AI can sharpen rural development planning, provided algorithms inform decisions rather than replace local voices. AI generated image India’s rural development planning is becoming increasingly data-driven. GIS, satellite imagery, digital databases and emerging AI tools are creating new possibilities for identifying local needs, prioritising public works and improving resource allocation. But as technology plays a greater role in planning, an important question emerges: can di

India’s welfare state is undergoing one of its most significant transformations since economic liberalisation. For decades, public support revolved around subsidising essentials such as food, fuel and fertilisers. Today, that model is steadily giving way to Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs), with cash replacing commodities and citizens gaining greater freedom to decide how best to meet their own needs. The rise of Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs), particularly those directed