Ex-Ante Evaluation(for Japanese ODA Loan)
South Asia Division 1, South Asia Department
Japan International Cooperation Agency

１．Name of the Project（１）Country: India（２）Project: Program for Japan-India Cooperative Actions towards
Sustainable Development Goals in India Phase 2
Loan Agreement: December 21, 2023
２．Background and Necessity of the Project（１）Current State and Issues of SDGs-related Development in India and thePositioning of the Program
The Government of India established the National Institution for Transforming
India Aayog (NITI Aayog) in 2015 as a government think tank institution tasked
with designing long-term policy strategies and programs for the federal
government and providing relevant technical advice to the federal and state
governments. With NITI Aayog as the coordinating lead department, theGovernment of India has listed initiatives and schemes related to each of the 17
SDG goals and assigned lead ministries for each SDG goals, and is pursuing thegovernment’s unified efforts to achieve the SDGs. Concurrently, the Governmentof India also demonstrated its proactive commitment to achieving the SDGs bypresenting its plans for achieving each of the year's thematic goals at the Highlevel Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), held at the United
Nations in July 2017, as a Voluntary National Review country. Under the 2020
HLPF, the Government of India established an action plan for the next 10 years,
prioritized according to the characteristics of local issues, and committed tomeasuring the degree of achievement of the SDGs in each region. In addition, inJanuary 2018, NITI Aayog designated 112 of the 766 districts across India thatare lagging behind in progress towards achieving the SDGs as AspirationalDistricts (AD), and launched the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) topromote efforts in five slow-developing field (health & nutrition, education,agriculture & water rsources, financial inclusion & skill development and basicinfrastructure) to achieve the SDGs throughout the country. Then, in her FY 2023
budget speech, Finance Minister Sitharaman announced the launch of the
Aspirational Blocks Program (ABP) to extend and promote the ADP'sachievements to the blocks, which are administrative entities one level below thedistricts.

However, according to monitoring by the Sustainable Development Solutions
Network (SDSN), a network of non-profit organizations established by the UnitedNations, India's SDG achievement score in 2022 was 60.3, lower than theaverage score for the Asian region of 65.9, and ranked 121st out of 163 countries
in the world. The status of achievement for each of the 17 goals also remains
unachieved, with the exception of Goal 12 (sustainable consumption andproduction) and Goal 13 (climate change), indicating that there are many
challenges to achieving the SDGs in India.
According to the SDSN analysis, India's achievement of the SDGs isconsidered to be the slowest among the G20 countries in achieving many of thegoals, and the country's achievement of the SDGs plays an important role inachieving the global SDG goals.
In response to this situation, the Government of India introduced an online
dashboard through the ODA loans “Program for Japan-India Cooperative Actions
toward Sustainable Development Goals in India” (hereinafter referred to as the“Phase 1”) (Loan Agreement signed in January 2019, amount agreed 15 billionyen) to rank the states' progress toward achieving the SDGs and monitor theirefforts. All policy actions set out in the Phase 1 policy matrix were implemented
as planned, and India's SDG achievement score by SDSN improved from 59.1
(2018) to 60.1 (2021). The “Program for Japan-India Cooperative Actions toward
Sustainable Development Goals in India Phase 2” (hereafter referred to as “theProject”) will build on the achievements of Phase 1 and further strengthen efforts
toward achieving the SDGs. The scope of support will be expanded to include not
only the ADP but also the ABP to facilitate the implementation of policies related
to the achievement of the SDGs, and to strengthen people-to-people exchange
and partnership between Japan and India, as well as to realize a society that“leave no one behind” through the achievement of the SDGs in India, thus it ispositioned as a high priority project.
（２）Japan’s and JICA’s Policy Cooperation and Operations toward the SDGs
Country Assistance Policy for India (March 2016) ,formulated by theGovernment of Japan, stipulates that Japan will provide assistance that
contributes to poverty reduction and social sector development, in order to makeIndia's rapid economic growth sustainable. The Project is positioned as related to“agriculture and rural development Program,” “improvement of basic socialservices program,” and “water supply, sewage, sanitation, and pollution
prevention program” under the priority area of “supporting sustainable andinclusive growth.” In addition, the Policy’s other matters to be considered include“under the programme-based approach, policy matrices are mutually agreed
through close and continuous policy dialogue; monitoring and review areconducted; and projects are guided by its progress. This will enhance a sense ofownership by the recipient country, and Japan will gradually promote theprogramme-based approach, as appropriate.”In the JICA Country Analysis Paper for India (March 2018), “contribution to thenational development program of the Government of India” is listed as one of theJICA’s approaches to contributiing to the development agenda, and the Paperstates that JICA will consider contributing to higher-level policies by providing
feedback to India’s government agencies on its field experience in ODA loans
projects through program loans and other means. The Project is in lie with thesepolicies.
The Project is also consistent with the diverse JICA Global Agenda (JICA’sStrategies for Global Developmet). Specifically, the Project aligns with each ofthe priority clusters in the agendas of Private Sector Development, Agriculture
and Rural Development, Health, Improving Nutrition, Education, Governance,
and Sustainable Water Resources Management and Water Supply. Furthermore,
the Project will promote “mainstreaming the SDGs in development cooperation”
and “support for the SDGs promotion systems in developing countries,” which arespecific initiatives stated in the Japanese government's SDGs Implementation
Guiding Principles. The Project’s activities to strengthen Japan-India exchange
and partnership will also contribute to the “multi-layered connectivity” that is apillar of the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Partnership (FOIP)” initiative.
（３）Other Donors’ Activities
The World Bank, in its “Country Partnership Framework for India FY18-22”,
specified the following as priority areas: i) promoting resource-efficient growth; ii)
enhancing competitiveness and enabling job creation; and iii) investing in humancapital. The Bank provides assistance for India’s economic growth as well as forthemes such as health and education, where India falls behind in the SDGs.
The Asian Development Bank, in its “Country Partnership Strategy 2018-2022”,
states that it will assist India's efforts to achieve the SDGs, and set three pillars
comprising: i) boosting economic competitiveness to create more and better jobs;ii) providing inclusive access to infrastructure networks and services; and iii)
addressing climate change and increasing climate resilience.
３．Project Description

