Realising the Demographic Dividend
Policies to Achieve Inclusive Growth in India

'India is at the mid-point of its demographic dividend, a half-century window of low dependency ratios before the effects of an ageing population kick in. India's remarkable growth in the last quarter century has not been as effective in poverty reduction as it could have been; the employment intensity of growth has been low and volatile, and women's labor force participation is on the decline despite growth in per capita income. This excellent book combines analytical sharpness and policy sensitivity to tackle the central issue of how to make best use of the demographic dividend for inclusive development. It will be of interest to analysts and policy makers alike.' Ravi Kanbur, T. H. Lee Professor of World Affairs and International Professor of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University

'Mehrotra addresses each welfare dimension with crisp histories of programmes that were introduced for each area. Diagnosis flows naturally from these two elements and translates effectively into practical policy recommendations. This book will become a standard reference for anyone wanting to understand why things are the way they are in India's welfare state and what must be done about it.' Subir Gokarn, Former Governor, Reserve Bank of India and Director, Brookings India

'It is a highly topical subject: why did India fail to translate its fast growth into welfare for the poor? This is a thoroughly professional piece of work by a through and through professional. The book is basically empirical, although it has a theoretical foundation in the work of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum.' Ajit Singh, Professor Emeritus in Economics, University of Cambridge

'… a magnificent book. Readers will be delighted with his empirically rich, sharp evidence-based analysis of India's development and his fine scrutiny of the country's strategic errors in its social and economic policy.' Flavio Comim, Journal of Human Development and Capabilities