Table of Contents
DECLARATION;
CERTIFICATE;
Acknowledgments;
Abstract;
Abbreviations;
List of Tables;
List of Figures;
Introduction;
Research Problem;
Research Questions;
Note on Research Methodology & Literature Review;
Chapter Schema;
1. A Universal Basic Income for India?;
An Analytical Note;
1.1 Introduction;
1.2 The Idea of Universal Basic Income;
1.3 Philosophical Arguments & UBI;
i. UBI as Distributive Justice;
ii. UBI as Capability & Freedom Enhancing Investments;
iii. UBI as an Overweening & Tyrannical State;
1.4 UBI and its Variants Around the World;
i. Completed Programs;
ii. On-going Programs;
1.5 The Indian Antecedent to UBI;
1.6 Categories of UBI Proposals for India;
i. Redistributive & Efficiency Maximizing;
ii. Solely Redistributive;
iii. Solely Efficiency Maximizing;
1.7 Scope for UBI in India;
i. Redistribution and the Indian State;
ii. Efficiency-Maximizing UBI as an Alternative?;
1.8 Discussion;
2. The Benefits of Income Transfers;
Impact of Income Transfers In-Lieu of Food Subsidies;
2.1 Introduction;
2.2 Public Distribution System- A Brief History;
i. Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS);
ii. The Advent of National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013;
2.3 Targeting Errors and Leakages in PDS;
i. Targeting Errors;
ii. Leakages in PDS;
2.4 Methodology;
i. Approach;
ii. Data;
iii. Analysis;
2.5 Results;
i. Decile-wsie Monthly Consumption;
ii. Scenario Analysis;
2.6 Discussion;
3. The Costs of Income Transfers;
Implementation in a Flailing State;
3.1 Introduction;
3.2 Ration Bachao: Why are DBT recipients in Jharkhand Protesting?;
3.3 The Infrastructure-Biometrics, Bank Accounts & the Banking Network;
i. Aadhar Coverage;
ii. Bank Accounts;
iii. Banking Network;
3.4 Why is Jharkhand not ready for DBT?;
3.5 Evidence on Cash Transfer Programs & Banking;
i. International;
ii. India’s DBT Program;
3.6 Methodology;
i. Data & Treatment;
ii. Quasi-Experimental Design: Probability Weighted Regression Estimation;
c. Model Specification;
3.7 Analysis & Results;
i. Delay-Independent Group T-Test;
ii. Delay-OLS Regression Results;
iii. Informal Payments & Bribes-Logit Regression Results;
3.8 Discussion;
Conclusion;
The Salience of Transaction Costs & the Poor;
Works Cited;
Annexures;
UBI Proposals;
Questionnaire Module for FII Survey.