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OUTPUT VS OUTCOME ANALYSIS OFPMAY G & POSHAN ABHIYAAN SCHEMES

Authors : Pushpa Akshaya Miriyala , Armaan Sareen , Shravani Tharanath

Citation

Pushpa Akshaya Miriyala, Armaan Sareen, & Shravani Tharanath. (2026). OUTPUT VS OUTCOME ANALYSIS OF PMAYG & POSHAN ABHIYAAN SCHEMES. Institute For Policy Research and Governance. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20651184

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Abstract :

India’s flagship welfare schemes – Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) and POSHAN Abhiyaan, represent landmark commitments to rural housing provisioning and nutritional security respectively. Yet persistent gap separates the administrative growth outputs with substantive development outcomes. This paper undertakes a qualitative output-versus- outcome analysis of both schemes, interrogating structural gaps between quantitative delivery metrics – houses sanctioned, anganwadi coverage, beneficiaries enrolled and lived realities of human capability enhancement. The study critically examines how implementation accuracy, convergence deficits, workforce vacancies, community level absorption mediate the translation of output impact to welfare impact. Data from NFHS-4&5 trends, CAG audit observations, POSHAN tracker data bring a systemic mark: output saturation co-existing with outcome stagnation. The paper argues for realigned evaluation that centres nutritional security and housing quality as primary indices of scheme effectiveness over mere physical completion rates.

KEYWORDS
Maternal Morbidity, Open Defecation (ODF), Aspirational Districts, Anganwadi Health
Workers (AHW), Take Home Rations, Growth Monitoring Promotion Sessions.

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The Role Of Climate Forecasts In Shaping Adaptation Behaviour: Evidence From A Cross-Country Survey

Authors : Fareed Ahmad, Mwita Chacha, Obodo Lotachi

Abstract

Climate change presents considerable global threats, particularly in regions that are dependent on climate-sensitive livelihoods. While advances in climate forecasting have improved the availability and accuracy of climate information, a persistent gap remains between information access and actual adaptive behaviour. This study investigates the
behavioural mechanisms that translate climate forecasts into adaptive action using a cross-country survey of 309 respondents across six countries: India, Kenya, Egypt,
Indonesia, Nigeria and Japan. Using quantitative method including descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation and multiple linear regression, this study examined the roles of Access to Climate Forecast Information (ACF), Trust in Climate Information (TCI) and Climate Risk Perception (CRP) in shaping Climate Adaptation Behaviour (CAB).
Descriptive analysis revealed a pronounced perception-action gap: climate risk
perception was high (mean = 4.09) while adaptation behaviour remained moderate
(mean = 3.53). Regression analysis demonstrated that trust in climate information (β =0.299, p < 0.001) and access to forecasts (β = 0.179, p = 0.003) were significant predictors of adaptive behaviour, whereas risk perception alone was not statistically significant (p = 0.275). These findings carry important implications for designing climate services and evidence-based policy interventions. Keywords:
Climate Adaptation Behaviour; Climate Forecasts; Trust in Information; Risk
Perception; Cross-Country Analysis; Climate Policy

The New Cold War in the IndoPacific: US-China Rivalry & the Race of Global Influence

Authors : Shruti Agarwal, Harshika Pandla, Mokshadaa Gupta, Revanth Netha, Vanshika Kakkar

Abstract :

This paper explores how maritime rivalry, coalition-building, and regional governance in the Indo-Pacific region are being reshaped due to ongoing competition between the United States and China. Instead of framing this as a simple replay of Cold War bloc politics, the study treats the region as an arena where states adjust their positions through overlapping alliances, minilateral arrangements, and strategic narratives rather than direct military confrontation. Empirically, the analysis follows three main strands: the indirect influence of the RussiaUkraine war on the region’s maritime strategy, the shift in India-China rivalry from land borders to sea lanes, and the formation of AUKUS and the Quad as key coalitions in regional security politics. Drawing on policy reports and academic studies, the paper uses interpretative discourse analysis to read how governments and experts deploy ideas of stability, rules and order to justify changing maritime postures and new forms of strategic cooperation.

Key Words :
Maritime Cooperation, Hegemony, Balance of power, Strategic Cooperation, QUAD, AUKUS, Freedom of Navigation (FON)

Impact of the Smart Cities Mission on Household Cost of Living, Access to Urban Services, and Economic Well-Being: A Field Study of Selected Indian Cities

Authors : Anjana Tripathi ; Divya Natarajan ; Gautam Kumar Mishra ; Soumili Rakshit

Abstract

India’s Smart Cities Mission (SCM), launched in 2015, aims to improve urban livability through targeted investments in infrastructure, service delivery, and digital governance. However, empirical evidence on the household-level economic implications of these interventions remains limited. This study examines the impact of the Smart Cities Mission on household cost of living, access to urban services, and economic well-being in selected Indian cities using a comprehensive secondary data approach.

The analysis integrates unit-level data from the National Sample Survey (NSS) Consumer Expenditure and Housing Conditions rounds to assess changes in household consumption patterns, housing affordability, and expenditure on utilities and transportation. Employment outcomes and income-related proxies are examined using the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), while demographic characteristics, housing quality, and access to basic amenities are drawn from the Census of India. City-level information on project type, investment size, and sectoral focus is sourced from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Smart Cities Mission dashboards and official reports. A comparative framework is employed to analyze trends across Smart Cities and non-Smart Cities, as well as pre- and post-SCM implementation periods.

