How is the performance of a chief minister/State generally measured?

---

 

This note is targeted at queries which arise while we conduct our course with MPs on topics related to Economics, Budget and Governance.

 

The media frequently publishes articles comparing various chief ministers, most often as a state nears election. We were asked if there were any organisations conducting such rankings in an organised manner and if not, to give an idea of what the media frequently measures CMs on.

 

   1. Which indicators are commonly used in making such comparisons?

   2. List some of the more prominent articles written in the last 1-2 years specifically on the progress card of Chief Ministers.

 

 

 

Requested By- A first time MP from Tamil Nadu

 

 

Length - 4 - 5 pages

 

 

Due by: 8th Mar 2008

 

 

 

Response 

 

Role of a Chief Minister

 

 

 

Economic freedom rating for states (2005) 

 

Sponsored by Friedrich Naumann Stiftung and published by the Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies in March 2005. Most economic freedom ratings are cross-country. Sub-national attempts have been made in the United States of America, Canada and China. This was possibly the first attempt in India for ranking states.

 

Variables used in the analysis

 

The 26 variables divided into three heads of size of government, legal structure and security of property rights, and regulation of credit, labour and business.

 

For instance, government revenue expenditure as a share of gross state domestic product is a variable under the first head. The ratio of total value of property recovered to total value of property stolen is a variable under the second head. And the number of man-days lost in strikes and lockouts is a variable under the third head. After making data comparable and normalizing them for size of the states, each state obtains a score under each head. These scores are absolute indicators of how a state has performed.

 

Industry Conducted Analyses

 

CII sponsored  2002- based on the perceptions of a large number of business persons.  This used the following indicators-

 

1. Availability and Cost of Communications

2. Availability and Cost of Personnel and Industrial relations

3. Availability and Quality of Business Services

4. Ease, Transparency and Efficiency of the Government

5. Law and Justice related to Corporate Requirements

6. Quality and Accessibility of Transport Infrastructure

7. Quality of Life in Urban Areas

8. Size and Growth of Markets

9. Stability and Quality of State Government Finances and Policy

 

http://www.indicus.net/New-Database%20website%5CWebsite-hierachy%5CStudies%20&%20Presentation%5CAll-Studies-list%5CState%20and%20Governance%5CAttractiveness_Of%20States_perception%5CAttractiveness_Of%20States_perception.pdf

 

 

Human Development Reports (State and India)

 

State human development reports

http://www.undp.org.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=80

 

India HDR

http://www.undp.org.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=84

 

 

 

National Devlopment Council  

 

The Proceedings of the National Devlopment Council (which is supposed to guide the Planning Commission) are available on the Planning Commission's website. They provide a good clue to thinking of the various chief ministers' and their priorities.

 

http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/planrel/52ndc/52ndSp.htm

 

 

References

 

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050622/asp/opinion/story_4867048.asp

 

 

 

 

---