Governance and development in Eastern India: Pathways to Viksit Bharat by 2047
- Bihar Journal of Public Administration
- 22(1-S), Jan-Jun, 2025: p.67-81
This article delves into the often-overlooked engine of development – governance – as a transformative force in the journey toward Viksit Bharat@2047, with Eastern India as its analytical core. Despite being richly endowed with both natural bounty and human potential, the region remains mired in developmental lag, held back by deep-rooted structural and institutional barriers. At the heart of this inertia lies a governance deficit – subtle yet significant. Against this backdrop, the article reimagines governance not merely as a backdrop to policy but as a double-edged force – a driver when enabling, a deterrent when absent. The study advocates for moving beyond one-size-fits-all frameworks, calling instead for a nuanced, statespecific governance approach that resonates with the socio-political fabric unique to Eastern India. Using a qualitative, comparative case study method, and drawing from a rich tapestry of secondary data – government reports, policy documents, and scholarly work – it uncovers key governance bottlenecks. More importantly, it spotlights grassroots innovations that are quietly reshaping governance paradigms: Mo Sarkar in Odisha, Jeevika in Bihar, and Kanyashree in West Bengal. These cases illustrate that participatory, inclusive, and adaptive governance is not just idealistic theory, but a pragmatic pathway to equitable development. For India to realise its 2047 vision, Eastern India must not be left behind – it must be brought to the centre of the nation’s development imagination. – Reproduced