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Social Sector Expenditures and Their Impact on Human Development:The Indian Experience |
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Binoy Goswami and M.P. Bezbaruah |
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India’s climb to a high - growth path following market- oriented economic reforms initiated in 1991 has not been matched by an improvement in her world ranking in human development. Reflecting the concern at the insufficient diffusion of the gains of growth, the emphasis in the rhetoric of public policy is currently on making the growth process inclusive . In pursuance of this stated goal, the allocations of public expenditures on social sectors have been stepped up with the expectation of enhancing the access of the masses to the basic necessities of life. This presents a detailed analysis of public expenditure on social sectors in India during the post- reform period with an eye on its contribution to th e process of human development in the country. An econometric analysis using state level data has revealed that variations in human development across states have more to do with the irrespective growth attainments than with the public expenditure on social sectors. As for the policy aimed at expediting the process of human development in the country, the paper suggests the twin strategies of continuation of growth - oriented economic reforms and improvement of the delivery mechanism for facilitating a more effective deployment of the social sector expenditures. |
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