Subsidies in India
Contents: Preface. I. Economics of subsidies: 1. Provision for public goods. 2. Nature and role of subsidies. II. Subsidies for agriculture and allied sectors: 3. Agricultural development in general. 4. Agriculture extension work. 5. Irrigation development. 6. Use of fertilisers. 7. Cooperatives. 8. Animal husbandry. 9. Horticulture. 10. Fisheries. III. Subsidies for food security: 11. Minimum support prices for agricultural produce. 12. Public distribution system (PDS). IV. Subsidies for industrial development and export promotion: 13. Industrial development in general. 14. Textile industry. 15. Food processing industry. 16. Small and village industries. 17. Export promotion. V. Subsidies for employment and labour welfare: 18. Urban employment schemes. 19. Rural employment schemes. 20. Employment schemes for ex-servicemen. 21. Other employment schemes. VI. Subsidies for energy and transport development: 22. Electric power. 23. Petroleum products. 24. Non-conventional energy sources. 25. Transport. VII. Subsidies for health and education: 26. Health and family welfare. 27. Education and training. VIII. Subsidies for housing and urban development: 28. Housing. 29. Urban development. IX. Subsidies for rural infrastructure and development: 30. Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana. 31. Prime Ministers Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). 32. Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP). 33. Scheme for Improved Tools to Rural Artisans (SITRA). X. Subsidies for welfare of women, children and disadvantaged groups: 34. Special Component Plan (SCP). 35. Scheme for Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers (SLRS). 36. Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA). 37. Antyodaya programme. 38. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). 39. Minimum Needs Programme (MNP). 40. Annapurna scheme. XI. Subsidies for development of special problem regions: 41. Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP). 42. Backward Area Development Programme (BADP). 43. Hill Area Development Programme (HADP). 44. Desert Development Programme (DDP). 45. Tribal Area Development Programme (TADP). XII. Subsidies for Cinema, art and culture: 46. Cinema, art and culture. Appendices: 1. Estimates of poverty in India. 2. Centrally sponsored schemes. 3. Highlights of the National Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) announced on May 27, 2004.
"A subsidy is a grant of money from an outside third party to either the buyer or the seller of a commodity. The effect of a subsidy is opposite of the effect of a tax. A cash subsidy is the opposite of a direct tax while a subsidised commodity is the opposite of a taxed commodity. Hence, subsidies are sometimes called negative taxation.
Providing minimum consumption entitlement to the poor by subsidising the items consumed by them is an extremely important welfare dimension of fiscal policy. However, subsidies can generate negative effects also. One received, people become dependent on the subsidies. Hence, subsidies are sometimes termed as sweet poison.
This book explains and examines the whole gamut of subsidies, both explicit and implicit, in India at the level of central and state governments." (jacket)
