Quest for Political Stability in India : Essays on Governance, Polity and Development
Contents: Preface. 1. The coalition experience and experiments in India since independence: search for political stability and good governance. 2. Decentralisation and rural development in India: empowerment, strategies and emerging challenges. 3. Status and position of Panchayati Raj Institutions in India: Towards empowerment or dis-empowerment? 4. Role of Non-Governmental Organisations in social development at the grassroots level: emerging challenges in the era of globalisation. 5. Panchayati Raj Institutions in 60 years of independent India: working towards decentralisation and good governance. 6. The local self-government experiments in Indian Republic: power to the people at the grassroots. 7. Significant role of youth in decision-making in Indian Panchayati Raj Institutions: Where do we stand? 8. Decentralised governance and responsive administration in India: Paradigm shift in policies, programmes and strategies. 9. Changing face of parliamentary democracy: decline in standards. 10. Evolution of representative institutions in India: an assessment. 11. Governance in an era of turbulence in contemporary India: urgency for reformatory changes. 12. Credibility of the coalition government in India: a package for the longevity. 13. Working of the Constitution of Indian Republic: Reforms and changes. 14. Political empowerment of women in India: From Gram Panchayat to Parliament. 15. The structural and functional changes in Indian Parliamentary System: need for constitutional changes. Index.
"The political events in India since 1989 have exposed the instability inherent in the parliamentary form of government when it comes to dealing with coalitions. It is well recognised fact that the effective political stability is an essential requisite for the successful functioning of a federal government based on parliamentary democracy. Unfortunately, the credibility of coalition governance in contemporary India has suffered a grievous blow in the last 15 years or so with the murky politics. In the context of fluid political situation prevailed in India after 1996 Lok Sabha elections, general question about the stability of coalition government is being raised. What is the rationale behind the suitability of the coalition theory for India? Are the coalition governments at the centre giving the enough leeway to effectively exercise its authority? After 60 years of functioning of the Constitution and its modification for nearly 100 plus times, is India in a position to assert that the present Constitution will fulfill the democratic aspirations and expectations of the people? How can the coalition system be regenerated? It is true that our experience of nearly six decades has shown that the quality of governance in India has gone down considerably? The time has come to ponder over the aforesaid misconceptions in a serious manner, in the light of our coalition experience, and make such changes which may be found necessary to ensure good and stable governance at the Centre.
The book also deals with the pre-requisites of development agenda like good governance, polity and inclusive growth and development in a realistic manner. Discussing political stability with a balanced perspective and advocating it as an essential instrument for good governance and development in contemporary India, this book will be considerable interest to policy makers, administrators, researchers, parliamentarians and political scientists." (jacket)
