Main Banner Image

From numbers to impact: Learning from effective data management in Rajasthan

Access to good data is critical for evidence-based decision-making in policy. In this note, Santhosh and Kapur discuss insights from a study of Rajasthan’s experience with collecting, sharing and us...

  • Notes from the Field

Reshaping social protection in India

As India has undergone a transformation in recent decades in terms of trends such as poverty reduction, food security and urbanisation, there is a need to also revamp the traditional social protection...

  • Perspectives

The growing wave of decentralisation: Comparative evidence from developing countries

Over the last few decades, decentralisation has been rapidly spreading in developing countries across the world, with around 35 countries announcing new or deepening decentralisation reforms in recent...

  • Videos
Refine list by:
--Please Select--
--Please Select--

Connecting the Red Corridor: Infrastructure Provision in Conflict Zones

This project introduces a unique, integrated dataset on Maoist activity, three flagship programmes for rural infrastructure development (PMGSY, RGGVY, and USOF), and a dedicated programme targeted at ...

  • IGC Research on India

Saving people's livelihoods

The new government is seeking to alter the essence of MNREGA based on the premise that it is not useful in its current form. In this article, Sudha Narayanan criticises the move and argues that despi...

  • Perspectives

To decentralise or not to decentralise? The dilemma of MNREGA in Andhra Pradesh

Employment generated under MNREGA has been on the decline in recent years across India. This column analyses whether political dynamics influence the implementation of MNREGA by contrasting the imple...

  • Articles

Can social media and internet help reduce corruption?

The extensive use of social media was a key factor in the success of the anti-corruption movement in India in 2011. This column uses cross-country data to explore the role of social media and interne...

  • Articles

Estimating kerosene leakages from the Public Distribution System

Kerosene – the primary fuel used by the poor in India for cooking and lighting – is made available at subsidised rates by the government through the Public Distribution System. This column seeks ...

  • Articles

Can MNREGA buffer negative shocks in early childhood?

Exposure to negative shocks such as drought during early childhood is known to have lasting, detrimental effects on human development outcomes. This column examines whether a household’s access to ...

  • Articles

Left, right, and toilets

Eliminating open defecation in India is a policy priority. This column contends that successful strategies for reducing open defecation may not fit policy stereotypes of the left or the right. While ...

  • Articles

What the Muslim mortality paradox reveals about importance of sanitation for all children in India

It has long been noted that in India, Hindu children face substantially higher mortality rates than Muslim children, despite being relatively richer on average. This column shows that differences in ...

  • Articles

Culture, religion and open defecation in rural north India

Open defecation in rural India is a human development emergency that is causing infant deaths, child stunting, and widespread infectious diseases. This column presents surprising qualitative and quan...

  • Articles

Colonial Origins of Restrictions on Land Transfer in India

Lack of access to credit is often argued to be an important determinant of poverty. This lack is often traced back to the poor not having collateral. This absence of collateral in turn has been linked...

  • IGC Research on India

The challenge of fulfilling aspirations

This year’s election is a watershed in Indian history. This editorial discusses possible reasons for the stunning defeat of the previous government. While there is no denying that the previous gove...

  • Perspectives

Andhra Pradesh's youth training and employment scheme: Did it work?

To promote youth employment, the state government of Andhra Pradesh launched an innovative public-private partnership programme for skill development, training and job placement for the youth. This n...

  • Notes from the Field

Recent Contributors

Kalle

Kalle Moene

University of Oslo

Anders

Anders Kjelsrud

Oslo Metropolitan University

Wendy

Wendy Wong

University of Chicago

Souryabrata

Souryabrata Mohapatra

National Council of Applied Economic Research

Avani

Avani Kapur

Centre for Policy Research

Sidharth

Sidharth Santhosh

Centre for Policy Research

Neeraj

Neeraj Hatekar

Independent Researcher

View all Contributors

Most Popular Governance Posts

Unique Health Identification and Aadhaar: A case for mandatory linkage

As part of the Digital India initiative, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) issues a Unique Health Identification (UHID) number to each patient, which documents their entire journey in th...

  • Perspectives

Caste dominance in rural India: Cause and effect

Rural India remains a caste-based society. This column explores why caste continues to play such an important role and what the effects are. It argues that trade and agricultural productivity suffer, ...

  • Articles

Why did the Indian economy stagnate under the colonial rule?

How did the Indian economy fare under the colonial rule? Is the average Indian significantly better off after Independence? This column examines trends in GDP per capita in order to determine the stan...

  • Articles