Abstract
Economic empowerment through the creation of income-generation opportunities and livelihood enhancement activities is essential to bring rural women out of poverty and fast-track them on the path to socio-economic development. Over the last four decades, the Self-Help Group model has become well-established as a means of enhancing the socio-economic status of rural poor women and empowering them. Under the leading programme of the Government of India, DAY-NRLM, SHG creation has grown in leaps and bounds, and the programme aims to link 10 crore women through 1 crore SHGs. This paper explores the entrepreneurship activities undertaken by SHG members in Rajasthan and examines the impact of SHG membership on their income. The study is based on a sample of 2400 SHG members across 8 districts of Rajasthan. Out of these women, just 281 (11.71%) were entrepreneurs. Around 80 percent of them operated small shops, while others ran internet kiosks/ photocopy shops, agri-businesses, tailoring shops, and other micro-enterprises in their villages. The findings reveal that the income enhancement is highest through entrepreneurial activities as compared to agriculture or livestock rearing. This investigation points out that SHG membership has improved women’s economic status. However, there is a need to expand the reach and intensify the present entrepreneurship programme through entrepreneurial capacity building, skill development, creation of FPOs, availability of credit of larger amounts through SHGs, and creation of market linkages. The future looks promising new models of entrepreneurial development, such as FPOs, and new schemes, such as Lakhpati Didi Yojana and SVEP.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Economic Empowerment, Rajasthan, Rural Development, Self-Help Groups, Socio-Economic Status, Women Empowerment.
1. Introduction
Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are small groups comprising 10-15 members, which are organised on the principles of mutual help and solidarity. The group members make small savings at Regular intervals, and pool their savings to give loans to members, which they utilise for various purposes. SHGs operate their accounts in banks and avail loans without collateral. The SHG programme was initiated at the behest of the Self-Employed Women’s Association, Ahmedabad, and way back in the 1970s. Subsequently, there were several commendable initiatives in the voluntary sector by organisations such as MYRADA and Pradan. During the 1980s, Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank also received much acclaim at the international level. These initial success stories led to the espousal of the SHG programme by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India (GoI), and NABARD. The SHG Bank Linkage Programme (SBLP), launched by NABARD in 1992, followed by the MoRD’s Sampoorn Gramin Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY), both faced many hiccups and hurdles, which the Radhakrishna Committee on Credit Related Issues took cognizance of. Their recommendations were incorporated in the National Rural Livelihoods Mission or Jeevika in 2011.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), launched in 2015, has the objective of poverty reduction by promoting self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, leading to “sustainable and diversified livelihood options for the poor”. The programme is based on the core values of inclusion, transparency, ownership, and self-reliance. DAY-NRLM focuses on four key areas, namely, “social mobilization and promotion and strengthening of self-managed and financially sustainable community institutions of the rural poor women; (b) financial inclusion; (c) sustainable livelihoods; and (d) social inclusion, social development and access to entitlements through convergence” (MoRD, 2024a) to link 10 crore women through SHGs, DAY-NRLM is regarded as India’s flagship scheme and the “world’s largest SHG programme” (De Hoop et al., 2019: 9). As of 30 November, 2024, India has 83,27,888 SHGs comprising 8,46,13,816 members (MoRD, 2024b). A total of 10,29,20,576 households have been mobilised under the programme MoRD, 2024c).
This study focuses on Rajasthan, India’s largest State in terms of area, and globally recognised as the ambassador of royal heritage, rich culture, and vibrant life, despite being geographically disadvantaged in terms of having vast tracts of desert land and being flanked by the Aravali hills on one side and the Pakistan border on the other. There is a large population of SCs, STs, and OBCs in Rajasthan. Furthermore, the status of women in Rajasthan is a cause of worry due to the rampant prevalence of social evils, such as child marriages and the dowry system, manifested through the low levels of female literacy and the adverse sex ratio. Despite these odds, Rajasthan has a very active SHG landscape with commendable work initiated by Dungarpur-based PEDO since the 1980s. Jaipur-based Centre for Microfinance, supported by the Tata Trusts, has been mobilising grassroot-level organisations such as Ibtada, PEDO, and others for creating and supporting SHGs. As of 30 November 2024, Rajasthan has 2,51,528 SHGs and 25,05,788 SHG members (MoRD, 2024b).
The objectives of this study are to analyze the entrepreneurial activities carried out by women SHG members in Rajasthan, examine their achievements and challenges, and make recommendations for future policy directions so as to promote entrepreneurship among rural poor women through SHGs. This research has been carried out through a survey of 2400 women SHG members, out of which 281 (11.71%) were entrepreneurs. These women were spread across eight districts of Rajasthan. The next section presents an overview of the literature, followed by research methodology. Subsequently, the results of the study are discussed, followed by a conclusion and recommendations.
