The origins of the powerful sugar lobby in Maharashtra date back to the 1950s. Post Independence, cooperatives formed an integral part of the Congress vision of 'rural development with local initiative'. A 'special' status was accorded to the sugar cooperatives and the government assumed the...

This paper-focusing on Maharashtra-is part of a broader programme that is trying to understand the fiscal problems being faced at the level of state governments. This paper provides a brief overview of the economic environment in Maharashtra including the socio-economic development of the state...

A noticeable change evident in the Indian political scenario since the eighties has been a sharp rise in the frequency with which governments have been ousted out of power. This augurs well for Indian democracy as it reflects a ‘political awakening’. Such changes in government, after an...

Transcending all barriers between economics and politics, this interdisciplinary approach has successfully carved out a niche for itself. In the present study we take the reader on a guided tour into the territory of the Public Choice School. One crucial distinction of this survey article is...

The present study has sought to introduce, conceptualise and operationalise a scheme for integrating the ‘quality’ dimension of public spending into the devolution scheme of intergovernmental transfers by the Finance Commission. The study illustrates a scheme of inter-se...

This paper - focusing on Maharashtra - is part of a broader programme that is trying to understand the fiscal problems being faced at the level of state governments. This paper provides a brief overview of the economic environment in Maharashtra including the socio-economic development of the...

This study has made some suggestions for the consideration of the Twelfth Finance Commission. We have provided a conceptual framework comprising eight cardinal principles abbreviated as FAIR PLAN. We have also operationalised the framework and provided a computational algorithm for inter se...

Infrastructure in general and urban infrastructure in particular has proved to be a pons asinorum of economic development. Whilst infrastructure is an umbrella term, provision of many of its components is the duty of the urban local bodies (ULBs). Given the financial crunch faced by the ULBs,...

Decentralization in India has only recently gained momentum, particularly with the 73-super-rd and 74-super-th amendments in 1992, which extended constitutional recognition to local governments. Against this backdrop, this article examines the Leviathan hypothesis put forth by Brennan and...