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Cash or In-kind Transfers? Evidence from a Randomised Controlled Trial in Delhi, India

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  • Shubhashis Gangopadhyay
  • Robert Lensink
  • Bhupesh Yadav

Abstract

This article examines a randomised intervention in Delhi, India, that provided unconditional cash transfers to a group of households as a replacement for the food security offered by a below-poverty-level card. The experimental approach can differentiate beneficial effects due to either unconditional cash transfers or newly opened bank accounts. The unconditional cash transfer does not induce a decline in food security; rather, it provides opportunities for households to shift to other nutritious options in non-cereal product categories.

Suggested Citation

  • Shubhashis Gangopadhyay & Robert Lensink & Bhupesh Yadav, 2015. "Cash or In-kind Transfers? Evidence from a Randomised Controlled Trial in Delhi, India," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 660-673, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:51:y:2015:i:6:p:660-673
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2014.997219
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    Cited by:

    1. Mousumi Das & Ajay Sharma & Suresh Chandra Babu, 2018. "Pathways from agriculture-to-nutrition in India: implications for sustainable development goals," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(6), pages 1561-1576, December.
    2. Lagomarsino, Bruno Cardinale & Rossi, Martin A., 2024. "JUE insight: The unintended effect of Argentina's subsidized homeownership lottery program on intimate partner violence," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    3. Prabhat Kishore & Pratap S. Birthal, 2024. "The impact of direct benefit transfers for micro-irrigation on farm performance: Evidence from India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(7), pages 17995-18015, July.
    4. Vandita Dar & Madhvi Sethi & Saina Baby, 2023. "Direct Cash Transfers in Emerging Economies: The Case of India," Business Perspectives and Research, , vol. 11(2), pages 287-308, May.
    5. Kumar, Tanu, 2021. "The housing quality, income, and human capital effects of subsidized homes in urban India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. J. V. Meenakshi, 2016. "Trends and patterns in the triple burden of malnutrition in India," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 47(S1), pages 115-134, November.
    7. Sudha Narayanan & Shree Saha, 2020. "Take home rations (THR) and cash transfers for maternal and child nutrition: A Synthesis of evidence in India," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2020-039, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.
    8. Bauchet, Jonathan & Asquith, Nigel & Ma, Zhao & Radel, Claudia & Godoy, Ricardo & Zanotti, Laura & Steele, Diana & Gramig, Benjamin M. & Chong, Andrea Estrella, 2020. "The practice of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) in the Tropical Andes: Evidence from program administrators," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    9. Ma, Zhao & Bauchet, Jonathan & Steele, Diana & Godoy, Ricardo & Radel, Claudia & Zanotti, Laura, 2017. "Comparison of Direct Transfers for Human Capital Development and Environmental Conservation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 498-517.
    10. Min Zhu & Chuanmin Shuai & Xiaoyan Wang & Zhihui Leng & Fan Zhang, 2019. "Analysis of China’s policy effect on poverty alleviation: evidence from Chongqing in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 1325-1345, May.

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