How Local Governance Can Transform Education & Development in India | Yamini Aiyar At India@100

At the India@100 event hosted by Business Today, public policy expert Yamini Aiyar, in conversation with Preeti Chaudhry, Managing Editor at India Today TV, delivers a compelling account of why India’s development journey must be truly inclusive. Drawing from a decade-old field experience in Purnia, Bihar, Aiyar highlights the systemic flaws in governance where decisions taken far from the grassroots often fail to address local realities. She narrates how a “building-less” school — operating under a tree with committed teachers and eager students — was ordered to buy a fire extinguisher instead of textbooks or teaching support. This eye-opening story underscores the urgent need to empower local governments and enable grassroots-level decision-making to ensure every corner of India moves forward together on the path of progress.