Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wants the state to be number one in development and happiness by 2029. Consequently, he started an exclusive happiness index (HI) department which is being headed by the CM himself. After recent cabinet expansion, the Andhra Pradesh state government website lists Happiness Index as portfolio for Chief Minister. Chandrababu followed the footsteps of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who is the first CM in the country to start a HI.
The policies and procedures related to this department are yet to be known. However, as per the buzz, the government has set parameters for HI to see that each family gets Rs 10,000 income. It will measure HI using the data sourced from periodic surveys in districts. The primary vision for the state is transformation to be a happy and competitive society. The government is inspired by the case studies of Gross National Happiness Index (Bhutan), Social Progress Index (Social Progress Imperative, USA), World Happiness Report (Sustainable Development Solutions Network, UN), Well Being (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) and Equitable and Sustainable Well-being (Italy)
Further it devised 3 stages for happiness and community well-being of which the third stage is operationalising happiness and community well-being by 2029.
The concept is indigenous to Bhutan which does not believe in Gross National Product but measures Gross National Happiness. According to The World Happiness Report 2016, published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a global initiative of the United Nations, India was ranked 118th in the list. However as per the 2017 happiness report India ranked at 122 out of 155 countries which is four notches below the previous year. The report takes into account the GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support and freedom to make life choices as indicators of happiness