Presentation by Neelanjan Sircar at IIC Delhi on 6 July 2018

1. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
An Analysis of Grievance in NCR
Neelanjan Sircar
Centre for Policy Research
6 July 2018
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

2. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Theoretical Motivation
Theoretical Motivation
Theoretical Question: In the context of weak state capacity
(especially in urban areas), how do citizens address grievances with
state services?
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

3. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Theoretical Motivation
Theoretical Motivation
Theoretical Question: In the context of weak state capacity
(especially in urban areas), how do citizens address grievances with
state services?
Weak State Capacity
The role of “intermediaries” – fixers, naya netas, dalals,
brokers – who mediate access to the state
The inequality of access. Who is an intermediary beholden to?
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

4. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Theoretical Motivation
Theoretical Motivation
Theoretical Question: In the context of weak state capacity
(especially in urban areas), how do citizens address grievances with
state services?
Two Models of Intermediaries:
Party Worker Model: Party machines fill the void, and party
brokers exchange partisan loyalty for grievance redressal. The
archetypal case is Buenos Aires (e.g., Stokes, 1995).
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

5. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Theoretical Motivation
Theoretical Motivation
Theoretical Question: In the context of weak state capacity
(especially in urban areas), how do citizens address grievances with
state services?
Two Models of Intermediaries:
Party Worker Model: Party machines fill the void, and party
brokers exchange partisan loyalty for grievance redressal. The
archetypal case is Buenos Aires (e.g., Stokes, 1995).
Social Worker Model: Entrepreneurial individuals, who are
connected to parties but not beholden to them, compete to
address grievances to citizens to gain status and wealth. The
archetypal case is rural India (e.g., Krishna, 2002).
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

6. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Theoretical Motivation
Elected Representative vs. Intermediary
Proximity of closest elected leader: Rural vs. Urban
What is the impact of elections?
Who is the leader beholden to?
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

7. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Theoretical Motivation
Elected Representative vs. Intermediary
Rural elected (sarpanch) leaders (Schneider and Sircar, 2017)
Rural Unelected (Chauchard and Sircar, 2017)
Urban (slum)“elected” party leaders (Auerbach and Thachil,
2017)
This study: Closest point of contact – unelected intermediaries
Hypotheses:
Poor disproportionately interested in civic services
Elite capture – wealthy will do better in redressal
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

8. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Tell Us About Your Local Neta
Asked respondents to provide information about the most
important local netas in area
75% of respondents provided data
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

9. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Tell Us About Your Local Neta
Asked respondents to provide information about the most
important local netas in area
75% of respondents provided data
Collect information on neta’s characteristics
Collect data on identity:
Caste: Disproportionately General Caste
Religion: Disproportionately Hindu
State of origin: 10% from outside Delhi
Partisan Affiliation (maybe later)
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

10. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Tell Us About Your Local Neta
Asked respondents to provide information about the most
important local netas in area
75% of respondents provided data
Collect information on neta’s characteristics
Collect data on identity:
Caste: Disproportionately General Caste
Religion: Disproportionately Hindu
State of origin: 10% from outside Delhi
Partisan Affiliation (maybe later)
Collect data on grievance redressal:
Was the neta approached? 22% of the time
For what issue?
Did the neta solve it? 46% of the time
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

11. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

12. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Infra. Civic Services Security Community Projects Govt. Schemes Conflict Resolution Admin. Problems Other
Issues that Netas are Approached for
PercentageofHH
020406080100
31.17
46.79
49
31.32
6.67 5.66 5 4.53
1.83 2.64 2.67 2.64 0.83 1.51 2.83
4.91
Social Worker
Political Worker
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

13. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Occupation and Grievance Redressal
Yes No Yes No
Did the Neta solve your issue?
020406080100
51
49
58.43
41.57
Social Worker
Political Worker
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

14. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Identity and Citizen Behavior – Naming
q q
q
q
General Int/OBC SC ST
General
Int/OBC
SC
ST
0.69
0.5
0.53
0.52
0.27
0.41
0.26
0.29
0.03
0.06
0.17
0.12
0.01
0.02
0.04
0.07
Neta's Caste
Respondent'sCaste
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

15. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Identity and Citizen Behavior – Naming
q
q
q
q
Hindu Muslim Sikh
Hindu
Muslim
Sikh
0.94
0.84
0.82
0.03
0.16
0
0.03
0
0.18
Neta's Religion
Respondent'sReligion
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

16. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Identity and Citizen Behavior – Approaching
General Int/OBC SC ST
General
Int/OBC
SC
ST
0.26
0.2
0.23
0.22
0.24
0.16
0.22
0.23
0.38
0.23
0.28
0.17
0.2
0.16
0.5
0.07
Neta's Caste
Respondent'sCaste
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

17. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Amenities and Citizen Behavior
−1.0 −0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0
0.000.150.300.450.600.75
ProportionNamingLeaderType
Amenities Index
Social Worker Political Leader Other Type
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

18. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Amenities and Citizen Behavior
−1.0 −0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0
0.000.150.300.450.60
ProportionNamingIssue
Amenities Index
Infrastructure Civic Security
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

19. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

20. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

21. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

22. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Identity
Amenities
Characterizing Economic Inequality
Identity-Based Inequality
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
0.00.20.40.60.81.0
Neta Variables & Muslim Prop: Polling Booth
Muslim Proportion in Polling Booth
NetaValues
Know Neta
Approach Neta
Solve Neta
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR

23. Inequality of Access
Data on Intermediaries
Inequality of Access
Conclusions
Conclusions
Another example of differentiation in “citizenship”
Signs of elite capture
Impact of RWAs and mohalla sabhas?
What would true decentralization do?
Neelanjan Sircar An Analysis of Grievance in NCR