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Mitul Thapliyal heads the Government Social Impact (GSI) domain in MSC. He works with governments, policymakers, development agencies, think tanks, academic institutions, NGOs, and with citizens.
Managing public expenditure needs a digital boost
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech 2022, mentioned some significant reforms towards government procurement that have happened over the past few months. These are welcome developments in a landscape marked by State’s weak budget execution capacities. However, there needs to be a stronger push towards adopting public finance management reforms to enable the […]
Mar 9, 2022
Mar 9, 2022
Time to digitize ‘social welfare benefits’ and make them better accessible
India is a country on the move, with crores of people moving out of their villages and towns every year searching for better livelihood opportunities elsewhere in the country. Against this backdrop, social welfare benefits meant for them and other eligible beneficiaries must be made portable, so they can be availed no matter where the […]
Sep 30, 2021
Sep 30, 2021
Digitizing public finance architecture is the need of the hour
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his recent Independence Day speech spoke about how India’s development aspirations were being hit by poor public service delivery. India’s poor public service delivery has vexed scholars and practitioners for decades. The state possesses immense ability to execute large and complex undertakings such as the national elections or the rollout […]
Sep 2, 2021
Sep 2, 2021
Social assistance and information in the initial phase of the pandemic: Lessons from a household survey in India
India’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic included several measures, including a nationwide lockdown, an information campaign, and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY)—a major social protection package. This paper explores the implementation of PMGKY based on a household survey conducted 4-6 weeks after its launch. The study also highlights the critical need to increase the spread of smartphones across the population.
Aug 5, 2021
Kritika Shukla, Anit Mukherjee, Mitul Thapliyal, Anurodh Giri, Alan Gelb and Brian Webster
Aug 5, 2021
Kritika Shukla, Anit Mukherjee, Mitul Thapliyal, Anurodh Giri, Alan Gelb and Brian Webster
Vaccine hesitancy—an impending barrier to India’s COVID-19 vaccination program
As India scrambles to vaccinate its population, it faces a major barrier—vaccine hesitancy. This blog charts a three-pronged approach that combines interventions from both the demand and supply sides to address this issue.
Jun 11, 2021
Jun 11, 2021
Digital ID in the time of COVID-19 in India
This blog reflects on the challenges of having a single biometric technology for authentication and suggests alternate contactless technologies that the government can deploy during a pandemic.
Feb 7, 2021
Mitul Thapliyal, Venkat Goli, Saborni Poddar and Sneha Sampath
Feb 7, 2021
Mitul Thapliyal, Venkat Goli, Saborni Poddar and Sneha Sampath
Preparing for life after COVID-19: How India’s healthcare system can better respond to future shocks
India’s public healthcare system was tested by the onset of COVID-19. How India’s healthcare system can better respond to future shocks. Here are our findings and recommendations for better future preparedness.
Feb 2, 2021
Feb 2, 2021
Policy shifts to bolster India’s frontline healthcare workers
The pandemic has reiterated the importance of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the healthcare delivery systems of India. This blog sheds light on the long-standing challenges ASHAs face and how the government can tackle them
Feb 2, 2021