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Matching keywords : Human capital, income distribution, human cloning, overlapping generations, intergenerational mobility

The Humanities of Crisis: Climate Change and the Discipline

From scientific upheavals in the Early Modern to world wars in the twentieth century, Humanities has responded to the crisis and also reinvented itself in terms of methodologies and fields of inquiry....

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 15 Nov 2021

Know Your Publishing Space: Institutional Repositories

Institutional repositories(IRs), if established in various universities, would help bring out the contributions by Indian researchers on the world map, especially in the field of Arts, Humanities, and...

by Shubhada Nagarkar | On 19 Feb 2021

Grand Challenges for the Humanities in India:

In January 2019, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) tasked Professors Nirmala Menon (IIT Indore) and Sumathi Ramaswamy (Duke University) with the following: To identify 10 grand challen...

by | On 18 Jan 2021

eSS Sunday Edit: Humanities and the Public Good

Constitutions and founding principles, including our own, were drafted by those who studied Humanities and its cognate fields, which helped them see far into the future. The plan and vision remains, a...

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 07 Jan 2021

The Sunday Edit: How Will Latin America Weather the Covid-19 Storm?

With most of their fiscal firepower spent and with their political capital draining away, Latin American governments are grappling with the challenge of gradually opening up their economies even befor...

by | On 21 Jun 2020

Inequality in a Global Perspective

The basic story of global inequality in the last three decades has been an overall decline, but one which is composed of quite intricate patterns. There has been a decline in between country inequalit...

by Ravi Kanbur | On 08 Jun 2020

Real is radical: Drop subsidies, offer basic minimum income to farmers

You could run a sensible subsidy and price support system at a fraction of today's cost, and still have enough money left over to offer a more generous income support to all farmers.

by T.N. Ninan | On 02 Jun 2020

A New Approach to Social Sciences, Humanities in a Time of Crisis

Can use the COVID-19 time to slow down, take stock and develop fresh approaches for the social sciences and humanities?

by | On 22 May 2020

Shared Responsibility, Gobal Solidarity : Responding to the Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19

The current global health crisis is unlike any in the 75-year history of the United Nations — one that is killing people, spreading human suffering, and upending people’s lives. But this is much more...

by United Nations (UN) | On 24 Apr 2020

Public Expenditure on Old-Age Income Support in India: Largesse for a Few, Illusory for Most

Extant studies deciphering public expenditure on old-age income support in India carry limitations on (a) system expanse, (b) corresponding data collation, and therefore (c) depth of resource conscrip...

by Mukesh Kumar Anand | On 02 Apr 2019

India's Universal Basic Income: Bedeviled by the Details

The idea of a Universal Basic Income (UBI)-—periodic and uncon- ditional cash payments to all citizens—has gained renewed attention amid growing concerns about technological unemployment in advanced e...

by | On 28 Mar 2019

Environmental Governance and Environmental Performance

Along with the continuous development of the global economy, environmental deterioration has been widely recognized as a pressing issue nowadays, bringing environmental governance to the forefront of...

by Chun-Ping Chang | On 28 Mar 2019

Human Rights Watch World Report, 2019. Events of 2018

World Report 2019 is Human Rights Watch’s 29th annual review of human rights practices around the globe. It summarizes key human rights issues in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide, draw...

by | On 27 Mar 2019

Guidance Note of the Secretary-General : The United Nations and Land and Conflict

Over the coming decades, competition and conflict over land is likely to intensify with the growing pressures of climate change, population growth, increased food insecurity, migration and urbanizatio...

by Secretary-General United Nations | On 21 Mar 2019

Readiness of National Statistical Systems in Asia and the Pacific for Leveraging Big Data to Monitor the SDGs

In September 2015, the world committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have broad and interconnected social, economic, social, econo...

by Jose Ramon Albert | On 20 Mar 2019

Services and Manufacturing in Global Value Chains: Is the Dstinction Obsolete?

This paper introduces a taxonomy of service activities in GVCs and describes the main statistical challenges in assessing the contribution of manufacturing and services to output, value added, or trad...

by Sébastien Miroudot | On 07 Mar 2019

The Labor Share of Income Around the World: Evidence from a Panel Dataset

This study provides an evaluation of five different methodologies of estimation commonly used in the labor share literature and propose a new measurement. Theglobal dataset of the labor income share a...

by Marta Guerriero | On 20 Feb 2019

Innovation, Efficiency and Inclusion: Integration of Digital Technologies in the Indian Microfinance Sector

This paper explores how these mechanisms - innovation, inclusion and efficiency – have been integral to microfinance operations in the past, and how innovations in digital technology may be yet anothe...

by Saon Ray | On 04 Feb 2019

Explaining the contractualisation of India’s workforce

The employment structure of India’s organised manufacturing sector has undergone substantial changes over the last decade with a steep rise in the use of contract workers in place of directly hired wo...

by Radhicka Kapoor | On 03 Feb 2019

Is There a Demand for Reverse Mortgages in China? Evidence from Two Online Surveys

Reverse mortgages provide an alternative source of retirement funding by allowing older homeowners to borrow against their home. However, a recent pilot program of reserve mortgage products in several...

by Katja Hanewald | On 03 Feb 2019

Changing Structure of Employment in Indian States

The study attempts a comparative assessment of the changing employment situation in major Indian states, measured in terms of worker-population ratios and the distribution of workers into status group...

by A.V. Jose | On 01 Feb 2019

Globalization and the Re-Articulations of the Local: A Case Study from Kerala’s Midlands

This paper is a preliminary attempt to understand globalisation and social transformation in the rural Kerala. It addresses the socioeconomic changes in a village in the mid-land region of Kerala name...

by Mijo Luke | On 31 Jan 2019

Emigration and Remittances: New Evidences from the Kerala Migration Survey 2018

The report sheds light on the various issues concerning migration and mobility. It gathers the fruit of two decades of research done at the CDS and examines migration dynamics from demographic, econom...