（１）Project Objective
The Project aims to contribute to promotion of SDGs in India especially in social
development by supporting the efforts by the Government of India to strengthen
policy framework and implementation mechanism, thereby supporting India inachieving SDGs by 2030.
（２）Project Site / Target Area
All India（３）Project Beneficiaries（Target Group）
Residents of 112 AD and 500 AB（４）Project Components
The Project targets the ADP, which the Government of India has been working
on since January 2018, and the ABP, which the Government of India has beenworking on since February 2023. Based on the efforts in Phase 1, a policy action
and policy matrix will be set for each fiscal year to be achieved, and theachievement of the policy actions will be monitored by both the Government ofIndia and JICA to promote the achievement of the policy actions. Typicalachievement goals and policy actions in the policy matrix are shown in the tablebelow. In addition to supporting the implementation of existing Indian government
policies, the Project will also work to strengthen the Japan-India partnership
through the horizontal sharing of best practices gained in Phase 1 (including
consideration of their use in JICA projects), seminars for knowledge sharing ofAD and AB government officials promoting pioneering initiatives, and forums withexperts from industry, government, and academia. The Project will also examine
the effectiveness of the ADP and ABP's distinctive policy approachs to raising thelevel of achievement of the SDGs by ranking the efforts of each region, andpromoting competitiveness and voluntarism among regions. Based on theseefforts, NITI Aayog will compile policy recommendations for achieving the SDGs
in India and strengthen its policy formulation function in collaboration with relevantministries.
Achievement goals (2030)
ThemeMain policy actions during the term of the Project(FY2023/24 to FY2025/26)

Overall /Global
Parntershi
psPromote implementation of SDG-related policies and strengthen
evaluation and monitoring systems for the ProjectStrengthen the capacity of government agencies through promoting
exchange and knowledge sharing, and deepen Japan-India relations

Strengthen the policy advocacy function based on Phase 1 resultsAnalyze the degree of contribution to the improvement of SDG-related
indicators through the implementation of the ADP and the ABPConduct Japan-India exchange and human resource development
programs for executing agencies and administrative officials of AD andAB



Compile best practices/lessons learned, consider their deployment inother regions, and make policy recommendations and consultations
with relevant ministries and agencies.

Strengthen the local healthcare systemPromote efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition and regular
health check-ups

Health and

Nutrition

Develop a roadmap for all pregnant women to receive antenatal andpostnatal care, and establish such a care system.

Develop a proposed roadmap to achieve 100% of pregnant women
receiving regular check-ups and establish a system to continue theactivities.

