:: Ideas for India ::

The International Growth Centre (IGC) invites researchers to submit proposals for high-calibre research projects relevant to growth policies in developing countries. The deadline for submission is 11:59pm, 31 May 2014, GMT time. For further details, please click here.

Ashok Kotwal

I4I turns 1!
Posted on: 06 Aug 2013

It has been a year since the voice of ‘Ideas for India’ was first heard. Our mission was t ... read on »

For the New Year
Posted on: 21 Dec 2012

Five months ago we launched this portal to start new conversations on issues of vital impo ... read on »

On ideology
Posted on: 12 Sep 2012

Ideology plays a big role in the way we judge policies, politicians and even the people we ... read on »

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Why food inflation has been high in India
Rudrani Bhattacharya , Narhari Rao , Abhijit Sen Gupta
Posted on: 16 Apr 2014

Topics: Macroeconomic Policy

Tags: inflation

The persistently high food inflation witnessed in India over the past few years has been a cause for concern. This column seeks to identify the major drivers of food inflation in India, and to evaluate the extent to which food inflation has had an impact on non-food and overall inflation.
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Giving up too early on malnourished children? Catch-up growth and Midday Meals
Abhijeet Singh
Posted on: 14 Apr 2014

Topics: Health

Tags: child health , malnutrition , Andhra Pradesh , Midday Meals

It is widely believed that malnourishment in the first few years of childhood adversely affects cognition and adult economic outcomes. This column presents new research which shows that full recovery from early malnourishment is possible. Based on data from the state of Andhra Pradesh, it is found that the Midday Meals programme of the Government of India has been successful in compensating for early nutritional deprivation.
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Can MNREGA improve credit worthiness of participating households?
Subhasish Dey
Posted on: 11 Apr 2014

Topics: Jobs , Poverty & Inequality

Tags: consumption , credit , MNREGA , West Bengal

Based on household survey data from West Bengal, this column analyses the impact of MNREGA on economic outcomes of participating households. It finds that the ‘local’, ‘guaranteed’ and ‘government-related’ nature of MNREGA work helps improve credibility of workers with potential lenders such as grocery store owners, if they participate in the programme in a sustained manner. Access to informal credit helps improve consumption.
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An Indian trade paradox
Arvind Subramanian
Posted on: 09 Apr 2014

Topics: Trade

Tags: services , exports , imports

India’s trading partners often complain about the restrictiveness of India’s trade regime. This column argues that they are both right and wrong. While India's economy is ‘closed’ in terms of trade policy, it is ‘open’ in terms of trade outcomes. Tariff barriers in the services sector are among the highest in the world; but given its size, India trades more than a typical country does.
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The perplexing case of Gujarat
Ashok Kotwal , Arka Roy Chaudhuri
Posted on: 07 Apr 2014

Topics: Economic Growth

Tags: Gujarat

The common perception is that Gujarat has performed a lot better than the rest of India in terms of development, particularly in the past decade. This column demonstrates that while Gujarat has been among the top performing states in terms of output growth, the fast growth has not translated into meaningful development in the state.
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Quotas and schooling decisions
Gaurav Khanna
Posted on: 03 Apr 2014

Topics: Caste , Education

Tags: schooling , affirmative action , Haryana

Affirmative action, as an instrument for bridging inequalities across social groups, has been a contentious issue for decades. This column analyses the impact of reservation in public sector jobs and colleges for ‘Other Backward Classes’, implemented in India in the 1990s. It finds that the policy did incentivise beneficiaries to stay in school longer so that they could take advantage of quotas.
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How exchange rate changes impact Indian manufacturing firms
Anubha Dhasmana
Posted on: 02 Apr 2014

Topics: Macroeconomic Policy

Tags: exchange rates

After falling to its lifetime low of 68.85 against the dollar in August last year, the Rupee has now appreciated to breach the 60-per-dollar mark. This column explores the impact of currency movements on the performance of Indian manufacturing firms. It finds that in the short run, real exchange rate movements have a significant impact on firm performance through changes in import costs, rather than changes in export competitiveness.
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Pricey diesel
E. Somanathan
Posted on: 31 Mar 2014

Topics: Health

Tags: pollution , environmental regulation , emissions

India was recently ranked 174th out of 178 countries, on air pollution. A key contributing factor is diesel vehicles. This column shows that diesel subsidies benefit the rich more than the poor, and emphasises the need to change current regulation to enforce fuel improvement measures. Although such policies seem expensive, the positive effects on sickness, health expenditures and productivity would outweigh the costs.
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How innovations in telecom can promote inclusive growth
Ashima Goyal
Posted on: 28 Mar 2014

Topics: Infrastructure , Poverty & Inequality , Productivity & Innovation

Tags: inclusive growth , IT , Pakistan

Applications of Information and Communications Technology, such as mobile banking, have potential to promote inclusive growth and equity. This column analyses conditions under which innovations in ICT can benefit the less well off, and how such innovations can be expedited. It recommends public provision of supporting infrastructure, focusing on consumer needs and reducing transaction costs for consumers.
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Mirror, mirror on the wall, which is the most dynamic state of them all?
Maitreesh Ghatak , Sanchari Roy
Posted on: 23 Mar 2014

Topics: Economic Growth , Political Economy

Tags: Indian states

This column analyses the economic performance of 16 major Indian states over the last three decades. It finds that Bihar has improved the most during - the 2000s, Kerala has always been a star performer in terms of HDI, Rajasthan has achieved the maximum decline in inequality, Tamil Nadu tops in poverty reduction, and the levels and growth rates of per capita income of Maharashtra and Gujarat have consistently been the highest. However, no one state can be singled out as the top performer in the 2000s. Moreover, while Gujarat’s overall record is undoubtedly very good all through the last three decades, its performance in the 2000s does not seem to justify the wild euphoria and exuberant optimism about Modi’s economic leadership. In particular, there is no evidence of any significant growth acceleration in Gujarat in the 2000s.
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