by S. Irudaya Rajan | On 31 Jan 2019

The Business of Greening: Policy Measures for Green Business Development in Asia

The paper reviews green markets, technologies, and practices with a focus on developing Asian countries, and offers a set of policy options to enable governments and development finance institutions t...

by Daniele Ponzi | On 29 Jan 2019

Multi- Product Firms, Tariff Liberalization and Product Churning in Vietnamese Manufacturing

This study documents the frequency and characteristics of multi-product firms in Vietnamese manufacturing. The major findings are as follows. First, multi-product firms are larger, more capital-intens...

by Ha Thi Thanh Doan | On 29 Jan 2019

The Basel Capital Requirement, Lending Interest Rate and Aggregate Economic Growth: An Empirical Study of Vietnam

This paper investigates the effects of the Basel II capital requirement implementation in Viet Nam on the bank lending rate and national output. The paper provides a theoretical framework as well as e...

by Nguyet Thi Minh Phi | On 28 Jan 2019

What do we Know about Changing Economic Activity of Firms?

Identification of primary economic activity of ¬firms is a prerequisite for compiling several macro aggregates. This paper takes a statistical approach to understand the extent of changes in primary e...

by Radhika Pandey | On 23 Jan 2019

Responses to Trade Opening: Evidence and Lessons from Asia

In various Asian countries, international trade has raised productivity, lowered mark ups through import competition (while increasing them through cheaper inputs that can be imported), raised wages,...

by Devashish Mitra | On 22 Jan 2019

UDAY Power Debt in Retrospect and Prospects: Analyzing the Efficiency Parameters

The Government of India launched the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY), in November 2015, with an objective of “Power for All”. Under the UDAY scheme, selected States agreed to convert 75 per cent...

by Amandeep Kaur | On 11 Jan 2019

Industrialization of Developing Countries in a Multicountry, Multisector Capital Accumulation Model

This paper shows that industrialization of developing countries, defined as start of production of investment goods, happens when their share in global production exceeds the global demand for consump...

by Tadateru Hayashi | On 02 Jan 2019

Transformation of Indian Agriculture? Growth, Inclusiveness and Sustainability

This paper provides 10 conclusions on the policies needed to achieve three goals of agricultural development in India. These are : (1) There is a need for change in the narrative in the new context; (...

by S. Mahendra Dev | On 26 Dec 2018

Does the Exposure to Routinization Explain the Evolution of the Labour Share of Income ? Evidence from Asia

This paper analyzes the evolution of the labor share of income in Asia, a region where countries have experienced steep declines and increases as well as stable labor income shares in the quarter-cent...

by Mitali Das | On 13 Dec 2018

Identifying the Costs of a Public Health Success: Arsenic Well Water Contamination and Productivity in Bangladesh

This paper exploits the recent molecular genetics evidence on the genetic basis of arsenic excretion and unique information on family links among respondents living in different environments from a la...

by Mark M. Pitt | On 22 Nov 2018

Mobility and congestion in urban India

The paper presents the development of a methodology to estimate robust city-level vehicular mobility indices, and apply it to 154 Indian cities using 22 million counterfactual trips measured by a web...

by Prottoy A. Akbar | On 22 Nov 2018

A Primer on the Drivers of Labor Income Share

This paper extends this literature by considering a heterogeneous labor market with capital-skill complementarity. Technological advancement, global integration, regulation of labor market and structu...

by Saumik Paul | On 21 Nov 2018

How Do We Prevent a Food Crisis in the Midst of Climate Change?

The current global warming trends are extremely likely to be the result of human social and economic activity since the middle of the 20th century (NASA 2018). Evidence of rapid climate change varies...

by Kunmin Kim | On 21 Nov 2018

Strong Regulation of Medical Products: Cornerstone of Public Health and Regional Health Security

National regulatory agencies (NRAs) are the gatekeepers of the supply chain of medical products such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. It is through registration with an NRA that a manufacturer...

by Susann Roth | On 09 Oct 2018

Sectoral Labor Income Share Dynamics: Cross – Country Evidence from a Novel Dataset

This paper overcomes the constraint and provides some preliminary outcomes from a novel dataset that the authors compile at the sectoral level (10 sectors) for 53 countries, including 20 developing co...

by Yoko Oishi | On 01 Oct 2018

Rationale and Institution for Public – Private Partnerships

Private–public partnership (PPP) methods are considered to be an effective way to narrow the gap between demand and supply of social infrastructure. If successfully pursued, PPP can deliver benefits t...

by Jungwook Kim | On 19 Sep 2018

Financial Market Integration and Income Inequality

This paper uncovers novel empirical evidence that financial market integration and financial market development interact to change income inequality. When other things are controlled, the effect of fi...

by Jae wook Jung | On 11 Sep 2018

The People’s Republic of China’s Long-Run Growth through the Lens of the Export-Led Growth Model

The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) remarkable growth performance over the last 3 decades has been associated to very robust export growth, so much so that many refer to it as a clear example of ex...

by Jesus Felipe | On 29 Aug 2018

Assessing the Effects of Simple and Complex Innovation Strategies on the Performance of Firms in the Philippines

Innovation is the synergistic use of resources, technology, capital, and information to achieve growth at different levels of the economy. Many studies abroad have already supported the hypothesis tha...

by Connie Bayudan-Dacuycuy | On 27 Aug 2018

Green Energy Finance in India: Challenges and Solutions

The paper presents a granular understanding of the associated challenges of mobilizing such finances, drawing from the Indian perspective. It contributes to the present understanding by identifying th...

by Gopal K. Sarangi | On 24 Aug 2018

An Empirical Analysis of the Factors that Influence Infrastructure Project Financing by Banks in Select Asian Economies

This paper analyzes a critical aspect of expanding private finance to infrastructure by examining the role of bank lending to public–private partnership (PPP) projects through the project finance moda...

by Vivek Rao | On 24 Aug 2018

Investing in Health Security for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific: Managing Health Threats Through Regional and Intersectoral Cooperation

