Western and southern states dominate the upper tier of the rankings. Goa tops Group B, comprising north-east, hilly, and small states, scoring consistently across financial, infrastructure, economic, and social indicators. Odisha leads in fiscal management with sound debt control and low interest burdens, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra. Punjab and Haryana stand out in infrastructure, while Kerala and Tamil Nadu score high in social development.Andhra Pradesh ranks first in governance, and Karnataka leads in environmental performance. The rankings exclude Union Territories and aim to provide a comparative, data-driven view of state-level progress and investment appeal.