2. Literature Review
The literature review has been carried out by deploying keywords such as entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, self-help groups, socio-economic status, and women's empowerment. The keyword search included published material such as books, journal articles, reports, and other documents available in print form as well as on Internet sources such as search engines and online databases. Most studies on SHGs have been carried out in India and Bangladesh, the two countries with demonstrated success of SHGs. A comprehensive review of 34 studies across several countries published by 3ie found that SHG membership led to economic, social, and political empowerment of women. Other studies done in the international context also revealed that microfinance had improved the economic status and family well-being of rural women (Florescu, 2009; Kabeer, 2005; Mayoux, 2006; Rahman, 1986), reduced poverty (Khandker, 1998), increased household expenditure and consumption, non-land assets of women, labor supply of women and improvement in girls’ education (Pitt and Khandker, 1998). Though most researchers have extolled the benefits of SHG membership in women's empowerment, few have also pointed out the downside, wherein the loans were availed by the women, but the male family members exercised control over the utilisation of loans (Goetz and Sen Gupta, 1994).
Back home, an evaluation of SBLP found out the significant impact of SHG membership on the lives of rural women and their empowerment (NABARD study conducted by APMAS, 2017). A study by EDA and APMAS (2006) revealed the ‘lights and shades’ associated with the impact of SHG membership. The study concluded that the social impacts of SHGs were visible on the ground; however, the financial aspects still needed to be worked upon. An independent evaluation of DAY-NRLM (IRMA, 2017) revealed that SHG members from the experimental group fared better than those from the control group on indicators such as possession of livestock, enterprises, income, consumption on schooling, savings in formal institutions, and uptake of credit.
Women's empowerment refers to “improving the ability of women to access the constituents of development in particular health, education, earning opportunities, rights, and political participation” (Duflo, 2012: 1053). It incorporates five dimensions of empowerment, comprising economic, social, legal/ political empowerment, interpersonal & psychological empowerment. Economic empowerment can occur through poverty eradication, microcredit, recognising women’s contribution to the economy, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by globalisation, agriculture, industry, and support services. Social empowerment can occur through education, health, nutrition, drinking water and sanitation, housing and shelter, environment, science and technology, and helping women in difficult circumstances. Political empowerment can occur through participation in public life and contesting elections. Psychosocial empowerment refers to feelings of self-worth and self-confidence and the ability of women to make their own choices. Researchers have developed several indices to measure women's empowerment, significant among them are IFPRI’s Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index (Alkire et al., 2013) and the Hunger Project’s (2017) Women Empowerment Index.
Studies on the impact of entrepreneurial activities on the lives of SHG members reveal that they have led to women's empowerment on various dimensions of empowerment, though there is a need to focus on technology orientation, entrepreneurial capacity building, and financial skills development (Sharma and Varma, 2008). Singh (2012) has examined the policy framework for the promotion of entrepreneurship among SHGs in Himachal Pradesh.
From the literature review, it is evident that there are several studies on the outcomes of SHG membership, particularly its impact on socio-economic indicators and women's empowerment. However, there is limited evidence on the entrepreneurial activities undertaken by SHG members and their impact on their socio-economic status and empowerment. The present research aims to address this research gap by undertaking a study of the impact of entrepreneurship on the economic empowerment of women SHG members.
3. Research Methodology
This research is descriptive, as it involves primary data collection through a survey of women SHG members across eight districts of Rajasthan. The study districts comprised Bikaner and Churu from the northern region, Dungarpur and Sirohi from the southern region, Alwar and Kota from the eastern region, and Ajmer and Jodhpur from the western region. The sample was thus representative of the different geographical regions and corresponding agro-climatic zones of Rajasthan. A schedule was developed, translated into Hindi, and a team of field investigators was assembled and trained for the survey. The schedule was pre-tested and modified before launching the survey.
4. Results and Discussion
4.1. Sample Description
The survey covered 2400 women SHG members from 8 districts in the study, comprising 402 women from Ajmer, 400 each from Alwar, Dungarpur, and Sirohi, 200 each from Bikaner, Churu, and Jodhpur, and 198 from Kota. The SHGs have been categorised according to the age of the SHG. The district-wise distribution of SHGs according to the age group of the SHG is presented in Table 1.
Table 1: District-wise distribution of SHGs according to the age group of the SHG
Source: Survey results
4.2. Entrepreneurship
As presented in Table 2, the survey found that out of 2400 respondents, there were only 281 (11.71%) entrepreneurs. Out of these 224 (79.72%) had small shops, while 14 (4.98%) were engaged in any type of business related to agriculture, 5 (1.78%) in manufacturing, 6 (2.14%) in construction, 7 (2.49%) in e-mitra/ photocopy shop, 15 (5.34%) in tailoring and remaining in other types of micro enterprises. The distribution of shops across districts was as follows: Ajmer (45 or 20.09%), Alwar (43 or 19.2%), Bikaner (30 or 13.39%), Churu (25 or 11.16%), Dungarpur (33 or 14.73%), Jodhpur (11 or 4.91%), Kota (22 or 9.82%) and Sirohi (15 or 6.7%).
