Although, the state has the right incentive and intentions to deliver public services efficiently, its capacity to do so is questionable. Critically discuss in the context of India.

India is a welfare state, as envisaged in the directive principles of the state policy. This entails its responsibility for efficient Public Service Delivery.

Incentives and intentions of the state in delivering Public Services:

• Right intention – As envisaged by DPSPs, and by launching various schemes like Poshan Abhiyan and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the state has shown its right intentions to deliver public services.
• Right incentive – with 2nd largest population in the world, facing multiple challenges like poor health, and low literacy, there is enough incentive to deliver public services efficiently. E.g: 67% of children are anemic in India (NFHS5), highlighting the need for delivery of Health Services.

Lack of capacity to deliver public services:

• Low tax base, which is insufficient compared to the vast population of India. It leads to low spending on public service delivery. Only 1.4% of GDP is spent on Healthcare and only 4.5% of GDP is spent on education.
• Tax evasion and avoidance by rich people further add to the lower capacity of the government.
• Limited participation of the private sector has meant a disproportionate burden on the government to deliver services efficiently.

However, the government’s engagement in corruption, wasteful expenditure, extravagance, and also leakages, and exclusion errors in schemes, highlight, a lack of use of capacity in the right direction.

Topics: GS-II: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in Various Sectors • GS-II: Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections • GS-II: Mechanisms Laws for Protection of Vulnerable Sections • GS-II: Important Aspects of Governance Transparency and Accountability Citizen Charters