"This book is an excellent effort in examining the impact of decentralization on the delivery of social services at the grassroots levels in India. It succeeds in bringing home the key message, namely mere decentralization is not enough to improve social well-being." - S. S. Meenakshisundaram; Pacific Affairs, 2013.
1. The Promise of Decentralization 2. Decentralization in India - Rooting the State 3. Karnataka - Advances with the Help of Competitive Local Governments 4. West Bengal - Continuity and Domination at a Cost 5. Uttar Pradesh - Fractionalized Power and Local Governments 6. Political Power, Local Governments, and Social Welfare Appendix A: Powers to be Delegates to Panchayats by State Governments Appendix B: Methodology Appendix C: Field Research Questionnaire
Rani D. Mullen is Assistant Professor of Government at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, USA. She is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi, India. She has written articles on Indian politics and current developments in Afghanistan.