Table 2: District-wise Type of Business Run by SHG Members during the Last 12 Months
Source: Survey findings
Table 3 presents district-wise data on the owner/ manager of the business run by SHG members. The data reveal that in 129 (45.91%) cases, the primary respondent herself owned and managed the enterprise, while in 117 (41.64%) cases, the spouse ran the business. Businesses run by the primary respondent herself were highest in Alwar, Bikaner, and Dungarpur (29, 23, and 26, respectively), while businesses run by the spouse were highest in Ajmer (36).
Table 3: Districtwide Owner/ Manager of the Business Run by SHG Members
Source: Survey findings
Table 4 presents the districtwide owner/ manager of the business run by SHG members. The data reveal that in 157 (55.87%) cases, the business was owned and managed by a male member, and in 124 (44.13%) cases, by a female member. The highest number of businesses managed by male members was found in Ajmer (46) and Churu (25), while those managed by female members were found in Alwar and Dungarpur (28 each).
Table 4: District-wise Gender of Owner/ Manager of the Business Run by SHG Members
Source: Survey findings
Table 5 displays the data related to district-wise support to SHG business through loans. The data reveal that in 164 (58.36%) cases, the business was supported by a loan. In 73 (44.51%) cases, the women got a loan from the SHG/ Federation, 19 (11.59%) cases from a microfinance institution, and in 60 (36.59%) cases, they got a little loan, a little grant, and invested some on their own. The maximum number of loans was availed in Alwar and Dungarpur (19 each).
Table 5: District-wise Support to SHG Business through Loans
Source: Survey findings
Table 6 presents data on district wise revenue generated from the business run by SHG members in the last 12 months (in Rs.) 52 (18.51%) respondents had an income up to Rs.30,000; 45 (16.01%) had an income in the range Rs.30,000 to Rs.60,000; 62 (22.96%) had an income in the range Rs.60,000 to Rs.90,000; 19 (6.76%) each had an income in the ranges Rs.90,000 to Rs.1,20,000 and Rs.1,20,000 to Rs.1,50,000 whereas 70 (24.91%) had an annual income exceeding Rs.1,50,000. If we analyze the data district-wise, then we find that most respondents in the lowest income range (up to Rs 30,000) were in Dungarpur, Rs.30,000 to Rs. 90,000 range in Alwar, Rs. 90,000 to Rs. 1,20,000 range in Ajmer and Alwar, Rs. 1.2 lakhs to Rs 1.5 lakhs range in Churu, and more than Rs. 1.5 lakhs in Bikaner, Ajmer, and Kota (18, 12, and 10 respondents, respectively).
Table 6: District-wise Revenue Generated from the Business Run by SHG Members in the Last 12 Months (in Rs.)
Source: Survey findings
To summarise, the survey revealed few women entrepreneurs, and in a large number of cases, they were not managing their business independently. Many of them were supported through SHG loans.
4.3 Income
Table 7 depicts the district-wise comparison of mean income from agriculture, livestock, and business. The comparison reveals that across all districts, the highest income was from business, followed by agriculture and livestock. 87.22 percent of households had an annual income of less than Rs 70,000 from agriculture, while 85.73 percent of households had an annual income of up to Rs 30,000 from livestock.
Table 7: District-wise Comparison of Mean Income from Agriculture, Livestock, and Business
Source: Survey findings
4.4 Microfinance
The women took loans from both SHG and non-SHG sources. The district-wise average loan amount from non-SHG and SHG sources (in Rs.) is summarised in Table 8. The data suggest that high amounts of loans were taken from non-SHG sources, to the tune of Rs 2,05,900 in Bikaner, closely followed by Rs 1,94,400 in Churu, Rs 1,26,200 in Kota, and Rs 1,16,400 in Jodhpur. Only in Dungarpur, the loan amount from non-SHG sources was small (Rs 38,500). On the other hand, SHG loans were in the range Rs 30,400 to Rs 49,600 across various districts except Churu, where they got average loans of Rs 88,800 from the SHG.
Table 8: District-wise Average Loan Amount from Non-SHG and SHG Sources (in Rs.)
Source: Survey findings
Table 9 depicts the district-wise credit utilization of loans from non-SHG. Overall, the topmost utilisation of credit was for social and religious events such as weddings, death feasts, etc., followed by house construction or repair, and then medical expenses. In Ajmer, Alwar, Bikaner, and Churu, social and religious events were the topmost purpose of utilisation of loan, whereas, in Dungarpur and Sirohi, it was medical expenses. In Kota, the loans were utilised most for house construction/ repair, and in Jodhpur for business/ shop. Utilisation of loan for livelihoods, i.e., for a business shop, was seen in Jodhpur (topmost), Churu, and Kota (both third highest). Loans were utilised for farming in Sirohi (the second highest). In Ajmer, loans were used to repay old debts (the third highest).
