The globalization of economic relations is posing numerous new challenges to policy-makers at national and international levels. At present the necessary redesign of policy has proceeded furthest, though still imperfectly and unequally, in the economic field. The reformulation of policy to address the rapidly changing nature, patterns, and causes of social disadvantage is, however, not well advanced.

This book is part of a series which describes and analyses trends within countries in terms of patterns and processes of social exclusion of individuals and groups from sources of livelihood and from citizen-ship rights. The concept of social exclusion is a com-plex one but it has recently become central in Western European policy discourse. The present series examines its applicability in countries at various levels of development and with various forms of integration into the world economy. It also considers implications of this perspective for the design of development policy.

The book examines the Indian approach to fulfilling welfare rights since Independence. This experience is particularly interesting. The State recognizes the obligation to ensure certain minimal living conditions and the availability of certain basic welfare services for all segments of the population. It grapples with the problem of meeting this obligation in a situation of widespread poverty and scarce resources by making certain welfare rights into moral precepts and policy goals, and allowing pres-sure for their realization to occur through the exercise of civil and political rights. The book assesses achievements of this approach as well as exclusionary processes and outcomes. It covers health, education, social security, and housing, water and sanitation; and discusses the impact of compensatory programmes for caste disabilities and the impact of the New Economic Policy, initiated in 1991.