Asia is a hot spot for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, including those with pandemic potential. At the same time, the region is grappling with growing antimicrobial resistance and the hea...

by Megan Counahan | On 24 Aug 2018

Evaluating India's Exchange Rate Regime Under Global Shocks

The paper assesses the performance of India's managed float with respect to maintaining a real competitive exchange rate, its effect on trade, on stability of currency and financial markets, and on in...

by Ashima Goyal | On 24 Aug 2018

Financial Barriers to Development of Renewable and Green Energy Projects in Asia

The expansion of green renewable energy has been very limited in all the Asian countries, despite their various differences. The contributing factors are numerous, but, the financial factor has been t...

by Hooman Peimani | On 16 Aug 2018

Short-term Migration in Rural India: The Impact of Nature and Extent of Participation in Agriculture

The paper analyses a nationally representative data set from India for the year 2013 in order to provide evidence on how short term migration is affected by household's ownership of land, and particip...

by S. Chandrasekhar | On 25 Jul 2018

Alternate Instruments to Manage the Capital Flow Conundrum: A Study of Selected Asian Economies

The paper analyses a nationally representative data set from India for the year 2013 in order to provide evidence on how short term migration is affected by household's ownership of land, and particip...

by Rajeswari Sengupta | On 25 Jul 2018

Financial Inclusion, Financial Regulation, Financial Literacy, and Financial education in the Kyrgyz Republic

This paper discusses recent developments in financial inclusion and financial literacy in Kyrgyz Republic. While financial inclusion is considered one of the key drivers of today’s development, it is...

by Savia Hasanova | On 19 Jul 2018

Assessment of the BUB Program: Improving Access of Local Communities to Basic Services and Strengthening Social Capital

The Aquino administration through the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster (HDPRC) and Good Governance and Anti-Corruption Cluster (GGACC) launched the Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB) exercise in...

by Rosario G. Manasan | On 05 Jul 2018

Assessment of Implementation Issues and Livelihood Success on the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the DSWD

The study aims to assess the sustainable livelihood program (SLP) implementation processes based on recent policy enhancements and indicators of program success. The analysis is based on focus group d...

by Marife M. Ballesteros | On 05 Jul 2018

School Participation of Children with Disability: The Case of San Remigio and Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines

This paper is part of the joint project of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and the Institute of Developing Economies looked into the school participation of children with disab...

by Adrian D. Agbon | On 03 Jul 2018

A Probe into the Filipino Migration Culture: What Is There to Learn for Policy Intervention?

This paper seeks to address this gap in the literature by examining migration intentions of individuals from a high-emigration rural village in the Philippines. The results provide evidence of a cultu...

by Aubrey D. Tabuga | On 29 Jun 2018

Risk Management Innovation for Philippine Banking

This Policy Note revisits the risk management policy of BSP as a guide in strengthening the competitiveness of Philippine banks. It also recommends measures to further refine the banking system in the...

by Roberto Miguel S. Roque | On 29 Jun 2018

Productivity Growth in Organized Manufacturing in Telangana

This paper makes an attempt to estimate Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth by using both growth accounting approach and production function approach. Kendrick, Solow and Tornqvist-Theil indices ar...

by G. Alivelu | On 26 Jun 2018

Cash Holdings and Tax Evaded Incomes in India – A Discussion

The paper makes an analysis of cash holdings in India and attempts to test its association with tax effort and government spending. The finding arrived is that the ratio of Cash holding to Nominal GDP...

by R. Mohan | On 21 Jun 2018

Federalism, Fiscal Asymmetries and Economic Convergence: Evidence from Indian States

This paper tests economic convergence across States in India by incorporating federal fiscal asymmetries and differentials in gross fixed capital formation at the state level. Using dynamic panel mode...

by Lekha Chakraborty | On 15 Jun 2018

The Impact of Monetary and Tax Policy on Income Inequality in Japan

This paper assesses the effects of the most recent monetary policy behavior of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) (in particular, zero interest rate policy and negative interest rate policy) and Japanese tax pol...

by Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary | On 09 Jun 2018

Capital Skill Substitutability and the Labor Income Share: Identification Using the Morishima Elasticity of Subtitution

The relationship between a declining labor income share and a falling relative price of capital requires capital and labor to be gross substitutes at the aggregate level. It argues that this restricti...

by Saumik Paul | On 07 Jun 2018

Cross- Border Portfolio Investment and Financial Integration in Asia and the Pacific Region

This paper examines the developments of cross-border portfolio assets and liabilities in the Asia and Pacific region over the periods of 2001–2017. Rapid increases in both portfolio foreign assets and...

by Sayuri Shirai | On 07 Jun 2018

Estimating Elasticity of Transport Fuel Demand in Pakistan

This study investigates the fuel demand elasticities separately for petrol, diesel, and CNG using data from July 2004 to June 2015 for Pakistan. The results show that fuel demands are generally (own...

by Muhammad Omer | On 06 Jun 2018

Adjustment to Trade Opening: The Case of Labor Share in India’s Manufacturing Industry

This paper is to studies how manufacturing plants in India adjusted to trade liberalization during the period 1998–99 to 2007–08. It estimates how the labor share changed due to tariff reduction. The...

by Prachi Gupta | On 05 Jun 2018

Global Banking Network and Regional Financial Contagion

This paper investigates and tests the role of regional exposures in financial contagion from advanced to emerging market economies through the global banking network using data on cross-border bilater...

by Cyn Young Park | On 31 May 2018

Income Inequality and Depression: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Association and a Scoping Review of Mechanisms

Most countries have witnessed a dramatic increase of income inequality in the past three decades. This paper addresses the question of whether income inequality is associated with the population prev...

by | On 31 May 2018

Accessing Opportunities: Policy Decisions for Enhancing Urban Mobility

This paper first considers the challenges of urban mobility faced by developing cities, before exploring the role for policy in improving connectivity. In Section 2, this paper looks at options for...

by Paul Collier | On 30 May 2018

Global Inequality When Unequal Countries Create Unequal People

Current global inequality measures assume that national-mean income does not matter to economic welfare at given household income, as measured in surveys. The paper questions...

