The State is, and will, remain for the conceivable future, given the trajectory of our economy, the primary vehicle of empowerment, of dignity and status
Tag: Governance
Keep India’s Delicate Federal Balance Intact
Dual control of the IAS is at the heart of the federal structure. The Delhi ordinance challenges it. It can create fissures between Centre, states
There’s No Poverty Data, Therefore There’s No Poverty
Here is the irony: Despite this plethora of political announcements, India has not witnessed a significant expansion in its welfare spending
Grassroots Democracy Needs Urgent Attention
India’s experiment with grassroots democracy, 30 years after the creation of local government institutions, highlights the dangers of overcentralisation.
In India, Is A Guaranteed Funded Pension Feasible?
New models piloted by Andhra Pradesh and Brazil show a path beyond political posturing, and ensuring fiscal sustainability, certainty of benefits and innovation.
Democracy, Bureaucracy, and State Capacity: The False Choices We Make
Too often, debates on State capacity veer in the direction of setting up a false dichotomy between democracy and efficiency.
The Structural Constraints that Hinder Reform in India
Data from the 2023 Economic Survey illustrates an enduring tension in the dynamics of Centre-state relations that constrains policy reforms.
Has Budget 2023-24 Been Successful in Balancing Gender Priorities?
Ahead of International Women’s Day, the article categorises and analyses scheme allocations through the Union Budget’s Gender Budget Statement (GBS), by looking at what schemes various ministries and departments prioritise under the two parts of the GBS.
Paper Power: The State Rules by Files, Notices, Circulars, Orders
Paper in the form of files, circulars, government orders are at the heart of India’s bureaucratic tradition
Union Budget and the Unresolved Tensions in National Policymaking
In the pandemic years, the government made a concerted effort to clean up its act and restore the credibility of its fiscal math