The Future of India's Social Safety Nets

“An invaluable springboard for further research and action in this field.”

—Jean Drèze, Ranchi University



“A vision of the potential for social policy to move beyond palliative measures towards a resilient and inclusive social contract.”

—Harold Alderman, International Food Policy Research Institute



“A must read for those that want to understand the past, present, and future of social protection in the country and beyond.”

—Ugo Gentilini, World Bank

“It will become a standard reference in the literature.”

—Ravi Kanbur, Cornell University

India has learned what to do and what not to do when it comes to implementing policy to address human suffering. COVID-19 unified the international response to human suffering, and the world has a lot to learn about the initiatives implemented in India since its independence. This open-access book covers theconceptualization, design, and impact of notable social welfare programs in India.

The Future of India's Social Safety Nets combines insights from social protection, economic development, and social policy. It covers India’s social development in terms of three essential aspects of policy design: focus (intended beneficiaries), form (transfer modalities), and scope (developmental objectives). Highlighting developmental achievements and shortcomings, this book proposes a framework to foster human resilience through social protection.

Andaleeb Rahman is an economist at the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition at Cornell University.



Prabhu Pingali is Professor of Applied Economics and Founding Director of the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition at Cornell University.