By triangulating multiple nationally representative datasets with administrative project data, the study evaluates whether Smart City investments have translated into measurable improvements in household welfare or have contributed to rising costs and uneven access to services. The findings aim to provide evidence-based insights for strengthening the inclusiveness, affordability, and effectiveness of urban development policies under the Smart Cities Mission.

Keywords :
Smart Cities Mission; Secondary Data Analysis; National Sample Survey; Periodic Labour Force Survey; Census of India; Urban Services Access; Household Cost of Living; Economic Well- Being; Urban Policy; Indian Cities

Constitutionalising Emergency Powers in India: Evaluating the restraints on the use of Emergency Powers In line with safeguards against their misuse

Authors : Srijan Kumar Sharma, Mehak Yadav, Yuvraj Singh, Kartik Sharma, Alisha Gupta

Abstract :

This paper provides a comprehensive constitutional analysis of India’s emergency powers framework, examining the historical foundations, structural architecture, and postindependence jurisprudential evolution of Articles 352, 356, 358, and 359 of the Constitution of India. Tracing the philosophical underpinnings of emergency governance from Carl Schmitt’s theory of sovereign exception and John Locke’s executive prerogative to Giorgio Agamben’s doctrine of necessity, the paper situates India’s emergency provisions within a global constitutional discourse on the tension between state authority and individual liberty. Drawing on the Constituent Assembly debates, it reconstructs the framers’ deliberate choices and their cautionary awareness of precedents such as the Weimar Constitution’s catastrophic Article 48. The paper critically examines the systematic misuse of Article 356 between 1959 and 1994, culminating in an analysis of S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994), which constitutionalised the floor test doctrine, established federalism as a basic structure element, and subjected presidential proclamations to meaningful judicial review. It further analyses the critical distinction between Articles 358 and 359, with particular attention to the conceptual and practical consequences of suspending rights as opposed to remedies; a distinction rendered judicially decisive in ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla (1976) and subsequently rehabilitated through Justice H.R. Khanna’s celebrated dissent. The paper evaluates the Constitution (FortyFourth Amendment) Act, 1978, as a response to the excesses of the 1975 Emergency, including the absolute unsuspendability of Articles 20 and 21, the substitution of ‘armed rebellion’ for ‘internal disturbance,’ and the procedural safeguards on emergency proclamation. The postamendment jurisprudential trajectory is traced through Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978), Minerva Mills Ltd. v. Union of India (1980), and Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India (2017), which formally overruled ADM Jabalpur and dramatically expanded the substantive constitutional floor available to citizens during emergency conditions. Through comparative analysis of the German Basic Law, South Africa’s Section 37, and the American experience, the paper identifies structural vulnerabilities that persist in the Indian framework, including the absence of granular proportionality review of emergency measures, the susceptibility of Article 19 rights to suppression, and the contingent nature of judicial independence as an institutional safeguard. The paper concludes that while India’s constitutional architecture has made genuine and significant progress, structural consolidation; through codified sunset clauses, mandatory measure-specific parliamentary accountability, and constitutionally mandated judicial timelines, remains the unfinished work of emergency law reform.

Keywords:
Emergency Powers; Fundamental Rights; Articles 358 and 359; ADM Jabalpur;S.R. Bommai Case; Forty-Fourth Amendment; Basic Structure Doctrine; Judicial Review

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Gendered Human Capital Misallocation in India: Education, Labour Market Barriers, and Policy Failure

Authors: Simran Sinha; Beaulah Anton; Priyansi; Rezaa Sharma

Abstract:

India has made significant progress in expanding female education, yet women’s labour market outcomes remain disproportionately poor. This study reframes this paradox as an issue of gendered human capital misallocation, rather than a deficit in skill formation. It examines how the gendered labour market constraints impede the educated women from productive employment, leading to underutilisation of skills and decreased economic efficiency.

Utilising a qualitative-descriptive approach and secondary data from multiple databases, this paper examines unemployment, occupational segregation, unpaid care work, and wage disparities between educated women and their male counterparts. The findings show a persistent education-employment paradox: increased female education correlates with high unemployment, informalisation, and labour force withdrawal. These patterns are driven by demand-side discrimination, inflexible work arrangements, safety and challenges in mobility, and unequal distribution of care responsibilities. The analysis argues that government policies have largely prioritised educational expansion without addressing labour market absorption, therefore sustaining gendered inefficiencies. Addressing this inefficient allocation is what makes it important for optimal human capital utilisation and for inclusive economic growth.

Keywords:
Human Capital, Female labour, Labour market segmentation, Gender wage gap, public policy, employment, Human capital misallocation

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Shaping of Perceptions & Misperceptions Among Masses During War Escalations : A Comparative Analysis of Information Dynamics, Media Influence, and Perception Management

Authors : Hridoy Pran Sarma , Ashi Agrawal

Abstract :

In the modern-day world, war is not only about fighting on the battlefield but also
manipulating the belief of the opponent country using intelligence. During war escalation, people form opinions based not on their personal experience, but from news stories and government releases, along with other posts on social media. As a result, they become more susceptible to misperceptions; these are misconstrued situations employed to frighten, sow discord and garner the unthinking support of the public for the providing of military firepower. Due to an increase in the use of social media and modern means of communication, this task has become even easier as not everyone is well-equipped to measure what is happening during wars. Misconceived observations of the conflict can aggravate and harm the process of resolution. The paper seeks to ascertain the role of the government and media in distorting the public opinion during wars by analysing case studies such as Russia – Ukraine War and other major wars worldwide. Usage of management perceptions, misinformation, and the war in which does escalate.

Keywords:
Perception Management, Misinformation, War Escalation, Public Opinion, Media Literacy, Information Warfare.

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