Reason and Reform: How Policy Reforms Have Shaped India
Contents: Introduction. I. India and Reforms. 1. The anatomy of reforms in India. 2. India’s policy legacy. 3. The constitution. II. Law and Order. 4. Social order I. 5. Social order II. 6. Justice system. 7. Book of judges. 8. Justice buried. III. Planning and Policy Making. 9. The background to planning. 10. Plans and more. 11. Industrial policy resolution of 1948. 12. The beginnings of five-year planning. 13. Socialism. IV. Governance. 14. The Rajya Sabha. 15. Simultaneous elections. 16. Criminalization of politics. 17. The village. 18. States and governance. V. Welfare State. 19. Public goods. 20. Public services. 21. Subsidizing the poor. 22. Poverty, inequality and inequity. 23. Basic income. 24. Relative absolute and assorted matters. VI. Economic Policy and Performance. 25. The union budget. 26. Tax terrorism. 27. Corporate social responsibility. 28. State economies. 29. Employment surveys. 30. The national indicator framework for SDGs. VII. Infrastructure. 31. Urban infrastructure. 32. AMRUT and smart cities. 33. Rural infrastructure. 34. Health infrastructure. 35. Prayagraj and temple towns. VIII. Transportation. 36. Railways. 37. Roads. 38. Water transport and waterways. 39. Hundred airports. 40. Urban mobility. Conclusion.
A guide to India’s continuing journey of reforms—that uncovers key priority areas and unlocks ideas and insights to shape a better tomorrow. This book attempts to provide perspectives and lessons from some of the most crucial influences and incidents that have impacted Indian public policies. While the thrust is on post-colonial era, many prescriptions from India’s centuries-old legacy of governance principles and policymaking are highlighted.
The book covers a breadth of policy subjects in eight themes, from justice delivery to economic planning, institutional governance to infrastructure creation. Short chapters and easy-to-read prose will aid readers keen to grasp the uniquely Indian story spiced with its own share of policy reform experiments, some bitter, some sweet. And hopefully, the information, insights and ideas in this book can be used as tools to drive change by all those who have a stake in India.
