Sustainability Assessment of Rural Areas using Composite Green Rating Score (CGRS) Across Diverse Eco-Geographical Conditions: A Case Study of Villages in Sangli District, Maharashtra

Abstract

Indian rural development is confronted by multi-dimensional challenges such as non-uniform socio-economic conditions, low levels of infrastructure, and environmental risks. To acknowledge the importance of systematic sustainability assessment, this research suggests a Composite Green Rating System (CGRS) to analyze and compare ecological, infrastructural, and socio-economic performance in rural settlements. Primary data were obtained using structured questionnaires from 120 respondents in a sample of three villages - Dorli, Bilashi, and Padmale - on parameters of environment, infrastructure, sustainable practices, and risk awareness. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to analyze differences and ascertain the reliability of adoption patterns between villages. Normalized scores were tallied to calculate domain-wise averages, which were further utilized to obtain the CGRS, yielding a single, comparable sustainability ranking for every village. A SWOT analysis was also carried out to determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and provide actionable insights to inform targeted interventions. Results show that Padmale recorded the highest CGRS (64%), followed by Bilashi (59%), while Dorli performed lower (34%) because of poor environmental and infrastructural performance. The integrated CGRS and SWOT model identifies village-specific strengths and weaknesses, facilitating evidence-based planning and supporting policy-led interventions in sustainable rural development. This model shows a workable and transferable tool for tracking and upgrading rural sustainability.