Itanagar, Mar 12: Arunachal Pradesh has secured the top position in the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2023-24 among North Eastern and Himalayan states, according to a report by NITI Aayog released in New Delhi.

The FHI evaluates states on fiscal performance across areas such as expenditure quality, revenue mobilization, fiscal prudence, debt levels, and overall sustainability.

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Berry released the second edition of the index on Wednesday, which expanded its coverage to 18 major states and 10 North Eastern and Himalayan states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, and Uttarakhand.

Arunachal Pradesh was followed by Uttarakhand and Tripura in the ranking. Chief Minister Pema Khandu acknowledged the achievement on X, attributing it to the state’s focus on responsible fiscal management, improved revenue generation, and efficient use of public resources. He also emphasized that the ranking encourages further efforts to enhance fiscal transparency, expenditure quality, and sustainable development.