by Martin Ravallion | On 16 May 2018

Technological Progress and Future of Kuznets Curve

This study considers the fluctuation in the degree of income inequality after the Kuznets curve completes a single inverted U-shaped curve. It ascertains that new-born technological inventions incre...

by Inyong Shin | On 14 May 2018

Growth and Childbearing in the Short- and Long-Run

Despite being key to theories of economic growth and the demographic transition, evidence on how fertility responds to aggregate income change is mixed. We analyze economic growth and fertility chan...

by | On 08 May 2018

The World Development Report 2018 —LEARNING to Realize Education’s Promise

The World Development Report 2018 (WDR 2018)—LEARNING to Realize Education’s Promise—is the first ever devoted entirely to education. And the timing is excellent: education has long been critical to h...

by World Bank [WB] | On 04 May 2018

Demographics and FDI: Lessons from China’s One-Child Policy

Lucas (1990) argues that the neoclassical adjustment process fails to explain the relative paucity of FDI inflows from rich to poor countries. In this paper we consider a natural experiment: using Ch...

by | On 02 May 2018

Restorative Care: Integral to Access to Justice

Existing research on “access to justice” has shown how the understanding of the term developed as the human rights approach gained ground. The conventional notion of access to justice was limited to s...

by HAQ: Centre for Child Rights | On 20 Apr 2018

Nepal Human Development Report 2014: Beyond Geography Unlocking Human Potential

The report presents a rigorous statistical analysis across space and time, using the available national data.

by National Planning (NPC) | On 13 Apr 2018

Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2018: How Technology Affects Jobs

The economic growth outlook for developing Asia remains vibrant. Asian Development Outlook 2018 foresees continued momentum after growth accelerated to 6.1% in 2017. The region is expected to ex...

by Asian Bank | On 12 Apr 2018

Chronic Poverty in India: Overview Study

This paper tries to summarise the current state of knowledge about chronic poverty in India and identify the agenda for further research. An ove rview of the trends in incidence of...

by | On 12 Apr 2018

Draft National Forest Policy, 2018

The overall objective and goal of the present policy is to safeguard the ecological and livelihood security of people, of the present and future generations, based on sustainable management of the fo...

by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Chang GOI | On 11 Apr 2018

Thailand”s Seafood Slaves: Human Trafficking, Slavery and Murder in Kantang’s Fishing Industry

This report recalls and builds on the recommendations made in EJF’s 2015 report Pirates and Slaves.

by Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) | On 10 Apr 2018

Human Trafficking in Taiwan’s Fisheries Sector

Taiwan has one of the world’s largest DWFs, with over 1,800 vessels flying the Taiwanese flag operating across the world and hundreds of Taiwanese-owned vessels flying other flags.

by Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) | On 09 Apr 2018

People, Policy and Partnership for Disaster Resilience Development: Proceedings

The report says that the Bunkar Samiti was establised to create a common platform for sustainable livelihoods.

by National Alliance Risk Reduction (NAADRR) | On 05 Apr 2018

Shaping the Future: How Changing Demographics can power Human Development

The report says that the opportunities they have and the choices they make determine the course of human development—nowhere more so than in Asia-Pacific, home to half the world’s population.

by Thangavel Palanivel | On 03 Apr 2018

Human Capital and Income Equality

This study investigates empirically how human capital, measured by educational attainment, is related to income distribution. The regressions, using a panel data set covering a broad range of countr...

by | On 30 Mar 2018

Education and Earnings In Pakistan

The conventional theory of human capital developed by Becker (1962) and Mincer (1974) views education and training as the major sources of human capital accumulation that, in turn, have direct and pos...

by Zafar Mueen Nasir | On 29 Mar 2018

Money, Income, Prices, and Causality in Pakistan: A Trivariate Analysis

The report says that there has been a long debate in economics regarding the role of money in an economy particularly in the determination of income and prices.

by Fazal Hussain | On 27 Mar 2018

The Role of Total Factor Productivity Growth in Middle-Income Countries

We examine the importance of total factor productivity (TFP) growth in middle-income countries based on cross-country panel data for the period 1975–2014. We find that TFP growth contributed signific...

by | On 23 Mar 2018

Understanding Gendered Empowerment Through a Government-run Microfinance Programme: The case of Stree Shakti in Karnataka

The report indicated a widespread stagnation of women’s work participation in poorer districts, a narrowing of their work, income, prospects and opportunities, growing wage differentials between men a...

by Centre for Budget and Policy Studies CBPS | On 23 Mar 2018

The State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture: Managing Systems at Risk

The issue of land and water for crops. It examines the kinds of production responses needed to meet demand. It also assesses the potential of the world’s land and water resources to support these de...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 22 Mar 2018

Urbanization and India’s Slum Continuum: Evidence on the Range of Policy Needs and Scope of Mobility

In contrast with historical precedent, urbanization across the Global South is associated with increasing levels of urban poverty. These trends engender unique challenges for practitioners and schola...

by Emily Rains | On 21 Mar 2018

Stories of Empowerment – Case Studies of Empowerment of Rural Workers

With a population nearing 60 million, half of which occupies the two major cities of Karachi and Hyderabad, Sindh is the only province with a rural population in the minority. Research conducted by PI...

by Salman Rashid | On 21 Mar 2018

Status of Labour Rights in Pakistan 2015

The PILER 2015 Report on the Status of Labour Rights, fifth in the series, based on secondary research, aims to present an overview of the status of labour and the issues in the year impacting labour...

by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education & Research (PILER) | On 21 Mar 2018

Estimating Poverty in Pakistan: The Non-food Consumption Share Approach

The paper says that poverty alleviation is the most persistent challenge facing Pakistan since its inception.

by Rashida Haq | On 21 Mar 2018

Financial Inclusion: New Measurement and Cross-Country Impact Assessment

This paper introduces a new index of financial inclusion for 151 economies using principal component analysis to compute weights for aggregating nine indicators of access, availability, and usage. It...

by Rogelio V. Mercado, Jr. | On 20 Mar 2018

Exchange Rate Instability and Trade: The Case of Pakistan

The paper says that the exchange rate is a vital macroeconomic variable and backbone of trade.

by M. Ali Kemal | On 19 Mar 2018

Would UDAY Brighten Up Rajasthan Finances?

Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) required number of State governments to take over debt of power distribution companies in their books of accounts. Though this one time intervention made both debt...

by Pinaki Chakraborty | On 19 Mar 2018

The Pathways of Knowledge Spillovers

Knowledge spillovers are unintentional and costless transfers of knowledge from a leader firm to a follower firm. They can occur via three pathways: Observation, imitation, and managerial interactio...

by Bino Paul | On 14 Mar 2018

Cash Holding and Tax Evaded Incomes in India – A Discussion

The paper makes an analysis of cash holdings in India and attempts to test its association with tax effort and government spending. The finding arrived is that the ratio of Cash holding to Nominal GDP...

by R. Mohan | On 14 Mar 2018

Global Downturn and Export Sector in India: Impact on Production, Export and Employment

The paper says that the recent (2007–09) global financial meltdown and the related economic recession are seen as the worst since the Great Depression of 1930s.

by S.K. Sasikumar | On 12 Mar 2018

Managing Financial Globalization: Insights from the Recent Literature

This paper seeks to draw lessons for developing countries based on a survey of the recent literature on financial globalization. First, while capital account openness holds promises (by potentially lo...

by Shang-Jin Wei | On 10 Mar 2018

Long-term Implications of Humanitarian Responses: The Case of Chennai

Following the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, Tamil Nadu lost about 8,000 people and the lives and livelihoods of over 897,000 families were affected. In 2015, Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nad...

by | On 09 Mar 2018

Women and Land in the Muslim World: Pathways to Increase Access to Land for the Realization of Development, Peace and Human Rights

This report looks at global normative work, regional frameworks, and good country level practices, it provides an analysis of the most important aspects to be taken into consideration to successfully...

by Ombretta Tempra | On 09 Mar 2018

India: A Fab-less Wonder: Case of SMDP

From IPod to I Pad, millions of electronics goods have rolled out of China, the global manufacturing hub. India’s share of global electronic product market is less than 3%. Taiwan had $72 billion of...

by A S Rao | On 07 Mar 2018

What do Self-Reports of Wellbeing Say about Life-Cycle Theory and Policy?

The paper examines a measure of self-reported evaluative wellbeing, the Cantril Ladder, and use data from Gallup to examine wellbeing over the life-cycle. It assesses the validity of the measure, and...

by Angus Deaton | On 07 Mar 2018

Militarisation and Armed Conflict

India's claim that all human rights violations are redressed stands sharply refuted by the report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which in its report to UPR2 stated that AFSPA remains i...

by Working Group on Human Rights (WGHR) | On 21 Feb 2018

On Some Currently-Fashionable Propositions In Public Finance

The paper says that putting the matter differently, the price-system plays multiple roles: it acts as a signal for the use of available resources for producing at any particular point on the Productio...

by Prabhat Patnaik | On 19 Feb 2018

Higher Education and Development in Kerala

The paper says that despite high levels of literacy, near universal enrolment in elementary education, high levels of social and human development, why could Kerala not transform itself into a prosper...

by Jandhyala Tilak | On 14 Feb 2018

Karnataka Electricity Demand Forecasting FY17-22

A study was conducted to forecast the electricity consumption and demand for Karnataka (as seen by the utilities) for 2017-2022.

by Arijit Chanda | On 13 Feb 2018

Broadband Adoption and Firm Performance: Evidence from Informal Sector Firms in India

Using unit level data for informal manufacturing sector, drawn from the Government of India’s National Sample Survey Organization, this paper addresses the impact of broadband adoption on firm perfo...

by | On 13 Feb 2018

Determinants of R&D Behavior of Foreign Firms in India

In the recent past researchers have observed paradigm shifts in the location and nature of R&D activities undertaken by multinationals in host countries. India is one of the host countries for the R...

by Savita Bhat | On 13 Feb 2018

Performance and Challenges of the UN Human Rights Council : An NGOs’ View

The current dynamic within the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has driven the Council in certain cases to function more closely in accordance with normative standards, as well as with the reality on t...

by | On 12 Feb 2018

The 2018 Budget Speech: Malaysia

Budget speech by Finance Minister of Malaysia.

by Minister of Finance Malaysia | On 09 Feb 2018

Biological Weapon, Infectious Disease and India’s Security Imperatives

The report says that the fact that transnational spread of disease does pose a threat to national security, is well entrenched now.

by Animesh Roul | On 09 Feb 2018

Budget 2018: Highlights of the Draft FY2018 Japan Budget

FY2018 budget, the budget for final year of the intensive reform period set in the Fiscal Consolidation Plan, continues to pursue both economic revitalization and fiscal consolidation.

by | On 09 Feb 2018

BMC Budget 2018: Budget Estimates E

The estimates of income, receipts and expenditure for the financial year 2018-19 with respect to the budget “E” (Primary Education) Fund Code – 30, as required under the provisions of section 126C...

by Ajoy Mehta | On 05 Feb 2018

Economic Survey 2017: Volume II, Chapter 7: Agriculture and Food Management

Agriculture and allied sector has a critical role in ensuring food security, reducing poverty and sustaining growth in India. To improve productivity in agriculture the focus has been on the critica...

by Arun Jaitley | On 31 Jan 2018

Economic Survey 2017: Volume II, Chapter 10: Social Infrastructure, Employment and Human Development

The report says that investment in human capital is a prerequisite for a healthy and productive population for nation building.

by Arun Jaitley | On 31 Jan 2018

China’s Development Finance to Asia: Characteristics and Implications

The paper ends with a discussion of the implications of possible shift in China's overseas development finance strategy since 2011.

by Oh Ah | On 31 Jan 2018

Economic Survey 2017: Volume I, Chapter 5: Is there a “Late Converger Stall” in Economic Development? Can India Escape it?