Table 9: District-wise Credit Utilization of Loan from Non-SHG
Source: Survey findings
Table 10 presents the district-wise credit utilisation from the SHG loan. The overall top three purposes for utilisation of loans include household expenses (consumption), house construction/ repair, and social or religious events. The district-wise data reveal that in Bikaner, the topmost utilisation was for the purchase of animals, while business/ shop was at number 3. In Churu, business/ shop was the topmost utilisation of the loan. Farming was topmost in Sirohi, second in Kota, and third in Dungarpur. Thus, the SHG loans were used for consumption as well as livelihood enhancement.
Table 10: District-wise Credit Utilisation from SHG Loan
Source: Survey findings
Thus, to summarise, women took loans from SHGs as well as non-SHG sources. The credit uptake from formal sources such as banks or cooperative societies was low (less than 21 percent). Mostly women took loans from non-SHGs for spending on social and religious events such as weddings, death feasts, etc., followed by house construction and repair, and medical expenses. On the other hand, the loans from SHGs were taken to fulfil small requirements such as household expenses, house construction/ repair, and expenditure on social and religious events, weddings, death feasts, etc. Loans to support livelihoods included those for business/ shop, purchase of animals, and farming.
5. Conclusion
In the rural development landscape, SHGs have established themselves as a means of bringing about socio-economic development as well as women's empowerment. Though fewer women were engaged in entrepreneurial activities, they reported higher income as compared to those engaged in agriculture or animal husbandry. Entrepreneurial development has the potential to improve the income of rural women and empower them. Therefore, it is imperative for the government, NGOs, or corporations working in this domain to launch programmes on entrepreneurship development for rural women. The key components of the programme could be identification of business opportunities; setting up and operating a business; human resource management including skill development, performance management, leadership, team work, conflict management, etc.; marketing management through the 4Ps of goods: product, price, place and promotion or the 7Ps of services incorporating people, process and physical evidence in addition to the 4Ps; financial management including accounting, working capital management, etc., supply chain management including procurement of raw material and distribution of finished goods.
Business opportunities could be identified in locally relevant areas such as food processing, agri-business, livestock products, garment business, services, trading etc. Food processing could be based on locally available produce, such as making pickles, chutneys, jams, candies, from amla, ber, etc., tomato ketchup, papads, packaging of dried methi leaves, ker, sangri, spices such as cumin, aniseed, coriander, turmeric, red chilli, methidana etc., packaged oils such as mustard oil and groundnut oil, packaged snacks (namkeens) made of moth, besan and other flours, packaged appetizers (such as churans and suparis of different flavours), medicinal plants, and animal feed. The Food & Nutrition and Extension Departments of Agricultural universities could play a vital role in transferring technology and building market linkages for the rural women. The women could also be motivated to grow nutri-gardens in their kitchen gardens or small plots. At the district level, a supply chain could be developed for selling fresh fruits and vegetables grown by the SHG members. Similar to the Saras booths in Rajasthan or Safal booths in Delhi, there could be a chain of stores selling fresh agricultural produce grown by SHG members, supplying straight from farm to fork. In this case, there would be a need to develop a value chain, right from farming inputs, harvesting, post-harvest storage and transportation, procurement, selling, and managing customer relations. Agri-businesses could be based on food items (as indicated above) as well as non-food items, such as cotton, linseed, etc., or agricultural inputs, such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, farm equipment, and farm machinery. Several business opportunities exist in the sale of livestock and livestock products, particularly milk (from cattle, goats, as well as camels), meat (sheep and goats), and wool (sheep).
The SHGs could be linked to the village cooperative dairy societies so that they may start getting a higher return on milk sold. Goat and camel milk have special qualities, due to which they may fetch higher prices. Bikaner has the biggest wool mandi in Rajasthan. Linkages of those SHG members who rear sheep could be developed with the wool traders so as to fetch them higher prices. In recent years, SHGs have been organised by RGAVP into Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and inspired by their success stories, 30 new FPOs are in the pipeline. The present FPOs are working on value addition of Agri-products, such as custard apple pulp, nutritious soyabean laddoos, cattle feed, honey, and mustard oil. Jhalawari Mahila Kisan Producer Company in Jhalawar, with 700 members and a share capital of Rs. 19 lakh, a government equity grant of Rs. 10 lakhs, and Rs. 6 lakh per annum for its management, produces and markets ‘Madhusakhi Jhalawari Honey’. Badi Sadri Mahila Kisan Producer Company in Chittorgarh is an FPO with 666 women members that produces and markets kachchi ghani mustard oil (Sharma, 2023). Services, such as beauty parlours, e-mitras, photocopy shops, etc., are the need of the hour even in rural areas. Shops such as those selling fancy items, footwear, garments, stationery, and groceries are also required in rural areas.
