List of tables, figures, boxes and appendices; List of abbreviations; Preface; 1. Unpacking decentralization; 2. Decentralization in service delivery: empirical evidences; 3. Decentralization in India: history, laws and politics; 4. Local-level fiscal decentralization: state finance commissions and devolution; 5. Decentralization of education; 6. Decentralization in health service delivery; 7. Measuring benefit incidence: health and education; 8. Effectiveness of decentralization on service delivery: accountability and efficiency; 9. What we have learnt and the way ahead; Bibliography; Index.