Poverty, Participation and Panchayats
Anirudh Krishna, Duke University
SELECTED FROM RESEARCH ON

Panchayats and Collective Action
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan

Democratic Participation
Andhra, M.P, Rajasthan

Poverty, Education and Social Mobility
Andhra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka
Poverty: A Dynamic Property
Rajasthan
Escaped
Poverty
Became
Poor
Net
Poverty
Reduction
11%
8%
3%
9%
6%
3%
14%
12%
2%
(35 villages)
Gujarat
(36 villages)
Andhra
(36 villages)
The News about Poverty
 Escape and Descent are parallel and
concurrent
 Reasons for Escape differ from Reasons
for Descent
 Separate policies are needed – to prevent
descent, and to promote escape
Major Reasons for Descent
Health and health-related expenses
(59% in Rajasthan; 88% in Gujarat; 75% in Andhra)
Social expenses: death feasts, marriages
(37% in Rajasthan; 49% in Gujarat; 69% Andhra)
High-interest private debt
(86% in Rajasthan; 52% in Gujarat; 60% in Andhra)
Other location-specific reasons
(24% in Andhra: non-delivering irrigation schemes in particular
villages)
Major Reasons for Escape
Diversification of Income Sources
(45% Gujarat, 70% Rajasthan, 51% Andhra)
Irrigation and farm improvement
(29% Gujarat, 27% Rajasthan, 25% Andhra)
Jobs
(many fewer)
 Government assistance programs
(paltry: 6% Gujarat, 7% Rajasthan, 6% Andhra)
Poverty Reduction
Panchayats can make critical impacts by
•
Improving Healthcare
•
Promoting Upward Mobility…
(also specific local causes…)
The Good News:
Rapid Rise in Education Achievement
Percentage with 5 or more years of formal education
Age
61+
31-40
21-25
11-15
F
F
Gender
F
M
F
M
M
M
Rajasthan
1
17
9
46 23 73 54 75
Karnataka
4
27 22 43 51 74 92 92
Source: Original data collected in 2006 from 20 Rajasthan and 20 Karnataka villages
Rising Functional Literacy
(11-15-year-olds by caste group and gender)
Caste group
Gender
OBC
F
M
SC
F
ST
M
F
General
M
F
M
Rajasthan 62 79 64 76 24 47 87 84
Karnataka 94 94 86 92 86 82
-
-
Source: Original data collected in 2006 from 20 Rajasthan and 20 Karnataka villages
But severely limited upward mobility…
Highest levels reached in 71 Rajasthan
villages (last 10 years)
Accountant
(2) Lineman
(7)
Advocate
(4) Panchayat Secy.
(4)
Computer Operator (4) Patwari
(11)
Constable
(6)
Clerk Typist
(8) Peon
(10) Sub-Inspector
(4)
Doctor
(1) Schoolteacher
(50)
Driver
(4) Soldier (Jawan)
(32)
Civil Engineer
(2) Software Engineer
(1)
Highest levels reached in 20 Karnataka
villages (last 10 years)
Accountant
(3) Lineman
(2)
Advocate
(3) Panchayat Secy.
(2)
Computer Operator (4) Patwari
(3)
Constable
Peon
(6)
Nursing Asst.
(1)
(11)
Clerk Typist
(6)
Doctor
(1) Schoolteacher
Driver
(2) Soldier (Jawan)
(8)
Engineer
(3) Veterinary Asst.
(2)
(21)
Sharp Drop after Elementary Education
• Karnataka villages: Only 5.5 percent have
more than 11 years of education
• Rajasthan villages: Only 3.1 percent have
more than 11 years of education
(These percentages nearly the same among 21-25
year-olds)
Source: Original data
EDUCATION AND ASPIRATIONS
1. Rapidly rising demand for education, but
2. A sharp drop-off occurs soon after
elementary school, and
3. Achievements and aspirations are both
severely limited
Stated Career Aspirations
(Percent of 556 villagers, 14-22 years old and attending school)
RAJASTHAN
KARNATAKA
BETTER-PAID POSITIONS
13%
12%
Accountant
>1%
>1%
Business Manager
>1%
>1%
Doctor
2%
2%
Engineer
3%
4%
Lawyer
2%
1%
Senior Government
3%
1%
Other well-paid
1%
2%
LOW-PAID POSITIONS
87%
88%
School Teacher
43%
39%
Army or Police recruit
24%
17%
Other low-level govt.
15%
22%
Other low-paid private
5%
11%
PARALLEL STUDY: WHO BECOMES A SOFTWARE
PROFESSIONAL?
Detailed interviews with 150 newly recruited software engineers
(random selection from three Bangalore-based firms) and HRD
managers of these and other firms
THREE SIGNIFICANT GAPS
Rural Gap
Wealth Gap
Generational Education Gap – most significant
Only between 4% and 7% of Indians qualify
Upward Mobility
Panchayats’ roles?

Employment exchanges?

Secure transportation to high schools?

Teaching quality and quantity

Promoting role models (most promising)
NjHealth
NjHigher Education
NjUpward Mobility
www.pubpol.duke.edu/krishna
What do you expect: If you were to make contact
with a government official or political leader, will
you get a response or will you be ignored?
Rajasthan
Andhra
1: Will get a response: 41%
46%
2: Will be ignored:
54%
59%
Access is a key issue…
Access is a problem, but faith in democracy
remains strong:
Question: Suppose a political leader arranges to increase
your income by 50 percent forever but also asks to stay in
power forever: no more elections will be held. Will you
support this leader?
Support or Strongly Support
Very Poor
20%
(stages 1-3)
Poor
19%
(stages 4-5)
Middle
17%
(stages 6-8)
Better Off
(stages 9+)
16%
Strong party identification, but parties do not solve
the Access Problem for ordinary citizens:
 91% of 2,291 respondents strongly identified
themselves with one or another political party
 Increase in party identification over seven years
 But parties are centralized, top-down organizations,
with no permanent presence at the grassroots
 Rarely enable access upward
Who helps with Access in the following situations?
(Rajasthan, 1997-98 data)
Party
Reps.
Panchayat Caste
Leaders
Leaders
Naya Netas
Dealing with
police or tahsil
6%
5%
20%
62%
Getting a bank
loan
5%
7%
8%
63%
Replacing a nonperforming
teacher
4%
18%
11%
64%
Getting wage
employment
4%
11%
8%
70%
Similar result in Andhra: more than 60% rely upon Naya Netas.