India Archives – Decentralization Net

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[ February 27, 2026 ] Rethinking the Future of Decentralization and Multilevel Governance Community
[ February 26, 2026 ] LPSA convenes in New York to shape its strategic direction Community
[ February 17, 2026 ] Reimagining democracy from the ground up Decentralization
[ February 17, 2026 ] Local public finances and the SDGs: How are European cities rewiring budgeting for a sustainable future? Cities and urban development
[ February 8, 2026 ] How India’s Sixteenth Finance Commission chose stability over disruption Asia

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. […]

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 […]

Decentralization in School Management and Student Achievement: Evidence from India

November 24, 2023 LPS Alliance

A recent paper published in the Journal of Development Studies examines the link between decentralization in school management and student achievement levels in secondary schools in India. The study employs observational data from two school […]

Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems (ASICS) 2023 Report

November 16, 2023 Limabenla Jamir

The Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems (ASICS) is a comprehensive diagnostic of the state of India’s city-systems – the complex, mostly-invisible factors (such as laws, policies, institutions, institutional processes) that underpin urban governance and strongly […]

The Added Value of Local Democracy in India

September 21, 2023 Limabenla Jamir

In recent years, governments worldwide have increasingly devolved powers to locally elected leaders. This has led to a growing interest in understanding the impact of local democracy on governance outcomes. A recent policy research paper […]

Does India love its local governments?

April 27, 2023 LPS Alliance

This year is the 30th anniversary of the passing of the 73rd and 74th Amendments. Indian governance was always overcentralized. But it is a sign of the times that even the modest steps these amendments […]