Worldwide, Rajasthan is famous for its fabrics in various forms, such as block printing, vegetable dyeing, tie and dye (bandhini), ¸etc. Fabrics are available in a variety of ethnic forms and styles, such as bedsheets, safas (turbans), Jaipuri razais (quilts), and garments such as sarees, salwar suits, skirts, kurtas, shirts, etc. In Churu, an SHG is operating Marudhara Rangsaaz, which manufactures and sells garments. Before the Lockdown, this firm had even manufactured and supplied a bulk order to Fab India. Such initiatives need to be scaled up to encompass more SHGs and done at a level so that economies of scale may be achieved. Furthermore, women need. Therefore, it is imperative to proactively identify entrepreneurship development training provided to rural women, and hand-holding to be provided to them to enable them to kick-start the business. Entrepreneurial development of rural women would enable them to shift from unskilled daily wage work towards a more productive means of livelihood.
The SHG members took loans from SHG as well as non-SHG sources. The continued dependence on non-SHG sources implies that SHGs may have reduced but not eliminated the informal sources of credit, which may often be required in case of emergencies or when other formal sources are not available or cannot be availed, or when the credit requirement is higher than what is provided through an SHG. A shortcoming of SHG loans was that they were available in smaller amounts. So when the women had a requirement for bigger loans, they often approached moneylenders, relatives, or friends. Thus, there is a need for greater impetus on the SHG programme to make larger loans available to women and reduce their dependence on moneylenders.
The ultimate objective of SHGs is to bring about women's empowerment through socio-economic upliftment. SHGs have provided a platform to women to come together, access credit, and explore opportunities to enhance their livelihoods. Policy makers need to work on a multi-pronged approach comprising short-term as well as long-term strategies to catalyse women's empowerment. Short-term strategies could include access to credit at relatively easy terms, entrepreneurship development, and creation of organisations such as FPOs, whereas long-term strategies would aim at providing choice to women so that they can choose the outcomes that they desire. Given the multi-dimensional nature of women's empowerment, policymakers need to make women's empowerment the goal of all development programmes, focusing on the various dimensions of empowerment, such as social, economic, political, and psycho-social.
This study provides several leads and cues for future researchers who would like to study the economic and social impact of SHGs. Studies using a similar methodology based on comparison among agro-climatic zones or different age groups of SHGs could be carried out in other countries or other Indian States as well. Future researchers may develop indices or psychometric scales to measure women's empowerment or use econometric models to analyse the data. The sustainability of mature SHGs could also be studied to identify the social (organizational and managerial), economic, and financial factors that enable SHGs to sustain.
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India has surpassed France and the UK to become the fifth largest economy in the world with a nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimated to be around $ 3.12 trillion for FY22. For the fiscal year 2022-23, a healthy growth rate of approximately 7% is anticipated.
This paper offers an integrated digital drone-based services solution for cities & towns, controlled through an integrated smart control room and/or where users may call in for support of required service, on a time-sharing basis; charged according to No of drones, payload, distances and time calculations.
This paper covers the health benefits of cycling and how it has a positive impact on the environment. It examines the Dutch model of the development of cycling, how it may be adapted to Indian conditions, and help to overcome the barriers to cycling, in the Indian context.
The transformation of the lives of rural women towards their betterment is a critical issue in the development process of countries around the world. Poverty, lack of financial awareness, minimal or no education, and women's disempowerment are reasons for the poor condition of rural women.
In India, the procedure of shifting the paradigm for good governance has been dynamic and continuing. A notion known as "good governance" includes a number of rules and procedures designed to guarantee the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of governmental institutions.
Administration of independent India drewn many transformations to get away from British colonial administration that propagates the colonial need such as maintenance of law and order, collection of revenue, tactics to hold the administrative power in British civil servants.
The twenty-first century should be an era of new forms of Governance different from what we have seen in the past. Due to widespread economic problems and fiscal constraints in the 1980's, governments around the world both rich and poor, concluded that government had become too big, too costly and ineffective.
The concept of ‘governance’ is not new. It is as old as human civilization. It has over the years gained momentum and a wider meaning. Apart from being an instrument of public affairs management, or a gauge of political development, governance has become a useful mechanism to enhance the legitimacy of the public realm.
In India, the paradigm of Participatory Forest Management (PFM) is proving to be transformative as it attempts to balance the intricate relationships between sustainable resource utilisation, forest regeneration, and conservation. India, which has about 70 million hectares of forest cover, struggles to meet the socioeconomic demands of the people who depend on the forests while also protecting these ecosystems.
A long-term abutting weather situation that is particularly related to temperature and precipitation is called climatic change. Land-use changes, forest fires, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and natural disasters like volcanic eruptions are all possible contributing factors to this Climate shift (Reddy, 2015).
The Yamuna is a tributary of the holy Ganges. The main stream of the Yamuna River originates from the Yamunotri Glacier at Bandar Panch (38°59'N, 78°27'E) in the Mussoorie Ranges of the lower Himalayas, at an average altitude of about 6387 meters above sea level in the Uttarkashi district (Uttrakhand) increase.
The issue of governance has received serious attention of researchers, policy makers, administrators and the national as well as international community. The New Public Management (NPM) concept is focused on service, quality, performance management and risk management of governance processes.