Improve learning outcomes through continuous learning in primary andsecondary educationCreate a school environment that is accessible to all, including girls andchildren with disabilities

Education

Develop a proposed roadmap to achieve 100% of students proceedingfrom primary to secondary education, and establish a structure tocontinue the activities



Develop a plan to manage the operation and maintenance of sanitary
toilets installed in educational facilities and establish a maintenance andmanagement system

Strengthen farmer profitability by increasing production of diversified
and high value crops.

Agriculture

on analysis by the executing agencies, and provide necessary supportand WaterResources

Introduce measures to expand production of value-added crops basedby the executing agencies.

Share draft recommendations for strengthening the functions andimproving the organizational sustainability of agricultural producers
organizations with the target areas for support by executing agency.

FinancialExpand opportunities for young people to acquire skills trainingInclusionImprove financial inclusion and social security coverage

and Skill

Develop a roadmap for increasing the employment rate of young people

Developm

who have received skills training, based on the results of the gap

ent

analysis and stakeholder requests.
Develop a roadmap for expanding financial inclusion and financial
literacy and enhancing opportunities for economic growth

BasicInfrastructure

Improve Internet penetration



Expand the number of households with access to water supply(including public taps, etc.)

Promote collaboration among relevant ministries and agencies andimplement initiatives based on the action plan.

Develop a roadmap to achieve 100% water supply connection rate.

（５）Estimated Project Cost
Japanese ODA loan: 15,301 million Yen（６）ScheduleFinancial support for the Project begins on April 1, 2021, after the completionof the Phase 1 loan. The loan execution is divided into three tranches, with thefirst tranche covering policy actions from April 2021 to December 2023, with loan
execution scheduled for March 2024. The second and third tranches are similarly
targeted for policy actions upto December 2024 and December 2025, respectively,
with loan executions scheduled for March 2025 and March 2026. Disbursementof each tranche will be made upon confirmation of achievement of policy actions
by the Program Monitoring Committee (PMC), which consists of the executing
agency, JICA, and relevant ministries and agencies. The Project will becompleted upon completion of the third loan tranche (scheduled for March 2026).
（７）Project Implementation Structure１）Borrower: President of India
２）Guarantor: N/A
３）Executing Agency: National Institution for Transforming India Aayog (NITIAayog)４）Operation and Maintenance System: N/A（８）Collaboration and Sharing of Roles with Other Donors
１）Japan’s Activity
N/A２）Other Donors’Activity
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration withNITI Aayog has already conducted an evaluation review of the ADP in 2020;
UNDP has confirmed its interest in future cooperation and will consider withthe executing agency and UNDP any possible collaboration in evaluation andmonitoring and dissemination of best practices.
（９）Environmental and Social Consideration, Gender Category
１）Environmental and Social Consideration① Category: C② Reason for Categorization: The negative impact on the environment
from the Project is considered negligible under the “JICA Guidelines
for Environmental and Social Considerations” (promulgated in April2010).
２）Cross-Sectoral Issues① Climate change related projects: The Project will contribute to climatechange adaptation as its policy action (basic infrastructure) will
promote the connection of each household to water supply, thereby
ensuring a stable water supply even during droughts, which areexpected to worsen due to the future effects of climate change.
３）Gender Category: ■GI（S） Gender Informed (Significant)<Details of Activities/Reason for Categorization>
Specific actions, indicators, etc. to improve the rate of antenatal check-ups
are confirmed and agreed in the policy matrix. The policy matrix also includes
gender specific data on school enrollment rates from primary to secondary
education, which will be monitored for girls' enrollment rates. In addition, thepolicy matrix includes improving the rate and quality (cleanness) of toilets forgirls in schools, which is expected to improve the school environment for girls.
For these reasons, the Project is classified as a “gender activity integrationproject”.
（１０）Other Important Issues
In Phase 1, through the technical assistance related to Japanese ODA loan
the following initiatives were undertaken in the five priority areas to facilitate
the achievement of the policy actions: 1) holding Japan-India forums to share
best practices and lessons learned by experts from industry, government andacademia, including Japanese companies; 2) monitoring of the Project incollaboration with the executing agency, and 3) capacity building of AD andAB. The Project will continue to support holding of Japan-India forums andcapacity building as in Phase 1 by utilizing the loan account technicalassistances. The Project will also strengthen its efforts to promote people-topeople exchange and cultivate pro-Japanese groups through training
programs for Indian administrative officials. In addition, value-adding efforts
will be made to expand the development effects of past and ongoing projects
by utilizing the best practices of the Project and to strengthen the policy
advocacy function.
４. Targeted Outcomes（１）Quantitative Effects
1) Outcomes (Operation and Effect Indicators)
BaselineIndicator(Actual value inJune, 2023)

