IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nwe/eajour/y2025i2p514-536.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Threshold Dynamics of Public Expenditure on Human Development: Reflections from India

Author

Listed:
  • Neelam Sharma

    (Jaypee University of Information Technology, India)

  • Amit Srivastava

    (Jaypee University of Information Technology, India)

  • Sakshi Khanna

    (University College of Business Studies (UCBS), India)

Abstract

The study investigates how changes in public expenditure affect human development across India and its six distinct regions (North-Eastern, Northern, Western, Southern, Eastern, and Central) using Hansen’s panel threshold regression model. Analyzing data from 1999–2000 to 2018–19, the research uncovers significant differences among regions in the threshold impacts of public spending on human development. The results for pan India, North-Eastern, Central and Southern regions exhibit a singular threshold impact, meaning that exceeding this very threshold level may not positively influence human development and could lead to fiscal imbalances. In contrast the Northern, Western and Eastern regions illustrate no threshold effect. Furthermore, the study identifies that the optimal expenditure threshold is higher for the North-eastern region (81.9%) compared to the Central region (77.2%) and Southern region states (68.4%), reflecting higher expenditure requirements to enhance human development levels. In the case of combined data of all regions (pan India), the optimal level exists at (80.5%), indicating effective government measures in education, entrepreneurship, and health. The findings highlight the diverse impact of budgetary policies on human development across Indian regions, emphasizing the need for policymakers to consider regional differences in social infrastructural needs while formulating budgetary strategies. Recognizing the varying optimal expenditure levels is crucial for addressing long-term budgetary imbalances and promoting sustainable development initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Neelam Sharma & Amit Srivastava & Sakshi Khanna, 2025. "Threshold Dynamics of Public Expenditure on Human Development: Reflections from India," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 2, pages 514-536, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nwe:eajour:y:2025:i:2:p:514-536
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.unwe.bg/doi/eajournal/2025.2/EA.2025.2.11.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kaushik Basu & Annemie Maertens, 2007. "The pattern and causes of economic growth in India," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 23(2), pages 143-167, Summer.
    2. Yousra Mekdad & Aziz Dahmani & Monir Louadj, 2014. "Public spending on education and Economic Growth in Algeria: Causality Test," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 0101002, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    3. Geetilaxmi MOHAPATRA & A. K. GIRI & Madhu SEHRAWAT, 2016. "Foreign aid, macroeconomic policies and economic growth nexus in India: An ARDL bounds testing approach," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(4(609), W), pages 183-202, Winter.
    4. Lant Pritchett & Lawrence H. Summers, 1996. "Wealthier is Healthier," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 31(4), pages 841-868.
    5. Sharma, Neelam & Khanna, Sakshi & Srivastava, Amit, 2024. "Threshold Impacts of Public Expenditure on Economic Growth: Insights from India Utilizing Panel Threshold Regression Model," Asian Journal of Applied Economics, Kasetsart University, Center for Applied Economics Research, vol. 31(01), January.
    6. Hansen, Bruce E., 1999. "Threshold effects in non-dynamic panels: Estimation, testing, and inference," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 345-368, December.
    7. Anand, Sudhir & Sen, Amartya, 2000. "Human Development and Economic Sustainability," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 2029-2049, December.
    8. Siddhartha Biswas & Indraneel Chakraborty & Rong Hai, 2017. "Income Inequality, Tax Policy, and Economic Growth," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 0(601), pages 688-727, May.
    9. Neel Rao & Twisha Chatterjee, 2018. "Sibling gender and wage differences," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(15), pages 1725-1745, March.
    10. Thushyanthan Baskaran & Lars P. Feld & Jan Schnellenbach, 2016. "Fiscal Federalism, Decentralization, And Economic Growth: A Meta-Analysis," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(3), pages 1445-1463, July.
    11. Sakshi Khanna & Amit Srivastava & Yajulu Medury, 2016. "A study of capital structure dynamics on the value of Indian firms using panel threshold regression model," International Journal of Management Practice, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(1), pages 40-55.
    12. F. Javier Arze del Granado & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Robert M. McNab, 2018. "Decentralized Governance, Expenditure Composition, and Preferences for Public Goods," Public Finance Review, , vol. 46(3), pages 359-388, May.
