Young lives working paper 112. Can the major public works policy buffer negative shocks in early childhood? : evidence from andhra pradesh, india

YOUNG LIVES WORKING PAPER 112. CAN THE MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS POLICY BUFFER NEGATIVE SHOCKS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD?: EVIDENCE FROM ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA CONTENTS * Abstract * Citation * Links

ABSTRACT The study examines the role of the largest public works program in the world-the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) - in buffering the negative effects of early

childhood exposure to rainfall shocks on long-term health outcomes. Exploiting the spatial and temporal variation in NREGS coverage, the study estimates the extent to which nutritional

shocks in early childhood can be offset by access to the policy. The study employs a unique identification strategy by integrating detailed administrative records of drought shock and

phase-wise roll-out information of NREGS with a household level panel data-the Young Lives survey- conducted over three waves (2002, 2007 and 2009-10) in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Using individual fixed effects estimation the study finds that while the policy does not help correct for long term past health deficiencies it is useful in buffering recent drought shocks,

which varies by policy relevant sub-groups. We find that an increase in 22 working days per household increases height-for-age by around 0.26 standard deviations which is bridging about half

the rural-urban gap in average height for age score.We find the program is most effective for the case of lower educated households and scheduled castes, who are presumably more vulnerable

in the face of climatic variability. Hence there is much room to reap in the indirect benefits of the program by ensuring food security issues of these households. This paper was presented

at a conference on Inequalities in Children’s Outcomes in Developing Countries hosted by Young Lives at St Anne’s College, Oxford on 8-9 July 2013. CITATION Aparajita Dasgupta. Young Lives

Working Paper 112. Can the Major Public Works Policy Buffer Negative Shocks in Early Childhood?: Evidence from Andhra Pradesh, India. Young Lives, Department of International Development at

the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK (2013) 58 pp. ISBN 978-1-909403-25-3 LINKS Young Lives Working Paper 112. Can the Major Public Works Policy Buffer Negative Shocks in Early Childhood?:

Evidence from Andhra Pradesh, India UPDATES TO THIS PAGE Published 1 January 2013 Contents