Fiscal Reforms and State Finances in India by Prof. Ajit Kumar Singh

This volume contains twenty one papers on fiscal reforms and state finances. The papers have been arranged in three parts. First Part contains ten papers on the fiscal reforms at the Centre and State level in India. The papers seek to have a critical look at the fiscal reforms at the Central and State levels and examine the progress particularly in terms of the targets of fiscal deficits in the light of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act of UP

Part 2 of the volume deals with the issues of centre-state financial relations.  The formula of devolution adopted by different Finance commissions for transfer of funds to the states and their implications for regional equality have been examined. The papers highlight the fact that   U.P. has failed to receive its due share in the central resources whether through the Finance Commissions or Planning Commission or through the financial institutions.

 Part 3 of the volume contains eight papers on the state finances and budgets of UP government. The papers particularly probe the interaction between economic stagnation and fiscal crisis in UP. Trends in fiscal situation have been examined and the efforts made for fiscal consolidation have been highlighted and underline the need for enhancing social sector expenditure given UP’s situation in human development indicators.

The book will be of great interest to researchers and policy makers interested in fiscal issues particularly in the context of the states.

Professor Ajit Kumar Singh (b.1944) obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from the University of Lucknow, Lucknow. He has over fifty years experience as a teacher and researcher in economics. He has taught at the University of Lucknow and RML Avadh University, Faizabad. He joined the Giri Institute of Development Studies, Lucknow as Professor in 1987 and was Director of the Institute from 2004 to February 2013. He was awarded the National Fellowship of the Indian Council of Social Science Research in 2013. Prof. A.K. Singh has been Vice President, Regional Science Association 1990, President UP and Uttarakhand Economic Association 2007 and Vice President, Indian Society of Labour Economics, 2009. Presently he is vice president of the Agricultural Economics Research Association. In 2010 he was given the Kautilya award by the UP and Uttarakhand Economic Association for his contribution to teaching and research in economics.

He was member Taxation and Resource Mobilisation Committee, Government of U.P. (1995) and Member Second State Finance Commission, U.P. (2001-02).  He was also member of the Agrarian Relations Committee appointed by the Government of India and member of the Study Group for Preparation of Roadmap for Rapid Development of UP appointed by the Planning Commission.  

Prof. Singh has over 130 published papers to his credit apart from a large number of seminar papers. He has authored eleven books, which include Patterns of Regional Development; Economic Development and Inequalities in China, Rural Poverty and Agricultural Development; Land Use, Environment and Economic Growth in India; and Uttar Pradesh Development Report 2000; and Socio-Economic Conditions of the Farming Communities in Northern India, Patterns of Development; Agricultural Development and Natural Resource Management; Land Reforms and Rural Development; Regional Disparities in India; Dynamics of Development in a Backward Economy and Social Structure and Economic Development. In addition, he has edited five books: Economic Planning and Policy in India; Planning Strategy for a Developing Region; Twelfth Finance Commission Recommendations: Their Implications for the State Finances; Land Policies for Agricultural Growth With Equity; and Transparency, Disclosure and Governance.