Fiscal Fables: A Citizen’s Guide To Public Finance By Sarthak Pradhan, Pranay Kotasthane

From GST debates and “freebies” to state finances, urban infrastructure, fiscal federalism, and tax reform, nearly every major political and economic story dominating headlines today is ultimately a public finance story. Yet public finance remains one of the least understood subjects in India.

Fiscal Fables arrives at a moment when India’s fiscal choices are under unprecedented scrutiny. Rather than taking ideological positions, the book equips readers with the tools to understand how governments raise money, spend it, borrow it, and why these decisions shape everyday life. It does so through stories, pop culture references and real-world case studies rather than technical economics.

Why this book is timely

Recent debates dominating Indian media make this an ideal moment for conversations around the book:

Fiscal prudence versus welfare politics ahead of key state elections.
GST rationalisation and the future of indirect taxation.
Centre-state tensions over fiscal devolution and Finance Commission recommendations.
Urban infrastructure failures despite record public expenditure.
Questions around India’s fiscal deficit, government borrowing and public debt.
The growing discussion around whether India taxes too little, spends too inefficiently, or both.

The book argues that these aren’t isolated policy stories, they’re all connected through the same public finance framework.

There is an unending debate on the north-south claims on government money. Every election cycle unmistakably sees a discussion on freebies and corruption. The states and the union continue to have multiple disagreements concerning the Goods and Services Tax. And while Indian cities contribute to the bulk of its GDP, they are perennially begging for money. Discussions around the topics listed above are now commonplace, yet they often take place in the absence of a grasp on public finance concepts, even though this discipline provides a framework to understand the role of a government in the economy. That’s where Fiscal Fables comes in. It demystifies India’s public finances to a lay audience and explains public finance concepts with the help of relatable stories and examples, to make this vital knowledge accessible to a general interest reader.

About The Author:

Sarthak Pradhan is a public policy researcher focused on public finance and economics. He is a Fellow at the Takshashila Institution, an independent centre for research and education in public policy, where he teaches economic reasoning and explores the application of complexity science to policy problems. He also serves as Assistant Editor of the Indian Public Policy Review. Based in Bengaluru, he believes that citizens who understand public money make better demands of their governments. This book is an attempt to make public finance more accessible to citizens.

Published: Aug/2026

ISBN: 9789377303952 (Paperback)

Length : 384 Pages

MRP : ₹499.00