    13. Geetilaxmi MOHAPATRA & A. K. GIRI & Madhu SEHRAWAT, 2016. "Foreign aid, macroeconomic policies and economic growth nexus in India: An ARDL bounds testing approach," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(4(609), W), pages 183-202, Winter.
    14. Klaus E. Meyer & Ram Mudambi & Rajneesh Narula, 2011. "Multinational Enterprises and Local Contexts: The Opportunities and Challenges of Multiple Embeddedness," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 235-252, March.
    15. Samuel Kofi Tetteh Baah & Aziz Atamanov & Judy Yang & Christoph Lakner & Daniel Gerszon Mahler, 2020. "The Effect of New PPP Estimates on Global Poverty," World Bank Publications - Reports 33816, The World Bank Group.
    16. Suri, Tavneet & Boozer, Michael A. & Ranis, Gustav & Stewart, Frances, 2011. "Paths to Success: The Relationship Between Human Development and Economic Growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 506-522, April.
    17. Pierre-Richard Agénor, 2008. "Fiscal policy and endogenous growth with public infrastructure," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 60(1), pages 57-87, January.
    18. Jha, Shikha & Mallick, Sushanta K. & Park, Donghyun & Quising, Pilipinas F., 2014. "Effectiveness of countercyclical fiscal policy: Evidence from developing Asia," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 82-98.
    19. Cordelia Onyinyechi Omodero & Kabiru Isa Dandago, 2019. "Tax Revenue and Public Service Delivery: Evidence From Nigeria," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 10(2), pages 82-91, April.
    20. Bina Agarwal & Pradeep Panda, 2007. "Toward Freedom from Domestic Violence: The Neglected Obvious," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(3), pages 359-388.
    21. Manjisha Sinha & R. Sendhil & B. S. Chandel & Ravinder Malhotra & Ajmer Singh & Sujeet Kumar Jha & Gopal Sankhala, 2022. "Are Multidimensional Poor more Vulnerable to Climate change? Evidence from Rural Bihar, India," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(1), pages 123-149, July.
    22. August, Kristin J. & Sorkin, Dara H., 2010. "Marital status and gender differences in managing a chronic illness: The function of health-related social control," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(10), pages 1831-1838, November.
    23. Bruce E. Hansen, 2000. "Sample Splitting and Threshold Estimation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 68(3), pages 575-604, May.
    24. Deepak Kumar Behera & Umakant Dash, 2020. "Is health expenditure effective for achieving healthcare goals? Empirical evidence from South-East Asia Region," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 593-618, June.
    25. Neelam Sharma & Sakshi Khanna & Amit Srivastava, 2024. "Threshold Impacts of Public Expenditure on Economic Growth: Insights from India Utilizing Panel Threshold Regression Model," Asian Journal of Applied Economics/ Applied Economics Journal, Kasetsart University, Faculty of Economics, Center for Applied Economic Research, vol. 31(1), pages 37-57.
    26. Iñaki Permanyer & Jeroen Smits, 2020. "Inequality in Human Development across the Globe," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 46(3), pages 583-601, September.
    27. Craigwell, Roland & Greenidge, Kevin & Thomas, Chrystal & Drakes, Lisa, 2012. "Threshold Effects of Sovereign Debt: Evidence from the Caribbean," MPRA Paper 40936, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    28. Arusha Cooray, 2009. "Government Expenditure, Governance and Economic Growth," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 51(3), pages 401-418, September.
    29. Dasgupta, Partha, 1990. "Well-Being and the Extent of Its Realisation in Poor Countries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 100(400), pages 1-32, Supplemen.
    30. Assa, Jacob, 2021. "Less is more: The implicit sustainability content of the human development index," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    31. Rajkumar, Andrew Sunil & Swaroop, Vinaya, 2008. "Public spending and outcomes: Does governance matter?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(1), pages 96-111, April.
    32. Olson, Mancur, 1993. "Dictatorship, Democracy, and Development," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 87(3), pages 567-576, September.
    33. Aziz Atamanov & Christoph Lakner & Daniel Gerszon Mahler & Samuel Kofi Tetteh Baah & Judy Yang, 2020. "The Effect of New PPP Estimates on Global Poverty: A First Look," Global Poverty Monitoring Technical Note Series 12, The World Bank.
    34. Myrdal, Gunnar, 1968. "Twenty Years of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(3), pages 617-628, July.
    35. Swati R. Ghosh, 2006. "East Asian Finance : The Road to Robust Markets," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7063, April.
    36. Sen, Amartya, 1999. "Commodities and Capabilities," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195650389, Decembrie.
