Contributor : Profile
Maitreesh Ghatak was educated at the Presidency College, University of Calcutta, Delhi School of Economics, and Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1996. He has been Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics since 2004, having earlier taught at the University of Chicago. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Development Economics since 2009 and the Director of the research programme Economic Organization and Public Policy (EOPP) at STICERD, LSE since 2006. Earlier he was the Managing Editor of the Review of Economic Studies, and a Co-Editor of the Economics of Transition. He is currently a member of the Executive Committee of BREAD, and a Co-Editor of Economica. He is a founder member of the research networks Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD) and Non-Profits, Governments, and Organisations (NGO). His areas of research interest are development economics, economics of contracts and organisations, and public economics. Current projects include the role of market structure in microfinance, land acquisition and compensation for displaced farmers, non-profits and social enterprise, and incentives and organisation design in public service delivery.
Posts by Maitreesh Ghatak
Is India ready for a universal basic income scheme?
Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor of Economics, London School of Economics, contends that potential resources do exist to fund a universal basic income scheme, via subsidy cuts and/or raising more tax reve...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
28 September, 2016
- Perspectives
Surrogacy bill: Boon or ban(e)?
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 proposes a complete ban on commercial surrogacy and restrictions on altruistic surrogacy. In this article, Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor of Economics, London School...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
07 September, 2016
- Perspectives
Fixit, not Brexit
In a referendum on 23 June, Britain voted for its exit from the European Union. In this article, Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor of Economics, London School of Economics, discusses the causes and likely ...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
24 June, 2016
- Perspectives
The crisis of farmer suicides
More than 15,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide per year, on average, in the last two decades – a suicide rate that appears to be higher than that of the general population. In this article,...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
04 May, 2016
- Perspectives
Union Budget 2016: A UPA-III Budget
In this article, Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, contends that the Modi government presented a reasonably good United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-III Budget ...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
04 March, 2016
- Perspectives
Bihar verdict: Development, cow politics, and caste
The Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance of JD(U)-RJD-Congress defeated the Modi-led NDA in the recent Bihar assembly elections. In this article, Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor of Economics at the London Sch...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
12 November, 2015
- Perspectives
Angus Deaton: The real world economist
In a tribute to Angus Deaton, recipient of this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics, Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, outlines Deaton’s contribution to econ...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
20 October, 2015
- Perspectives
Moving beyond the growth-versus-redistribution debate
The two dominant narratives on the state of the Indian economy – one centred on growth and the other on poverty – are in a constant state of conflict. In this article, Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
14 August, 2015
- Perspectives
Land acquisition Act: Addressing both justice and prosperity
The Modi government’s land acquisition ordinance did away with the consent and social impact assessment requirements for private projects in certain sectors under UPA’s 2013 land Act. In this art...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
Parikshit Ghosh
29 July, 2015
- Perspectives
Land acquisition debate: The price is not right
The central government’s move to amend the 2013 land acquisition Act has come under criticism for being ‘anti-farmer’. In this article, Maitreesh Ghatak and Parikshit Ghosh argue that while the...
-
Maitreesh Ghatak
Parikshit Ghosh
31 March, 2015
- Perspectives
Response to the Bhagwati-Panagariya rejoinder on MNREGA
In a recent article, Abreu et al. refuted the Bhagwati-Panagariya argument for phasing out MNREGA in favour of cash transfers. In this article, Abreu et al. respond to claims in a rejoinder by Bhagwa...
-
Dilip Abreu
Pranab Bardhan
Maitreesh Ghatak
Ashok Kotwal
Dilip Mookherjee
Debraj Ray
14 December, 2014
- Perspectives
(Mis)Leading attack on MNREGA
Bhagwati and Panagariya have argued for phasing out MNREGA in favour of cash transfers. In this article, Abreu et al. contend that the argument is based on inflating the costs of the programme and de...
-
Dilip Abreu
Pranab Bardhan
Maitreesh Ghatak
Ashok Kotwal
Dilip Mookherjee
Debraj Ray
12 November, 2014
- Perspectives




