Accelerating India's development: A state-led roadmap for effective governance / Karthik Muralidharan

Preface;
Chapter 1: India@75: The Imperative of State Capacity;
Section I: The Key Actors:
Chapter 2: The Politicians' Predicament;
Chapter 3: The Bureaucracy's Burden;
Section II: Building an Effective State:
Chapter 4: Data and Outcome Measurement;
Chapter 5: Personnel Management;
Chapter 6: Public Finance-Expenditure;
Chapter 7: Public Finance-Revenue;
Chapter 8: Federalism and Decentralization;
Chapter 9: The State and the Market;
Section III: Accelerating India's Development;
Chapter 10: Shifting the Preston Curve for Development;
Chapter 11: Education and Skills;
Chapter 12: Health and Nutrition;
Chapter 13: Police and Public Safety;
Chapter 14: Courts and Justice;
Chapter 15: Social Protection and Welfare;
Chapter 16: Jobs, Productivity, and Economic Growth;
Section VI: Making It Happen:
Chapter 17: Reimagining Institutions;
Chapter 18: State, Citizen, and Society;
Notes;
References;
Acknowledgements;
AdditionalResources;
Expanded Table of contents;
Index.

Seventy-five years after Independence, India has much to be proud of. We are the world’s biggest democracy as well as the fastest-growing large economy. Yet, we also face profound challenges that hinder both individual well-being and aggregate growth, including education and skills, health and nutrition, public safety, justice, social protection, and jobs.

This seminal book systematically analyses India’s governance challenges, especially in delivering essential public services, and highlights how these are limiting India’s development. Drawing on a wealth of research and practical insights, it provides actionable, evidence-based strategies, emphasizing state-level reforms as critical for India’s advancement.

Accelerating India’s Development is addressed to all Indians—leaders, officials, entrepreneurs, teachers, students, citizens, and civil society—and provides an urgent call to action. It argues that building a more effective state is the great unfinished task of Indian democracy, because quality public services are key to translating the political equality of ‘one person, one vote’ into greater equality of opportunity for all Indians.

Every chapter showcases the author’s dedication to bridging the gap between scholarly research, public understanding, and actionable governance. This book is a testament to cautious optimism and the belief that with the right public systems in place, the next twenty-five years can be a period of unprecedented growth and societal enrichment for India.