The government provides services including healthcare, education, social support, and financial inclusion to the public. However, villagers and citizens in remote areas often struggle to access these services due to several constraints including inadequate infrastructure and inaccessibility.
Digital governance, in the context of the digital era, involves the use of information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to enhance and transform the delivery of public services, improve government efficiency, and engage citizens in decision-making processes.
Since the majority of India's population relies on agriculture for their living, the sector dominates the country's economy. Agriculture only makes up less than 20 per cent of the nation's GDP (Ministry of Finance, 2018), emphasizing the sector's low-income production.
E-commerce and digital technology have transformed the way people spend and save. There is an evident technological growth in the world of finance which is referred to as financial technology or fintech. Financial technology (Fintech) refers to the technological innovations that assist in enabling or improving the access to financial services digitally through the internet, smartphones or computers.
Today we are living in an era of the ‘regulatory state’. The expressions ‘regulation’, ‘regulatory governance’ and ‘regulatory institutions’ have become the buzzwords of governance and are spread across social systems as well as state organisations and government strategies.
Participatory planning involves the intensive participation of local communities in analysing their current situation, envisioning a long-term collective future and attempting to attain this vision through collective planning of development interventions that would be implemented by different state agencies area.
Intrinsically, India is a republican country that is organised as a federation with a parliamentary democracy. Similar to the United Kingdom, the President serves as the head of state in name only; in contrast, the Prime Minister is the de facto executive, or real head of the government.
With over eight thousand years of experience and intellectual growth (Cameron (1968), Edwards (Gadd, 1971), Hammond (1971), Eisenstadt (1963, 1993), Olmstead ( 1948), etc.), public administration has undergone numerous changes and transformations over its long history, but it has never been so challenged as in the last thirty years.
A paradigm represents a framework, viewpoint, or collection of concepts that serves as a lens for understanding various subjects. In disciplines like science and philosophy, paradigms encompass specific theories, methodologies, and principles defining valid contributions within a field.
The field of public administration is experiencing a dramatic and rapid change. Locally and globally, some of the most significant trends that will have the role and function of public administrators is rapidly evolving as the needs and demands of citizens, governments and organisations influence their ability to create and implement policies.
Public administration in the 21st century is undergoing significant transformation, not just in advanced countries but also in various regions of the developing world, as the calls for transformative change grow louder. These changes are propelled by globalisation, liberalisation and the diversification of service provision.
In an era where administrative agility defines the efficacy of democratic governance, this chapter, “Techniques of Administrative Improvement”, offers a comprehensive exploration of transformative tools, methods, and strategies that are reshaping public administration in India and globally.
The rapid pace and interdependence of global, political, social and economic developments have necessitated a critical need for improved efficiency and effective public institutions, administrative procedures and sound financial management to confront challenges for sustainable development in all countries.
The evolution of Indian administration reflects a historical continuum shaped by civilizational values and transformative changes. Spanning the Mauryan, Mughal, and British eras, each phase contributed distinct institutional structures and governance philosophies.
As an initial output of the joint research between the Korean Institute of Public Administration (KIPA) and the National Academy of Governance (NAOG), this article provides overviews of the Korean and Mongolian legislative environment, governance and characteristics of the anti-corruption policies.
Administrative improvement is a strategic necessity in a fast-paced world. Techniques like O&M, Work Study, management aid tools such as network analysis form the cornerstone of efficient governance. MIS, PERT, and CPM tools equip administrators with the ability to anticipate challenges, and drive organizational success in an increasingly complex environment.
Street vendors are an integral part of the urban informal economy in India, providing essential goods and service that cater to the diverse needs of city residents. They operate in various capacities, from food vendors to artisans, and play a crucial role in enhancing the vibrancy and accessibility of urban life.
This paper examines the critical role of communication in driving India's economic growth within the context of its diverse societal structure and the rapidly evolving information age. It argues that effective communication is not merely a tool for disseminating information but a fundamental force shaping development trajectories.
One often wonders ‘what the government does’ and ‘why the government does what it does’ and equally importantly ‘what it does not do and why so’. According to Thomas R. Dye “public policy is whatever government chooses to do or not to do”, implying that government's actions and inactions both come into the realm of public policy.
Access to safe drinking water is not merely a fundamental human right; it is a cornerstone of public health, economic development, and social equity. In rural India, where water scarcity and inadequate infrastructure pose significant challenges, the quest for reliable water supply becomes even more critical.
This paper outlines the century-long history of Mongolia’s civil service training institution, the National Academy of Governance (NAOG), which plays a crucial role in meeting the contemporary needs of training and developing human resources within the civil service sector.
India stands at a crucial juncture in its quest for inclusive development that will bring prosperity across the spectrum. Large amounts of public funds are spent to address these issues, but their implementation and the quality of services delivered leave much to be desired.
India has committed to achieving developed nation status by the centenary of its independence, leveraging cutting-edge technologies including AI tapping into its vast human capital, and implementing policies that foster high growth while addressing enduring social and economic inequalities.
