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Labor Market Effects of Social Programs: Evidence from India's Employment Guarantee

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  • Clément Imbert
  • John Papp

Abstract

Using the gradual roll out of a large rural workfare program in India, we estimate its e ect on private employment and wages by comparing districts that received the program earlier relative to those that received it later. Our results suggest that public sector hiring crowds out private sector work and increases private sector wages. We compute the implied welfare gains of the program by consumption quintile. Our calculations show that the welfare gains to the poor from the equilibrium increase in private sector wages are large in absolute terms and large relative to the gains received solely by program participants.

Suggested Citation

  • Clément Imbert & John Papp, 2013. "Labor Market Effects of Social Programs: Evidence from India's Employment Guarantee," CSAE Working Paper Series 2013-03, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    • Handle: RePEc:csa:wpaper:2013-03
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J45 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Public Sector Labor Markets
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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