Background

For each of the challenges facing Rajasthan, we will engage some of India’s top economists to analyze the problems, outline the most important solutions, and provide estimates of costs and benefits for each solution. As a result, each challenge will have a number of solutions, with estimates of how much good they will do per rupee spent.

With this research, we can engage the public and other stakeholders throughout the state and the country to talk about how to solve some of their more serious problems, based on strong economic evidence. There will be lots of intriguing stories on what works and what doesn’t and on the cost and benefit of different solutions.

Which solutions should get top priority? With analyses for all of the main challenges, we will ask thought leaders, young people and decision makers, engaging with the public through traditional and social media, to participate in priority setting. We can then ask policy makers, businesses, development agencies and other stakeholders to prioritize across all of the different areas. 

Imparted with knowledge on those solutions that work, coupled with an understanding of where a rupee goes furthest, it will empower the public, policy leaders and decision makers to focus more on some of the most incisive development solutions for Rajasthan. While real politics will still be influenced by many other considerations, this project will give head wind to the least impactful solutions while providing tail wind to the best solutions for Rajasthan. 

If this can help push just 5% more good solutions through and prevent 5% of poor solutions from being implemented, the end result will be phenomenal.

The Rajasthan Priorities project is a part of the larger India Consensus – a partnership between the Copenhagen Consensus Center and Tata Trusts. The research and outreach activities have been made possible by generous grants from the Tata Trusts and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.