The first order fact about the developing world today is that this is an era of unprecedented prosperity. And that is true about India too which has been one of the most dynamic economic performers...

by Arun Jaitley | On 31 Jan 2018

Social Infrastructure: Way Forward

The tenth chapter of Economic Survey 2018 has sown that investments in social infrastructure and human development has paid off well. The policies and schemes have also been mentioned in detail. The g...

by Lakshmi Priya | On 31 Jan 2018

The Effect of Restructuring on Labor Reallocation and Productivity Growth: An Estimation for Korea

The paper says that the productivity growth of the service sector would foster economy-wide productivity and it can be achieved by the mitigation of misallocation of resources in service sectors.

by Choi Hyelin | On 26 Jan 2018

Arctic Council and Asian Initiatives

The paper also examines the Indian narrative on the Arctic and argues that it is important to monitor the evolving developments in the Arctic region.

by Vijay Sakhuja | On 24 Jan 2018

Federalism and Foreign Direct Investment: How Political Affiliation Determines the Spatial Distribution of FDI – Evidence from India

This paper links the foreign economic engagement of India’s states with the literature on federalism, thereby contributing to an understanding of the political economy of FDI in- flows in a parliame...

by Chanchal Kumar Sharma | On 22 Jan 2018

Nuclear Weapon: Issues, Threat and Consequence Management

The brief says that invention of nuclear weapons, the ultimate among the three weapons of mass destruction, has given rise to completely novel conditions that have fundamentally affected the concept o...

by Animesh Roul | On 22 Jan 2018

Ebola Outbreak: Lessons Learnt and Future Challenges

The article discusses the devastating effect of Ebola outbreak and challenges in terms of combating this lethal disease.

by Anshu Joshi | On 18 Jan 2018

Impact of Aadhaar on Welfare Programmes

India’s ambitious biometric identity documents project, Aadhaar, was portrayed as one that would enhance India’s welfare efforts by promoting inclusion and reducing corruption. From being a voluntary...

by Reetika Khera | On 18 Jan 2018

Forward and Backward Linkages of Migrants to Slums in Delhi

Linkages with the native place as well as integration within the city constitute backward and forward linkages of slum dwellers. Remittances are important part of these linkages. The paper explores t...

by | On 18 Jan 2018

Technological Change, Automation and Employment: A Short Review of Theory and Evidence

A selective survey of recent papers in the area of technological change, automation and employment is presented. The objective is to convey analytical ideas and the empirical evidence that have inform...

by K. V. Ramaswamy | On 16 Jan 2018

Inequality, Employment and Public Policy

This paper examines dimensions of inequality including labour market inequalities and discusses public policies needed for reduction in inequalities. It discusses both inequality of outcomes and inequ...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 16 Jan 2018

Nation State Boundaries and Human Rights of People in South Asia

The present study seeks to examine the issue of human rights violations in the border areas of countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region. It is in an effort to...

by | On 12 Jan 2018

People, Policy and Partnership for Disaster Resilience Development

The paper narrates about the proceedings that were centered on a wide range of community level risk reduction efforts that are effectively reducing vulnerabilities as well as influencing development p...

by National Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction NADRR | On 10 Jan 2018

How Regulation and Standards Can Support Social and Environmental Dynamics in Global Value Chains

This paper explores the policy measures that will best lead to the most positive outcomes as standards diffuse through global value chains.

by Raphael Kaplinsky | On 26 Dec 2017

Urban Refugees in Delhi: Self-Reliance can’t be Exclusively Entrepreneurial

Self-reliance is, by definition, about individualised responsibility for social wellbeing and economic security. This idea drives urban refugee livelihood programmes, in India and beyond, as aid organ...

by | On 22 Dec 2017

Evolution of the Infant Health Production Function

This article provides a systematic review of the published literature to date on infant health production and how it has evolved over the past 3-4 decades as data have become more available, computing...

by Hope Corman | On 19 Dec 2017

Aging and Inequality : The Perspective of Labor Income Share

Despite a growing literature on population aging, empirical studies exploring mechanisms between aging and income inequality are scarce. This paper estimates the impact of aging on inequality via the...

by | On 18 Dec 2017

Mechanics of Replacing Benefit Systems with a Basic Income: Comparative Results from a Microsimulation Approach

Recent debates of basic income (BI) proposals shine a useful spotlight on the challenges that traditional forms of income support are increasingly facing, and highlight gaps in social provisions that...

by James Browne | On 15 Dec 2017

India China: Rethinking Borders and Security

Fifty-five years after China and India fought a war over an ill-defined “colonial” border in 1962, war clouds have gathered again during this monsoon season on the contested Himalayan ridges and valle...

by Anirudh Deshpande | On 14 Dec 2017

Characterization Of Agricultural Workers In The Philippines

The paper narrates that the inclusive growth requires boosting incomes of workers currently in agriculture, either by shifting them to better-paying jobs outside agriculture or raising wages within ag...

by Roehlano M. Briones | On 13 Dec 2017

Can Social Safety Nets Protect Public Health? The Effect of India's Workfare and Foodgrain Subsidy Programmes on Anaemia

This paper focuses on the consequences of a countrywide guaranteed workfare programme (MGNREGA) and subsidised food distribution scheme (PDS) in India for the prevalence of anaemia, examining whether...

by Sudha Narayanan | On 11 Dec 2017

Response of Firms to Listing: Evidence from SME Exchanges

Public equity markets have increasingly become accessible to small and medium firms with the introduction of dedicated exchange that lower listing criteria to allow such firms to list their equity. Th...

by | On 11 Dec 2017

Temperature Effects on Productivity and Factor Reallocation: Evidence from a Half Million Chinese Manufacturing Plants

This paper uses detailed production data from a half million Chinese manufacturing plants over 1998-2007 to estimate the effects of temperature on firm-level total factor productivity (TFP), factor in...

by Peng Zhang | On 28 Nov 2017

A Region at Risk : The Human Dimensions of Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific

Asia and the Pacific continues to be exposed to climate change impacts. Home to the majority of the world’s poor, the population of the region is particularly vulnerable to those impacts. Unabated war...

by Asian Bank | On 23 Nov 2017

The Determinants of Virtue: Modelling Changes in the CSR Ratings of Chinese Firms

Most empirical studies on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) use cross-sectional data or case studies, making causality hard to establish. The paper overcomes this limitation by using panel data on...

by Shuangqi Wu | On 23 Nov 2017

Freedom of Expression in Pakistan: A myth or a reality

The study adopts a qualitative approach to understand the power dynamics and draws out conclusions from a wide variety of stakeholders regarding the issues at hand.

by Sadaf Liaquat | On 23 Nov 2017

Urban Consumption Inequality in China, 1995–2013

The paper uses 1995, 2002 and 2013 CHIP data to investigate the urban household consumption expenditure inequality. The overall inequality of urban household consumption expenditure measured by Gini c...

by Qingjie Xia | On 20 Nov 2017

The Effect of Public Sector Development Expenditures and Investment on Economic Growth: Evidence from Pakistan

The study will use data from 1980-81 to 2015-16 in this regard and employ Johansen cointegration to investigate the long run relationship.

by Syed Ahmed | On 20 Nov 2017

Creating Good Employment Opportunities for the Rural Sector

This paper examines the potential for sector-specific productivity growth, human capital, credit markets, and infrastructure to contribute to the development of stable, well-paid employment in rural a...

by | On 20 Nov 2017

Impact of Human capital on Economic Growth: Evidence from Pakistan

The papers says that there is a need to invest in educational sector to maximize the human capital, which not only helps in economic growth but also contributes to economic development of the country.

by Syed Kazmi | On 17 Nov 2017

Another War Is Looming

The study discusses the problems Pakistan may face in near future in the hands of Pakistani volunteers fighting in Syria.

by Rubab Syed | On 16 Nov 2017

Management of Capital Flows in India

Increased integration with global financial markets has amplified the complexity of macroeconomic management in India. The diverse objectives of a robust growth rate, healthy current account deficit,...

by Abhijit Sen Gupta | On 13 Nov 2017

Capital Flows and Financial Stability in Emerging Economies

There is mixed evidence for the impact of international capital flows on financial sector's stability. This paper investigates the relationship between components of gross capital flows and various fi...

by | On 10 Nov 2017

Basic Income and a Public Job Offer: Complementary Policies to Reduce Poverty and Unemployment

Unconditional basic income, or a job guarantee by government as employer-of-last-resort, are usually discussed as alternative policies, though the first does not provide the benefits of an earned inco...

by Felix FitzRoy | On 08 Nov 2017

Can Anyone Hear Us ? Voices From 47 Countries

This study is part of a global research effort entitled Consultations with the Poor, designed to inform the World Development Report 2000/1 on Poverty and Development. The research involved poor peop...

by | On 07 Nov 2017

Skilling India's Workforce

The report says that current capacity of 4 million workers per annum is grossly inadequate.

by Shri Ranganath | On 03 Nov 2017

Daily Stock Market Movements: From the Lens of News and Events

This study analyzes the effect of daily movements in KSE-100 Index due to different policies announced as well as incidents/events happened in the country.

by Shahid Raza | On 31 Oct 2017

New Issues Puzzle: Experience from Karachi Stock Exchange

Study finds that both groups of IPOs outperforms on first trading day, as average initial market adjusted returns of SOE and non-SOE IPOs are 27.65 percent and 22.53 percent respectively.

by Henna Malik | On 30 Oct 2017

Corporate Social Irresponsibility: Companies & PC&PNDT Act

Female foeticide because of preference for boys over girls for a host of reasons is gigantic in India. According to the estimates of Asian Centre for Human Rights, during 1991 to 2011, a total of 25,4...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) | On 26 Oct 2017

Subjective Probability Does Not Exist

The report shows that the rationality arguments used to establish the existence of subjective probabilities depend essentially on the identification of acting-as-ifyou-believe and actually believing.

by Asad Zaman | On 26 Oct 2017

Living Wages Around the World.

This approach helps to publish timely, reasonably accurate and globally comparable estimates.

by Wage Indicator | On 23 Oct 2017

Understanding Judicial Delay at the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal in India

This paper creates a de novo data-set using publicly available data on cases at the Indian Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT). The paper applies the statistical techniques of hazard models to addres...

by Pratik Datta | On 17 Oct 2017

Trade Misinvoicing: What can we measure?

The existing studies on trade misinvoicing have focussed on the discrepancy in reported trade statistics between developing and developed countries. The estimates based on such methods rely on the ass...

by Suranjali Tandon | On 10 Oct 2017

Measuring Competition in the Banking Sector of Pakistan: An Application of Boone Indicator

The banking sector of Pakistan has witnessed a notable transformation in its structure and business activities following the implementation of financial sector reforms since the early 1990s. Specific...

by Mahmood ul Hasan Khan | On 09 Oct 2017

Learning: To Realize Education's Promise

The report narrates that for societies, it spurs innovation, strengthens institutions, and fosters social cohesion.

by World Bank [WB] | On 04 Oct 2017

Bolder Disinvestment or Better Performance Contracts? Which Way Forward for India’s State-Owned Enterprises

This paper analyses the performance of India’s Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) using measures of labour and overall efficiency and productivity indicators as opposed to financial returns. Using meth...

by Ajay Chhibber | On 03 Oct 2017

On the Importance of Triangulating Datasets to Examine Indians on the Move

A chapter dedicated to migration in the Economic Survey 2016-17 signals the willingness on the part of Indian policymakers to address the linkages between migration, labour markets and economic develo...

by S. Chandrasekhar | On 03 Oct 2017

The Effects of Energy Price Changes: Heterogeneous Welfare Impacts, Energy Poverty, and CO2 Emissions in Indonesia

