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According to the Government of India 2015 report on millennium development goal (MDG), India is yet to achieve almost 50 per cent of the goals set by UN. Characterized by its diversity, India’s progress in terms of the indicators of MDGs for the country as a whole averages out the prevailing state level variations. The purpose of this paper is to explore the status of these goals during 1993-1994-2013-2014 at state level using 12 targets and 35 indicators relevant for India along with an attempt to explain inter-state variations in this regard.

Using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution method, a multiple criteria decision making method, the states have been ranked in terms of all the indicators of MDGs. These ranks were then analysed using socio-economic and political factors to understand the root cause of variation.

Ranking of the states considering all the indicators reveals the actual scenario in an effective way. The factors like state domestic product, state-wise standard of education level, social backwardness and political leadership help in finding the link between the derived ranks and these socio-economic and political factors.

Previous studies in this area have been carried out taking the indicators separately. However, without a comprehensive idea with all the indicators, the overall impact cannot be understood effectively. This study is novel since it takes into account each state with respect to all the indicators taken together thereby providing a comprehensive view on the variation in the achievement of MDG goals.