Webinar on “Public Affairs Index 2021 – Governance in the States of India”

Organized by: Public Affairs Centre (PAC) & Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Karnataka Regional Branch

Opening Remarks: Dr. Annapoorna Ravichander. Panellists: Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, Dr. Supriya Roychowdhury, K. Jairaj.

Public Affairs Index 2021 - Governance in the States of India (Webinar Report) documents the webinar jointly organised by the Public Affairs Centre (PAC) and the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) to discuss the findings, methodology, and policy relevance of the Public Affairs Index (PAI) 2021. The event brought together senior bureaucrats, academicians, governance experts, and public policy practitioners to examine the Index as a data-driven tool for assessing governance across Indian states. Presentations explained the PAI framework, which evaluates governance through the three pillars of Equity, Growth, and Sustainability using 43 indicators mapped to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and introduced new components including Scheme Analysis, the COVID-19 Response Index, and Delta Analysis. Panel discussions focused on improving evidence-based policymaking, strengthening data-driven governance, addressing regional disparities, enhancing equity and public service delivery, and using governance indices to guide targeted policy interventions and administrative reforms. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of open data, continuous monitoring, collaborative research, and stronger engagement between governments, research institutions, and civil society to improve governance outcomes and promote accountable, transparent, and citizen-centric public administration across India.