Shimla, March 16: 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.