This article explores the value and statehood of Mongolia by utilising Woodrow Wilson’s categorisation of “Judging by the constitutional histories of the chief nations of the modern world, there may be three periods of growth through which government has passed in all the most highly developed of existing systems, and through which it promises to pass in all the rest.
This paper examines India's economic trajectory through the lens of its demographic dividend a substantial youth population exceeding 50% under age 25 within its 1.4 billion citizens. While this demographic advantage offers unprecedented economic potential, its promise is threatened by systemic challenges including inadequate education access, limited skill development, and employment scarcity, particularly in rural areas.
Remarkable technological and scientific progress has made the modern democratic State not a mere watch-dog or a police institution but an active participant interfering in almost every sphere of individual and corporate life in society in the changed role of a service state and a welfare state
Since the reform and opening up, China’s leadership training has experienced three stages of development: the initial stage of leadership training and development in the early period of China’s reform and opening up to the world (1978-2002), the rapid growing stage of leadership training and development in the period of fast growing economy and society (2002- 2012) and the innovative…
Accountability and control are essential for efficient, ethical administration in public and private sectors. Accountability ensures officials answer for actions and resource use, while control involves mechanisms to monitor compliance with laws and goals, promoting responsibility and preventing misconduct.
Healthcare in rural India presents unique challenges and opportunities. While global health metrics emphasize indicators like life expectancy, mortality rates, and healthcare infrastructure, they often fail to capture the socio-cultural nuances of rural communities
The “Internet plus” government service reform in China has progressed through three stages, namely one-stop service, one-window service, and companion service. This reform has become a significant example of reshaping the relationship between the local government and the public.
This paper explores the evolution of Indian welfare philosophy from Gandhi's nonviolent resistance to contemporary governance. It traces how the sacrifices of Indian revolutionaries fostered Sarvodaya and Antyodaya ideals, examining the philosophical underpinnings of these concepts in Advaita and dualistic traditions.
Like most other countries around the world, after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh's education system has undergone a radical change from the beginning of March 2020 onwards. The study attempts to analyse teachers’, students’ and parents’ perceptions and experiences about the online education in the COVID-19 pandemic at the school level.
Health is a fundamental human right and a critical indicator of development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the importance of ensuring health and well-being for all individuals. A key objective of this agenda is to guarantee favorable health outcomes, underscored by the endorsement of a new declaration during the Global Conference on Primary Health Care held in Astana,…
In this article, published reports have been used for analysing state-wise status of SDGs achievements and their correlations with attainments in areas of poverty-reduction and other developmental indicators. Also, progress made by GPs on various metrics related to SDGs has been corroborated with other relevant metrics
Loss of governance reform efficacy is an identified entrenched institutional problem in systems. Reform, anywhere, is a sticky material because holders of powers and their cronies have rarely shown altruistic intentions of relaxing their profiteering grips over resources.
On September 1, 2023, a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind explored the possibility of something called One Nation, One Election in India and ever since this thing has come out in public, political parties all across the country have been fuming with anger.
This paper examines various initiatives taken by Government of India to promote collaborative governance in various sectors. With increasing needs and aspirations of the community for public services and the limited capacity of government to provide the same, the involvement of various stakeholders to deliver these services becomes important and necessity.
In the vast and diverse landscape of India, regional disparities in development have long posed significant challenges to achieving equitable growth and social justice. Recognizing the urgent need to address these disparities, the Government of India launched the Aspirational Districts Programme in January 2018.
A dynamic interaction between the recognition of human complexity in organizations and the pursuit of structural efficiency has shaped the evolution of administrative philosophy. The foundational works of Frederick W. Taylor, Max Weber, Mary Parker Follett, Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Rensis Likert, Chris Argyris, and Douglas McGregor are critically examined in this essay, which charts the shift from traditional administrative…
In India, National Training Policy was formed in 2012, replacing the old policy of 1996. This was needed two reasons, new areas of administration given in the reports of second administrative reforms commission setup in 2005 and changing environment in different spheres of governance and new challenges of administration being faced by the civil servants.
India's emergence as a global services powerhouse in the 21st century marks a profound and transformative shift. This evolution, far from a mere economic change, is a strategic leap driven by its demographic dividend, technological advancements, and the burgeoning global demand for specialized services.
Public administration, as the executive arm of the state, has tremendous responsibilities to match the needs and aspirations of the citizens of the state. The systems have evolved over the years in almost every country as the politico and socio-economic environment of the respective country have changed.
Public administration is the cornerstone of modern governance. It refers to the organization, management, and implementation of government policies and programs, carried out by public officials and institutions. As a vital mechanism of the state, public administration not only ensures the effective delivery of services to citizens but also upholds the principles of accountability, transparency, and rule of law.
