Structural Inefficiency of Uniform Allocation: Evidence from One Stop Centres in Bihar

<div> Public administration often adopts the “uniform allocation” of services for simplicity and equality. However, when spatial scale and demographic dispersion differ substantially, this nominal approach generates inefficiency and unequal access. This paper evaluates the structural accessibility of One Stop Centres in Bihar, which are operated through the uniform allocation of services across all districts. Using disaggregated cross-sectional data for all 38 districts, we assess the spatial accessibility index derived from geographic radius and examine its relationship with female population size in Bihar and with the gender-based crime burden, measured as women per 100,000 female population. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> Regression results indicate that structural accessibility is statistically unrelated to crime burden and significantly associated with a static uniform allocation rule. Districts with a larger female population and high crime rates exhibit lower effective accessibility, consistent with congestion effects, under a static, district-level uniform allocation policy. These findings suggest that structural inequality and access disparities do not arise from targeting vulnerable regions but from the practice of uniform rule, which underlies heterogeneity across and within states. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> The analysis reframes the discourses of policy implementation and administrative service allocation by separating need-based responses from congestion effects against the uniformity of policy rules. The results underscore the significance of service demand dynamics in a heterogeneous society and the need to transform allocation frameworks to foster equity and enhance public policy design. Public administration often adopts the “uniform allocation” of services for simplicity and equality. However, when spatial scale and demographic dispersion differ substantially, this nominal approach generates inefficiency and unequal access. This paper evaluates the structural accessibility of One Stop Centres in Bihar, which are operated through the uniform allocation of services across all districts. Using disaggregated cross-sectional data for all 38 districts, we assess the spatial accessibility index derived from geographic radius and examine its relationship with female population size in Bihar and with the gender-based crime burden, measured as women per 100,000 female population. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> Regression results indicate that structural accessibility is statistically unrelated to crime burden and significantly associated with a static uniform allocation rule. Districts with a larger female population and high crime rates exhibit lower effective accessibility, consistent with congestion effects, under a static, district-level uniform allocation policy. These findings suggest that structural inequality and access disparities do not arise from targeting vulnerable regions but from the practice of uniform rule, which underlies heterogeneity across and within states. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> The analysis reframes the discourses of policy implementation and administrative service allocation by separating need-based responses from congestion effects against the uniformity of policy rules. The results underscore the significance of service demand dynamics in a heterogeneous society and the need to transform allocation frameworks to foster equity and enhance public policy design. </div>