This book looks at the state of governance in countries of Developing Asia, ie, the poorer countries in the region and those with inadequate creditworthiness and with risk of debt stress. It assesses the state of public sector management and their attempts at governance reforms in these countries. It further considers the space for these countries to initiate and sustain reforms in a few key areas of public policy, including (i) generating more resources domestically; (ii) reforming the state-owned enterprises so that primarily governments do not lose a lot of resources in the form of subsidies; (iii) strengthening local governments so that services can be provided more effectively; and (iv) strengthening the agencies of government such that public sector functions, such as service delivery, are better and more effectively delivered.

The book’s main conclusion is that while countries in Developing Asia have had difficulties in instituting governance and public sector reforms, the scope for doing so has never been better.