Does inequality exist in attaining sustainable development goals within a city? A case study in Pune city, India

A significant portion of the advancement of Sustainable Development Goals hinges on how well it is implemented locally, such as at the city level. In this study, we answer the following two questions: First, what is the level of progress of sustainable development targets between ward levels of Pune city for the marginalized segment of the population? Second, what are the main drivers of this progress? The analysis is based on a primary survey of 5726 households in 2023. Based on the Government of India's prescribed pointers and 2020 Indicators for European cities, we consider 107 variables for assessment. The two-stage principal component analysis is used to calculate the overall sustainable development goals at the ward level. The study suggests that Shivajinagar, Bhawani Peth, Dhole Patil, Dankarwadi, and Sinhgad wards are ranked higher. Better performance depends on poverty reduction, improving good health and well-being, and reducing gender and inequality. The regression analysis suggests that agglomeration economies are important for achieving higher sustainable development goals even at the ward level. Greater the distance to political power reduces implementation strategies. Finally, we recommend several policies to reduce disparities in achieving different sustainable objectives at the city level. Cities in other developing nations can take lessons from this study.