'Decentralization, Rural governance and Inclusive Growth: Linkage and Implications' is the main theme of the research at National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi. This research project is funded by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, under the program "Globalization, Growth and Poverty".
The major focus of work is to analyse various aspects of rural governance in an attempt to establish whether decentralization of governance and the creation of appropriate institutions are effective in achieving inclusive and pro-poor growth. Preliminary research shows, with greater decentralization, the satisfaction level of the target population with respect to delivery of public goods improves. In addition, when public goods are provided in a decentralised setting, the inefficiencies of fiscal transfers from higher to lower levels of governments could be greatly reduced, if not entirely eliminated.... More...