Male, May 2 (PTI) The Maldives government on Thursday said it is working on establishing a happiness index by next year which will be an inclusive framework created through an open consultative process to measure the happiness level of Maldivian citizens.

"This is an effort to identify how people living across the islands measure the state of the islands and their level of happiness,” Local Government Minister Adam Shareef Umar was quoted as saying by the Sun Online news website.

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He said it is important to measure the level of happiness and satisfaction of people living across the Maldivian islands, to gain a deeper understanding of the status of the people. The archipelagic nation in the Indian Ocean is estimated to have a population of more than five lakh.

Shareef said the government is engaged in efforts to establish a national happiness index and added that the index will be an inclusive framework created through an open consultative process to get a clear picture of the status of the islands.

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He said that islands that score well in the index will be awarded.

“We also plan on seeking public opinion to decide standards for establishing the happiness index. The work on compiling the happiness index will be carried out based on a framework that the majority is in favour of, through a process based on public opinion and consultations with relevant experts,” he said.

Some of the factors the happiness index is based on include a low crime rate, sustainable development, good basic hygiene standards, strong communal bonds, strong familial bonds, a cohesive environment for children and the elderly, an inclusive environment for people with disabilities, generosity, good educational standards, good health standard, respect for religion, culture and heritage, income, freedom and absence of corruption.

Shareef said the Maldives' national happiness index will be based on international best practices and it will be introduced next year.

The idea of Gross National Happiness has influenced Bhutan's development policy and also captured the imagination of others far beyond its borders.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)