Convergence through analytics: Enhancing governance at the grassroots level in India

To promote equitable development across the country, several targeted place-based programmes at the local administrative level such as the Aspirational Districts Programme, the Aspirational Blocks Programme, and the Focus Blocks Development Programme are introduced in India. However, challenges arise during the implementation phase at the grassroots owing to the lack of convergence between various departments. This paper uses a case study-based analysis from the Erode district of Tamil Nadu based on the state capability framework to examine such grassroots level administrative challenges. The inferences from the case studies motivate the need for an analytical think tank responsible for convergence at the local administrative level, namely the District Convergence Centre. The proposed centre, along the lines of NITI Aayog at the national level and the State Planning Commission at the state level, aims to ensure effective design and implementation of the welfare policies through targeted place-based programmes using insights derived from district-level data analytics and also inform better policy making.