UPSC Mains 2026 GS2 Q17: model answer

The Constitution envisions a welfare state: Part IV directs the State to secure the right to work, education and public assistance (Article 41), health and nutrition (Article 47). Since 2005 India has turned many of these into legal rights: MGNREGA (2005), the RTE Act (2009) and the National Food Security Act (2013).

Constraints

1. Non-integrated governance

• Silos: nutrition depends on ICDS, health, water and sanitation, run by different ministries with separate budgets and data.
• Centre–State–local overlap: centrally sponsored schemes with rigid norms, and local bodies with few funds or staff (weak 'funds, functions, functionaries' devolution).
• Fragmented databases lead to exclusion errors when Aadhaar authentication or seeding fails.

2. Minimal public investment

• Public health spending is about 1.9% of GDP (Economic Survey 2024-25), against the National Health Policy 2017 target of 2.5%.
• Education spending remains below the 6% of GDP target of the NEP 2020.
• MGNREGA wage delays and under-funding weaken a demand-driven right.

Yet it can work

• Convergence models show results: the Aspirational Districts Programme uses common dashboards and district-level coordination; Tamil Nadu's and Kerala's integrated primary health systems.
• JAM (Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile) and DBT cut leakages and improved targeting.

Way forward

• Outcome budgeting across ministries; flexible funds for States and panchayats.
• Unified social registries with grievance redress and manual overrides to prevent exclusion.
• Gradually raise health and education spending to policy targets.

Conclusion: rights on paper need institutions and money to become rights in practice. Without convergence and adequate investment, the welfare mandate stays a promise.