Tribal Sustainable Development through Evidence-based Policy and Planning: A major issue in post-Independence India has been a misreading of demands of tribal communities. What they have been demanding pertains to choice upholding their traditions and customs and having ownership over natural resources
As the Idiom of technological advancement takes its toll. The paper highlights a few poignant and emerging factors in the International Relations theorization. It was conservatively maintained by the defense strategists and the political leadership across the Global polity that foreign policy and the Diplomacy are greatly determined by the “given” of Geography and terrain
With the deepening of democracy, increased decentralisation, increasing social and political awareness, digital penetration, shifts in demography, demand for quality services by common citizens has been accelerating at a faster pace. In such a scenario, the role of State is critical for promoting equity in access to services.
"Accelerating India's Development" holistically looks at India’s growth trajectory since gaining independence – it rounds up all where it has done well including unity, upholding the integrity of its constitution, retaining democratic values at its core. It also does not mince words to convey where all the nation has faltered such as falling short in delivery of public services including…
Income and Employment Intensive Growth Agenda for India: The paper examines income and employment status in the Indian labour force to identify policy attention and follow up. The macroeconomic policies taken during last one decade are yielding positive results leading to expansion of manufacturing and services and structural transformation in the economy.
An Analysis of India's Social Welfare Programs: In a democracy, the state's role is to promote societal welfare. According to Aristotle, the state should not only ensure its survival but also improve the quality of life for its citizens. The state has a moral responsibility to its citizens. Modern views agree that the state should provide essential services like education,…
Digital Innovations in Social Protection: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions: The integration of digital technologies into social protection systems represents a transformative shift with profound implications for the delivery of welfare services. This chapter explores the evolving landscape of digital innovations in social protection, contextualising these developments within the broader framework of universal social protection and a systemic approach to welfare.
One of the most crucial aspects of our society is law enforcement, which deals with issues of law and order nationwide. It is an essential component of the state's legal system. The British government introduced a Police Act in 1861, which is still very relevant and based on policing.
India’s Vision for 2047 aims to transform the nation into a developed country, with healthcare being pivotal for this progress. Achieving universal health coverage and modernising healthcare infrastructure are essential for fostering a healthy productive population, which in turn drives economic growth and reduces poverty.
Several challenges linger in the Indian education system, like rote learning, the non-existence of practical skills among students, and disparities in access to quality education. To deal with the criticism for excessive curriculum and unreasonable focus on rote learning, this chapter examines the strategies comprising the building blocks to reform Indian schools.
Social development is expected to promote holistic improvement of individuals, institutions and their surrounding environments. Looking at the pace of development in India, the economy of most states requires strategic prioritization to accelerate improved well-being of the people. Accessibility to health, school education and public security are critical to the edifice of social development.
India is the largest democracy in the world inhabited by about 1.36 billion people over an area of 3287 thousand square kilometers according to an estimate for 2021 based on Census 2011. The Indian economy is characterised as a middle-income emerging market economy. In the last three decades the economy has faced three major crises, i.e., balance of payment crisis…
Neoliberal policies pursued by India since 1990s have created a space for private enterprises hitherto occupied by the state entities, unshackled the existing enterprises and introduced reforms to facilitate private initiative. This chapter looks into the ecosystem of the private sector in general and the developments in three specific sectors- urban mobility, water supply and housing, to draw lessons for…
This Chapter highlights the gradual transformation from Personnel Administration to Strategic Human Resource Management over the years in Government of India. However, there is still a long way to go. In this Chapter an attempt has been made to delineate the criticality to move towards Strategic HRM in Government of India to achieve India’s developmental goals.
Robust statistical data forms the cornerstone of an informed governance system. This paper studies the statistical system and data dissemination in the Centre and State governments in India, and the measures put in action to accelerate the data dissemination process. Arguing that the availability of high-frequency statistical data is a necessary condition for good governance, the first section of the…
In the Amrit Kaal (golden period) of independent India, the ‘citizen first’ approach guides public governance by deepening the outreach of service delivery mechanism so that international standards could be achieved in India@100. The goal can only be achieved by all inclusive governance involving stronger and effective local self-governments both panchayats and municipalities.
In modern societies, with the increasing role of the state in social and economic fields, emphasis on the quality of its governance is of prime concern to all. Indian bureaucratic system of governance is founded on the principle of rule of law, as the state power is divided amongst three chief organs, each has the its own quality under a…
This paper discusses the concept of good governance and its relations with the electoral politics in Indian context. It highlights the various strategies employed by the government and related agencies for the growth and development of the country. Major reforms pertaining to the country’s infrastructure, IT, administration, economy and public services are a few areas that have been explored in…
With the Indian government’s vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, marking hundred years of independence, it has become of highest importance to learn from the past, tenaciously work in the present and step towards the future with complete efficiency. In its 77 years of becoming a democracy, India has soared high with continuous transformations marked by both…
The vision of Viksit Bharat can be realised through Viksit States, and that the aspiration of Viksit Bharat should reach the grassroot level i.e. to each district, block, and village. For this, each State and District should create a vision for 2047 so as to realise Viksit Bharat @ 2047.