respond to sector-specific weaknesses identified in the index.
