What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to develop a Composite Green Rating System (CGRS) to evaluate sustainability in rural settings, considering ecological, infrastructural, and socioeconomic factors.

May 16, 2026Open Access

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

Key Points

This study aims to develop a Composite Green Rating System (CGRS) to evaluate sustainability in rural settings, considering ecological, infrastructural, and socioeconomic factors.
Primary data collected through structured questionnaires from 120 respondents in three villages: Dorli, Bilashi, and Padmale.
Analytical methods include descriptive statistics, Chi-square, ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis tests to compare performance across villages.
A SWOT analysis was conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for targeted interventions.
Padmale achieved the highest CGRS of 64%, followed by Bilashi at 59%, while Dorli scored 34% due to poor performance in environmental and infrastructural areas.
The integrated CGRS allows for a single, comparable sustainability ranking for each village, facilitating targeted policy interventions.
Findings provide evidence-based recommendations aligned with India's rural development goals and UN SDGs.

Abstract

Indian rural development faces multidimensional challenges, including uneven socioeconomic conditions, limited infrastructure, and environmental risks. Recognizing the need for a systematic sustainability assessment, this study proposes a Composite Green Rating System (CGRS) to analyze and compare the ecological, infrastructural, and socio-economic performance of rural settlements. Existing sustainability rating systems, such as LEED, BREEAM, and GRIHA, are designed for city- or industrial-scale contexts and do not account for rural ecological heterogeneity, decentralized infrastructure, and socio-economic inequalities. To address this gap, the CGRS integrates environmental, infrastructural, and socioeconomic factors into a transferable index tailored to rural locations. Primary data were collected via structured questionnaires from 120 respondents across three villages - Dorli, Bilashi, and Padmale - covering environmental conditions, infrastructure, sustainable practices, and risk awareness. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to assess differences and the reliability of adoption patterns across villages. The normalized scores were aggregated to compute domain-wise averages, which were then used to derive the CGRS, yielding a single, comparable sustainability ranking for each village. A SWOT analysis was also conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and provide actionable insights to inform targeted interventions. The results show that Padmale recorded the highest CGRS (64%), followed by Bilashi (59%), while Dorli performed lower (34%) owing to 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 for sustainable rural development. This model is a workable and transferable tool for tracking and upgrading rural sustainable development. By being parallel to India’s rural development plans and the UN SDGs, the CGRS framework offers policymakers with evidence-based recommendations for crafting localized, sustainable interventions.

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