Public Service Delivery in India

Book excerpt: This collection looks at processes of change and reform in public service delivery in a range of states and sectors, and over time spans. The first three essays examine reforms that have improved prospects for economic growth and poverty alleviation in Bihar; improved the functioning of public sector enterprises and the power sector, and initiated improvements in education in West Bengal; and the efficient delivery of economic services in Gujarat in order to pursue a high-growth agenda. The next two essays focus on regulation in infrastructure as well as the delivery of urban services. The question of balancing greater autonomy with accountability to improve public service delivery through the use of executive agencies is also analysed. The final essay discusses how India might absorb lessons for the effective implementation of the Right to Information Act (2005) from countries such as Mexico, South Africa, and Canada. The volume shows how reform is an ongoing process that depends critically on contextual factors. These include the history of reform ideas, the capacity of the state to execute reform, and the nature of the state itself and its relationships with key actors, such as the private sector and unions.