South Asia Archives – Decentralization Net

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[ April 24, 2026 ] India’s fiscal equalization system: balancing equity and efficiency Asia
[ April 19, 2026 ] Does federalism strengthen democratic participation? Decentralization
[ April 10, 2026 ] Decentralized responsibilities without decentralized resources? Decentralization
[ April 10, 2026 ] Expanding property taxation in customary areas in Africa Africa
[ April 7, 2026 ] Decentralization under pressure: lessons from Germany’s long-term support in Africa Africa

India’s fiscal equalization system: balancing equity and efficiency

April 24, 2026 LPS Alliance

Few countries embody the promise—and complexity—of multilevel governance as vividly as India. With a federal structure spanning more than 1.5 billion people, India’s intergovernmental fiscal system sits at the heart of its development trajectory. A […]

How India’s Sixteenth Finance Commission chose stability over disruption

February 8, 2026 LPS Alliance

The Finance Commission of India (FC) is one of India’s most credible institutions. It is a constitutional body whose function is to make recommendations to the Government of India on how to divide tax revenues […]

What works better: elected leaders or appointed bureaucrats?

November 24, 2025 Limabenla Jamir

A long-running debate in decentralization circles asks whether local governments function better under elected leaders or appointed bureaucrats. Advocates of political decentralization emphasize accountability, community voice, and responsiveness, while supporters of technocratic administration highlight expertise, […]

Do local gender quotas improve the electability of women at higher tiers?

September 23, 2025 LPS Alliance

One of the central promises of decentralization is that it can create political space for those historically excluded from power. In theory, local governance is the arena where marginalized voices—whether of caste, ethnicity, or gender—can […]

Effective multilevel governance and citizen engagement: billions of (dollar) reasons to care

August 18, 2025 LPS Alliance

With global development institutions in retreat, it is becoming more and more obvious that the public sector is unambiguously the primary enabler of ‘global’ development—capable of propelling development forward by embracing inclusive and effective multilevel […]

The Status of Devolution to Panchayats in India

February 23, 2025 LPS Alliance

Panchayats, as rural local self-government institutions are called in India, constitute a fundamental component of India’s multi-order federal system. Their authority is derived from the State, the sub-national entity responsible for nurturing and developing them. […]

Integrating Sustainable Development Goals in local plans

December 3, 2024 LPS Alliance

Local governments are pivotal in the implementation of sustainable development initiatives. However, the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into local plans remains a significant challenge, especially in countries–like Nepal–that are at the early […]

Decentralized Participatory Governance in Karnataka’s Cities

September 26, 2024 Limabenla Jamir

The competitiveness of cities—and ultimately, the economic competitiveness of countries—depends on cities being able to attract and retain highly productive industries and highly productive workers. In turn, ensuring the quality of life in cities and […]

Will Nepal’s new Federal Civil Service Bill unlock the potential of federalism?

May 3, 2024 Limabenla Jamir

Since the adoption of Nepal’s landmark federal constitution in 2015, a new federal civil service law has been among the most-anticipated legislative actions. Without it, civil servants across Nepal’s three tiers of government have been in […]

Local government institutions under authoritarian rule in Bangladesh

March 25, 2024 Limabenla Jamir

Delving into the intricate layers of autocratization in South Asia, Local Government Institutions under Authoritarian Rule in Bangladesh by Serdar Yilmaz and Syed Khaled Ahsan reveals how in the shadow of authoritarianism the local government […]