A Social Protection Floor for India

This study is an invaluable reference for professionals and practitioners working in the field of social security, in particular policy-makers and regulators in India. It is also intended for persons who assist practitioners such as technical assistance providers and donors.

This study, commissioned by the United Nations in India and financially supported by the Government of Japan, considers the feasibility of a Social Protection Floor for India. It outlines the key characteristics of the Indian workforce and shows how this both necessitates and poses a challenge for building a Social Protection Floor. The study further examines the existing social protection programmes in India, with a particular emphasis on the trends in financial expenditure on social protection. Laying down a structure of a possible Social Protection Floor for India, the study shows how entitlement based social protection arrangements are beginning to emerge in many areas. Analysing th possible cost implications of a Social Protection Floor, the study discussed the fiscal challenge and issues related to the design and delivery of social security in the Indian context. Based on this analysis, a road map for a Social Protection Floor in India is proposed and discussed.