Indians depend on political bodies, social networks to access govt services

People from different socio-economic groups, communities and educational levels approach for tasks that require state intervention

Indians disadvantaged by class, caste or education, and thus without access to public services or government bodies, often use political institutions and social networks to get their work done and disputes resolved, according to a new study.

To access public services or get official work done (for example, secure water connection, get a below-poverty-line card, manage admission to a hospital or a school), nearly 50 per cent of 16,680 respondents across 22 assembly constituencies in eight states, on average, picked elected representatives in panchayats or municipal wards, according to the study conducted by Azim Premji University (APU) and Lokniti (Centre for