Target(March, 2026)【At the time of Projectcompletion】【Health & Nutrition】
Percentage of pregnant women giving
birth in a medical facility
Persentage of pregnant women receiving
antenatal check-ups more than 4 times

68.1%

75.0%

86.8%

92.0%

【Education】
Percentage of students who progress

79.2%

from primary to secondary education(of which, girls

regardless of gender

85.0%

79.0%)
91.7%

Percentage of schools with sanitary(but including out-of-toilets for girls

order or unhygienic

95.0%

toilets)【Agriculture & Water Resources】
Percentage

ofvalue-added

crop

production in total crop production

25.7%

30.0%

45.2%

50.0%

16,22835,000【Financial Inclusion & Skill Development】
Employment rate of young people whohave completed skills training
Number of enrollees per 100,000 people
in government accident insurance【Basic Infrastructure】
Percentage of areas with Internet access
Percentage of households with access towater supply (including public taps, etc.)

71.5%

80.0%

78.5%

90.0%

（２）Qualitative Effects
Strengthening the monitoring system of the Indian central government's
achievement of the SDGs; Enhancing Japan-India cooperation in SDG-relatedareas, including technical inputs from Japan, Capacity building of central
government officials in the field of SDGs, as well as officials of administrative
agencies in each state, district, and block, and the Promotion of human exchange
between Japan and India through training programs and Japan-India forums, etc.
（３）Internal Rate of Return
The internal rate of return is not calculated, as it is a ProgramType ODA loanproject.
５. External Factors and Risk Control（１）Preconditions: None
（２）External Factors: None
６. Lessons Learned from Past Projects
The results of the ex-post evaluation of the Climate Change Program Loan (Ithrough III) for the Republic of Indonesia indicated that the number of operationaland effectiveness indicators should be limited to minimize administrative costs
caused by collecting data beyond what is sustainable for the domestic process in
the recipient country, as well as that indicators should be chosen to measure theresults of the Project, rather than to monitor the achievement of policy actions. Inaddition, continued policy dialogue on project monitoring and the technicalassistance for additional capacity building are considered key elements for
ensuring the success of the Project.
In the Tamil Nadu Investment Promotion Program (evaluation in FY2017), anODA loan for India, policy monitoring and coordination among stakeholders
including Japanese companies were conducted through loan account technicalassistance, and such technical assistance was found to be effective from theperspective of confirming smooth progress and promoting execution of policy
actions.
In the Project, operational and effectiveness indicators should be those thatcan be monitored periodically by the lead ministries and agencies, and thenumber should be limited, and the results to be achieved as a result of policy
actions should be set as indicators. While following the implementation structureof Phase 1, a PMC consisting of the executing agency and relevant ministries
and agencies will be established to monitor the Project. In addition, as describedin 3. (1) and (9), it is considered to strengthen the organizational capacity of local
administrative bodies and foster young govermnt officials through ODA loanaccount technical assistance, strengthen human exchange and collaboration
between Japan and India by holding forums for opinion exchange, and smoothly
implement policy actions and policy inputs by expanding synergies anddevelopment effects with past and ongoing projects.
７. Evaluation Results
The Project aims to support India’s achievement of the SDGs by promoting theimplementation of various SDG-related policies and strengthening theimplementation structure, which is consistent with India’s development agenda
and policies, as well as Japan’s and JICA’s Policy Cooperation and analysis.
The Project will support the introduction and expansion of the Government ofIndia’s SDGs achievement monitoring mechanism to regions where it is not yet
in place, and will support the ADP and ABP to improve the bottom line of efforts
in districts and blocks identified as particularly slow in achieving the SDGs, aspart of the government’s initiatives across India. The Project will contribute to 11
SDG goals (1,2,3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13) through support to five fields(health & nutrition, education, agriculture & water resources, financial inclusion& skill training, and basic infrastructure), and also to Goal 17 throughimprovement of implementation method and systems. Therefore, there is a highneed to support the implementation of the Project.
８. Plan for Future Evaluation（１）Indicators to be Used
As described in 4. (1) to (3)（２）Future Evaluation Schedule
At the time of the Project completion
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