State Fragility and Bureaucratic Responses in India's Coronavirus Crisis
Researchers
Rohini Pande, Charity Troyer Moore, Yusuf Neggers, Jenna Allard
Abstract
We examine how state capacity and leadership responses influence implementation of the world’s largest COVID-19-induced lockdown and a set of recovery-related outcomes including access to safety net benefits, labor markets, and propagation of misinformation, stigma, and conflict during this volatile period. We focus on the redeployment of bureaucrats and elected officials in Bihar, India, a state of 100+ million people with a history of high poverty and communal conflict. Our analysis will combine pre-crisis survey data covering officer characteristics and performance at multiple levels of the bureaucracy; administrative data on local implementation capacity and conflict; and at least three waves of phone surveys from bureaucrats and locally-elected officials on priorities and practices throughout the pandemic. Our study goals are to convey timely insights guiding the state’s COVID-19 response and generate a better understanding of how limited resources can be most effectively deployed.
Project Outcomes of Interest
Community conflict and fragility; COVID infections; take-up of social assistance programs
Partners
Government of Bihar, Yale Economic Growth Center
Impact Goals
- Improve social-safety net responses
- Promote peace and safety, and improve humanitarian response
Project Data Collection Mode
- CATI (Computer-assisted telephone interviewing)
- IVR (Interactive voice response)
Results Status
No Results Yet