Chirashree Das Gupta
Associate Professor, Centre for Economic Policy and Public Finance, Asian Development Research Institute
Focus: Reconciling Economic Policy and Institution-Building Goals, Eliminating Markets for Public Office, Building a Reform Team and Staff, Reducing Divisive Effects of Competition, Containing Patronage Pressures
Keywords: public finance, incentive systems, information management systems, ethnic representation
Interviewer(s): Rohan Mukherjee
Country of Reform: India
Location: Asian Development Research Institute, Patna, India
Date: Mon Jul 13 2009
Abstract
Chirashree Das Gupta of the Asian Development Research Institute addresses a range of governance issues on the reform agenda of the Nitish Kumar government that came to power in India's Bihar state in 2005. In particular, she talks about the administrative reforms that were necessary after years of curtailed expenditures and reduced functioning of basic governance. She details the importance of coalition-building and incentive-based ownership of programs by the bureaucracy, while recognizing the issue of brokerage that exists in areas of deprivation with a limited number of positions available. She highlights the recruitment of 100,000 teachers as both a success and a failure. She also shares thoughts on integration of different segments of society in a place where the caste system so clearly divides political support.
Case Studies: Coalition Building in a Divided Society: Bihar State, India, 2005-2009 and Reviving the Administration, Bihar State, India, 2005-2009
Full Profile
At the time of this interview, Chirashree Das Gupta was associate professor at the Centre for Economic Policy and Public Finance of the Asian Development Research Institute, in Patna, the capital of Bihar state, India. She worked on the political economy of state-society relations.
