What is the difference between the rich and the poor? Some say, it is not so grand. On a daily basis, poor individuals face a set of constraints. Alleviate those constraints, and they will behave--make choices for themselves and their families--just like the rich do. This contrasts with the view that somebody else (preferably rich and foreign) must make good decisions for the poor. It empowers those whom development lingo calls "beneficiaries."
What is public policy? A public policy is basically a law or rule that is enforced by any level of government, whether central, state, or local. Our activist judiciary also makes public policy: that all public transport in Delhi must run on CNG, for example, was a Supreme Court decree.