Public Sector Enterprises in India: Evolution, Privatisation and Reforms

Public Sector Enterprises in India: Evolution, Privatisation and Reforms by Govind Bhattacharjee is a comprehensive study for readers interested in Indian economic policy, public administration, public finance and corporate governance. It examines how state owned enterprises developed, how their role changed after economic liberalisation and what options remain for reform and renewal. The book covers public sector companies across the economy, including financial-sector enterprises such as banks and insurance companies.

The discussion begins with the philosophy and evolution of the public sector in India before turning to the major changes brought by economic liberalisation after 1991. Privatisation and disinvestment are considered alongside the wider institutional and governance challenges facing public sector enterprises. Particular attention is given to the tension between government ownership, public policy and market discipline, helping readers understand why enterprises can become constrained when commercial decisions are heavily influenced by government control.

Drawing on international experience, the book considers alternatives to treating privatisation and disinvestment as the only solutions. It explores how public sector companies could be rejuvenated through greater operational freedom, depoliticisation, clearer separation of the government's roles as majority stakeholder, policymaker and regulator, and changes to ownership and holding structures. These themes provide a useful framework for considering the future competitiveness and governance of state owned enterprises.

Valuable for academic reading, policy research and study of India's economic transformation, the book offers a balanced basis for examining the choices facing public sector enterprises. It provides a detailed perspective on how India's public enterprises evolved and how they might be transformed for the future.

He is a former civil service officer who retired as Director General from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, New Delhi, in 2018. During his long service career spanning more than three decades, he has served in various capacities in India and abroad and completed many important assignments, national and international, including a 4-year tenure as tax adviser to a foreign government. He is currently a Professor of Applied Economics at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.A prolific writer and columnist with versatile interests in diverse areas ranging from public finance to photography and popular science. He has so far published nine books and numerous research articles in academic journals and national newspapers. He is also a regular contributor to science journals. His latest published books include Special Category States of India (a seminal work on the subject) and GST and Its Aftermath: Is Consumer Really the King, coauthored by Dr Debasish Bhattacharya (SAGE Publications). He is also the author of an acclaimed trilogy on evolution, Story of Universe, Story of Evolution and Story of Consciousness.