Book review: Managing India By S.L. Rao

Managing India By S.L. Rao
PAGES: 243
PRICE: Rs 995
Academic Foundation

One good thing about this book is its timing. It hits the stands at a time when the nation is trying to assess the ability of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team, at the centre and in the states, to provide good governance. Indeed, a few state governments of Modi's BJP - in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand - have come under fire for not focusing enough on development. Even Modi has received some flak for not getting his act together.

This book then, written by eminent academician S.L. Rao, should have provided some lessons for policymakers in India. It, however, does not offer solutions, nor does it show the way forward. It does, though, piece together recent developments, focusing on key takeaways from them, which some may find useful. It touches upon a whole gamut of issues: social engineering, regulatory framework, energy security, challenges in agriculture, comparison with China, India's aspiration of becoming superpower in this century, crony capitalism, RSS influence on government, FDI in retail, among others. Indeed, it touches upon almost every issue that is essential to managing India. At least the structure is right. Modi and other politicians will need a thorough understanding of these subjects to manage India.

However, the book falls short on one important aspect. It lacks details and has few anecdotes. Also, at times you may disagree with the author. For example, in the beginning of the fourth chapter the author asserts that the government does not learn from the experiences of leading corporates. It's difficult to agree with this argument since we are witnessing a fall in corporate governance standards globally.

In the next chapter, when the author harps on statutory regulatory commissions, one would expect him to offer us great insight on how to make a telling difference on the ground - more so, since he was the first chairman of Central Energy Regulatory Commission for three years - but you are left disappointed. Some may also disagree with Rao's contention that India can learn lessons from China on economic governance. He argues that China delegates considerable authority to local governments while India does not. But can the Chinese model be replicated in India, given that it is a single party-controlled system in that country?

Rao has worked with several multinational companies, academic institutes and industry bodies. Now, given his credentials, one would have expected rare insights on several issues - it would have made the book a fascinating read. In its present form, the book disappoints somewhat.