    37. Amartya Sen, 2000. "A Decade of Human Development," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(1), pages 17-23.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sharma, Neelam & Khanna, Sakshi & Srivastava, Amit, 2024. "Threshold Impacts of Public Expenditure on Economic Growth: Insights from India Utilizing Panel Threshold Regression Model," Asian Journal of Applied Economics, Kasetsart University, Center for Applied Economics Research, vol. 31(01), January.
    2. Christopher P. P. Shafuda & Utpal Kumar De, 2020. "Government expenditure on human capital and growth in Namibia: a time series analysis," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 9(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Vollmer, Sebastian & Ziegler, Maria, 2009. "Political Institutions and Human Development Does Democracy Fulfill its 'Constructive' and 'Instrumental' Role?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4818, The World Bank.
    4. Henry Aray & Luis Pedagua, 2021. "Decentralization and economic growth: Evidence across states of some relevant macroeconomic variables," ThE Papers 21/08, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada..
    5. Kalu Ojah & Stella Muhanji & Odongo Kodongo, 2022. "Infrastructure threshold and economic growth in Africa: do income level and geography matter?," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 1587-1627, August.
    6. Sakshi Khanna & Amit Srivastava & Yajulu Medury, 2016. "A study of capital structure dynamics on the value of Indian firms using panel threshold regression model," International Journal of Management Practice, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(1), pages 40-55.
    7. Chiu, Chien-Liang & Chang, Ting-Huan, 2009. "What proportion of renewable energy supplies is needed to initially mitigate CO2 emissions in OECD member countries?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(6-7), pages 1669-1674, August.
    8. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "Insurance Policy Thresholds for Economic Growth in Africa," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(3), pages 672-689, July.
    9. Zheng, Yingmei & Qi, Jianhong & Chen, Xiaoliang, 2011. "The effect of increasing exports on industrial energy intensity in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2688-2698, May.
    10. Kelbesa Megersa & Danny Cassimon, 2015. "Public Debt, Economic Growth, and Public Sector Management in Developing Countries: Is There a Link?," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 35(5), pages 329-346, December.
    11. Ruofan Liao & Zhengtao Chen & Jirakom Sirisrisakulchai & Jianxu Liu, 2025. "Enhancing Rural Economic Sustainability in China Through Agricultural Socialization Services: A Novel Perspective on Spatial-Temporal Dynamics," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-28, January.
    12. Liu, Haiyun & Islam, Mollah Aminul & Khan, Muhammad Asif & Hossain, Md Ismail & Pervaiz, Khansa, 2020. "Does financial deepening attract foreign direct investment? Fresh evidence from panel threshold analysis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    13. Combes, Jean-Louis & Minea, Alexandru & Sawadogo, Pegdéwendé Nestor, 2021. "Does the composition of government spending matter for government bond spreads?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 409-420.
    14. Samargandi, Nahla & Fidrmuc, Jan & Ghosh, Sugata, 2015. "Is the Relationship Between Financial Development and Economic Growth Monotonic? Evidence from a Sample of Middle-Income Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 66-81.
    15. Polemis, Michael & Tselekounis, Markos, 2019. "Does deregulation drive innovation intensity? Lessons learned from the OECD telecommunications sector," MPRA Paper 92770, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Ignacio Ferrero & Alejo José G. Sison, 2012. "A Survey on Virtue in Business and Management (1980-2011)," Faculty Working Papers 06/12, School of Economics and Business Administration, University of Navarra.
    17. Massacci, Daniele, 2017. "Least squares estimation of large dimensional threshold factor models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 197(1), pages 101-129.
    18. Zhang, Xiaobei & Wang, Xiaojun, 2021. "Measures of human capital and the mechanics of economic growth," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    19. Dang, Viet Anh & Kim, Minjoo & Shin, Yongcheol, 2014. "Asymmetric adjustment toward optimal capital structure: Evidence from a crisis," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 226-242.
    20. Asongu, Simplice A. & Nnanna, Joseph & Acha-Anyi, Paul N., 2020. "Finance, inequality and inclusive education in Sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 162-177.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nwe:eajour:y:2025:i:2:p:514-536. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Vanya Lazarova (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/unweebg.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.