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Preferential resource spending under an employment guarantee : the political economy of MGNREGS in Andhra Pradesh

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  • Sheahan,Megan Britney
  • Liu,Yanyan
  • Barrett,Christopher B.
  • Narayanan,Sudha

Abstract

Are ostensibly demand-driven public works programs with high levels of safeguards nonetheless susceptible to political influence? This conjecture is investigated using expenditure data at the local level from India's National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Focusing on one state where accountability and transparency mechanisms have been employed and implementation efforts have been widely applauded, there is no evidence of partisan-influenced spending before the 2009 election however a statistically significant but small in magnitude effect after the 2009 election. Most variation in public works expenditures is explained by the observed needs of potential beneficiaries, as the scheme intended.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheahan,Megan Britney & Liu,Yanyan & Barrett,Christopher B. & Narayanan,Sudha, 2016. "Preferential resource spending under an employment guarantee : the political economy of MGNREGS in Andhra Pradesh," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7818, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7818
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    Cited by:

    1. Das, Upasak & Maiorano, Diego, 2019. "Post-clientelistic initiatives in a patronage democracy: The distributive politics of India’s MGNREGA," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 239-252.
    2. Das, Ritanjan & Dey, Subhasish & Neogi, Ranjita, 2021. "Across the stolen Ponds: The political geography of social welfare in rural eastern India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    3. Narayanan, Sudha & Das, Upasak & Liu, Yanyan & Barrett, Christopher B., 2017. "The “Discouraged Worker Effect” in Public Works Programs: Evidence from the MGNREGA in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 31-44.
    4. Chau, Nancy H. & Liu, Yanyan & Soundararajan, Vidhya, 2021. "Political activism as a determinant of strategic transfers: Evidence from an indian public works program," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    5. Devesh Kapur, 2020. "Why Does the Indian State Both Fail and Succeed?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(1), pages 31-54, Winter.

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