MSHIPA Hosts Talk by Prof. Karthik Muralidharan on State-Led Roadmap for India’s Development
Dr. Manmohan Singh Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public
Administration (MSHIPA), Shimla, organised a talk by eminent economist Prof. Karthik
Muralidharan on the theme “Accelerating India’s Development: A State-Led Roadmap for
Effective Governance” at the Conference Hall, Armsdale Building, Secretariat.
The lecture drew upon Prof. Muralidharan’s book Accelerating India’s Development: A
State-Led Roadmap for Effective Governance, reflecting insights gathered over years of
research and policy engagement. He highlighted the need to strengthen state capacity,
governance, and public service delivery as key drivers of India’s development. Emphasising
that the quality of implementation is as important as policy design, he underscored the
importance of improving accountability, data systems, and frontline service delivery
mechanisms. He also pointed out that India often performs well in “mission mode” but
struggles with routine service delivery, and that bridging this gap is essential for sustained
development.
He further emphasised that simply increasing public spending is not sufficient; rather,
improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the state can yield significantly better
outcomes. Stressing the centrality of sectors such as education, health, public finance, and
administrative systems, he noted that strengthening these areas is crucial for translating
economic growth into broad-based and inclusive development. He concluded by highlighting
that building a more effective state remains a key challenge and opportunity for India’s future
development trajectory.
The programme was organised by MSHIPA, Shimla. Smt. Rupali Thakur, Director,
MSHIPA, was present on the occasion. Among others, Dr. Abhishek Jain, Secretary
(Finance, Planning, Public Works, Economics & Statistics), and Shri Rakesh Kanwar,
Secretary (Education), Government of Himachal Pradesh, attended the event, along with
senior officers, academicians, and participants from various departments.
The event witnessed the participation of M.A. and Ph.D. students from Himachal Pradesh
University belonging to the Departments of Political Science, Economics, and Public
Administration.
The lecture was followed by an engaging question-and-answer session, where participants
interacted with the speaker on issues of governance, public policy, and institutional reform.
