Centrally sponsored schemes in Andaman and Nicobar Islands: a governance paradox
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
ISSN: 0144-333X
Article publication date: 8 April 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) as a case to delineate contextual and often paradoxical challenges in implementing centrally sponsored schemes in a small island economy. Government reports cite ANI's record on health outcomes to be impressive when comparing it with other Union Territories (UTs). However, using examples of two public health and nutrition schemes, the paper argues that unless ANI's development indicators are compared over few years, public policy may fail to identity its development challenges and continue its rhetoric while in reality, health outcomes may be regressing.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper used case study research design involving mixed method approach. Quantitative data were secondary in nature, collected from local government departments. Two of the three districts of ANI formed the sample of the study. Main tools used for qualitative analysis were observation and informal interviews with government functionaries and other stakeholders.
Findings
The findings point to the paradox of superior public spending and infrastructure in ANI in midst of deteriorating public health and child nutrition outcomes. The paper concluded that any policy making on island's trajectory of development is not only incomplete, but also faulty unless its special context is considered as a starting point.
Research limitations/implications
Ethnographic studies on the health-seeking behaviour of ANI communities can reveal trends in access to health services and its reasons, but that was beyond the scope of the paper.
Originality/value
The paper is arguably the first to identify development paradoxes in implementation of government health and nutrition programmes in ANI. The paper poses further questions on unpacking the paradox of development in the islands. It urges policy makers and administrators to reconsider the efficacy of centrally sponsored schemes that are implemented without being contextualised for a small island economy like ANI.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The paper is based on a research project and a subsequent report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai titled “Mid Term Appraisal of the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2008-2012) for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands”. The review was commissioned and funded by the Planning Commission of India in 2009. Author was a consultant, researcher and one of the co-authors of the report. The views presented in the paper are of the author alone and may not be subscribed in the report or by the institution. The author thanks the colleagues who contributed to the report and TISS team in Port Blair for facilitating logistics of data collection. The author offers sincere gratitude to the secretaries, directors and field functionaries of social welfare and health department in ANI for sharing data and insights with me. Special thanks to Mr Shakti Sinha, former Chief Secretary, ANI and Mr T. Srikant, former District Commissioner, Nicobar for their steadfast cooperation during data collection. The author thanks peer reviewers for their insightful comments that greatly improved the paper in more ways than one. The author sincerely thanks Dr R. Ramakumar, Professor Surinder Jaswal and Professor Vrinda Datta of TISS for their feedback on final draft of paper. Most importantly, the author thanks mothers of children in anaganwadis, patients at PHCs and CHCs, tribal council members and local NGO groups who helped me in understanding their context.
Citation
Goyal, J. (2014), "Centrally sponsored schemes in Andaman and Nicobar Islands: a governance paradox", International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 34 No. 3/4, pp. 196-213. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-10-2013-0107
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited