The Jilha Vikas Nirdeshank (District Development Index) Launched in 2022, this flagship initiative is a collaboration between Loksatta (The Indian Express Group) and the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE). As the project’s dedicated knowledge partner, GIPE provides the analytical rigor behind this comprehensive study of the socio-economic landscape of districts of Maharashtra. The index evaluates districts based on infrastructure, social & economic development, and progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through meticulous data collection from official sources and advanced statistical computation, the project offers insights about the status of regional development. The project is led by Dr. Savita Kulkarni (Lead Investigator) and Dr. Siva Reddy. Each year, the findings are unveiled by the Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, where top-performing District Collectors are honored for their excellence. The ceremony of releasing Jilha Vikas Nirdeshank (2025) was concluded on 20th March in Mumbai and the honourable Vice Chancellor, GIPE – Prof. Umakant Dash also joined the celebration along with the expert committee.