Impact of Infrastructure on Productivity: Case of Indian Registered Manufacturing

This study is primarily focused on the productivity impacts of the provision of infrastructure on the registered manufacturing sector in India. This is analyzed by estimating the cost elasticity of infrastructure inputs. For this purpose we postulate a variable cost function model for the manufacturing sector with cost as a function of the prices of the variable inputs, levels of output and infrastructure stocks. Variable inputs include capital, labour and intermediate input. Infrastructure is assumed to be a quasi-fixed input since its provision is done mainly by the public sector and it cannot be instantaneously adjusted in the short-run. The cost function model estimated consists of the variable translog cost function and the cost share equations for the variable inputs. We have used time series data and it pertains to the period 1965-1999. Twenty-three infrastructure variables are used in this study which, are aggregated using the principal component methodology. Three alternative specifications of the quasi-fixed inputs are explored. The alternatives are economic infrastructure, social infrastructure and aggregate infrastructure. Estimated results suggest that infrastructure provision enhances the productivity in the manufacturing sector and it helps to lower the costs in the sector. Apart from this it also has several bias effects with respect to the variable inputs.