Vertical banner3 final

Visit CSIE

Welfare, Public Systems, and Social Policy

Explore how welfare, human development, and public systems shape India’s growth and development trajectory. 

Welfare and social policy are not just support for those left behind by growth. They form part of the political and economic foundation of society and are a precondition for democratic legitimacy, helping build capacities, expand opportunity, enhance equity, and enable genuinely achievable aspirations.

Through this vertical, we examine public finance and expenditure, delivery mechanisms, and institutional capacity across sectors like education, health, and justice, where access remains out of reach for many, to make the case for more effective and equitable public systems.

Drawing on national and state-level data, as well as primary surveys, we study how India’s welfare architecture is evolving, including the wide variation across states in investment, governance, and outcomes. We examine how accountability, decentralisation, and public finance shape outcomes, not just across regions and sectors but across social groups, particularly the historically marginalised ones.

This vertical also builds partnerships with governments and civil society through training, capacity building, and collaborative research.

State of Welfare Project

Bhargav, B. S., Sinha, D., Narayanan, R., Mathai, R., & Ram, V. S. (Eds.). (2026, June). Realising rights: A handbook of welfare in India. Centre for the Study of the Indian Economy, Azim Premji University. 

Back to CSIE →