The empirical context of our study is Indonesia, a country with a long tradition of regulating consumer energy prices and a recent change in subsidy policies, facilitated by dramatically falling oil p...

by Sebastian Renner | On 29 Sep 2017

Migrant Smuggling Data and Research: A Global Review of the Emerging Evidence Base

The report narrates that the diversity of smugglers has been examined in the academic and grey literature.

by Marie McAuliffe | On 25 Sep 2017

Drivers of Farmers' Income: The Role of Farm Size and Diversification

The study finds that a U-shaped relationship exists between farm size and farm / farmer's income. The results also show that both on-farm and off-farm diversification have an inverted U-shape relatio...

by Varun Kumar Das | On 18 Sep 2017

Non-Performing Assets in Indian Banks: This Time it is Different

Growing non-performing assets is a recurrent problem in the Indian banking sector. Over the past two decades, there have been two such episodes when the banking sector was severely impaired by balance...

by Rajeswari Sengupta | On 18 Sep 2017

Estimating the Relationship between the Current Account, the Capital Account and Investment for India

Causality from the capital account (KA) to the current account (CA) of the balance of payments indicates disruption from capital flows while the reverse can indicate smooth financing of the CA that al...

by Ashima Goyal | On 15 Sep 2017

Contributory Pension Schemes for the Poor: Issues and Ways Forward

The issue of old-age income security in India assumes significance in view of the expected rise in the elderly population in the years to come, problems of poverty and vulnerability among them and the...

by D Rajasekhar | On 14 Sep 2017

Growth Effects of Economic Globalization: A Cross-Country Analysis

This paper analyses the effect of economic globalization indicators on economic growth through the channels of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) by using panel data approach and conducting policy simula...

by Sovna Mohanty | On 13 Sep 2017

Toilet Access among the Urban Poor – Challenges and Concerns in Bengaluru City Slums

Urban expansion in India over the last few decades has placed cities in a challenging situation with limited infrastructure facilities affecting the quality of life of people who live in low income se...

by Manasi S | On 13 Sep 2017

Usage of Land and Labour under Shifting Cultivation in Manipur

Shifting cultivation remains the main source of employment for large sections of the rural people who depend on agriculture for their livelihood in the hill areas of Manipur. Its inputs continue to be...

by Marchang Reimeingam | On 12 Sep 2017

Structural Change and Labour Productivity Growth in India: Role of Informal Workers

Labour productivity in an economy or industry may increase due to intrinsic increase in productivity (due to capital deepening or TFP growth) or due to the reallocation of workers to more productive s...

by Rosa Abraham | On 11 Sep 2017

Augmenting Small Farmers Income Through Rural Non-Farm Sector: Role of Information and Institutions

The paper discusses the nature and extent of non-farm activities in India using India Human Development Survey unit record data. An exercise carried out to understand the determinants of income from n...

by Meenakshi Rajeev | On 11 Sep 2017

Understanding the principles underlying the Philippine competition law

The culture of competition cultivates flexibility and adaptability that enable the economy to cope better with a constantly changing environment.

by Erlinda M. Medalla | On 07 Sep 2017

Economic Globalization and Income Inequality: Cross-country Empirical Evidence

This paper analyses the effect of economic globalization on income inequality in both cross-country and country-specific framework using panel data techniques and policy simulations. The sample compri...

by Sovna Mohanty | On 07 Sep 2017

Tamil Nadu Migration Survey 2015

Tamil Nadu is the eleventh largest state by area and the sixth most populous state in India with 75 million as per the 2011 census. The state was ranked sixth among the states in India according to th...

by S.Irudaya Rajan | On 06 Sep 2017

Assessment of the 2017 Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion

This paper aims to assess the implications of these bills on the distribution of tax burden across income groups, economic incentives in affected sectors, national government revenues, and likely impa...

by Rosario G. Manasan | On 01 Sep 2017

How Inequality Hurts Growth: Revisiting the Galor‐Zeira Model Through a Korean Case

This paper aims to show that the level of inequality increases via the human capital channel with credit market imperfections generating negative effects on economic growth. We expand the model presen...

by Bogang Jun | On 28 Aug 2017

Indian Defence Budget 2016-17: A Curtain Raiser

The report narrates about, should India’s national defence budget be discussed and deliberated in public domain?

by Deba Mohanty | On 28 Aug 2017

Development of Backward Areas- Outcome of the interventions so far

This paper by Centad looks at the initiatives and their outcome through the construction of an Improvement Index and suggests a relook.

by S Jagadeesan | On 25 Aug 2017

Manufacturing Centric Fiscal Policy

The report says that the manufacturing sector has significant fiscal policy implications.

by M. Singhi | On 24 Aug 2017

Price Distortions in Indian Agriculture

The study is about estimating the extent to which domestic prices of major Indian agriculture commodities deviate from their corresponding free trade reference prices. The free trade reference prices...

by Shweta Saini | On 23 Aug 2017

Indian Food and Welfare Schemes: Scope for Digitization Towards Cash Transfers

The paper presents a case for a phased rolling out of direct benefits transfer (DBT) for Food in India. By studying all states and Union Territories on three broad parameters: demographics, performanc...

by Shweta Saini | On 21 Aug 2017

Extreme Heat And Migration

The impacts of climate change on global temperatures profoundly affect people’s ability to sustain their livelihoods as well as their health; both of these dimensions in turn influence the migration o...

by International Organisation for Migration | On 18 Aug 2017

Developments in Iran’s Agriculture Sector and Prospects for U.S. Trade

With one of the Middle East’s largest economies, a growing population, and rising incomes, Iran contributes significantly to the region’s agricultural commodity consumption. Iran’s rising food demand...

by Mesbah Motamed | On 18 Aug 2017

Human Development Report 2016 - Human Development for Everyone

The Report explores who has been left out in the progress in human development and why.

by Selim Jahan | On 16 Aug 2017

Demonetisation: Macroeconomic Implications for Indian Economy

The present paper attempts to explore the macroeconomic implications of the “demonetisation” exercise announced on November 8, 2016, for the Indian economy on three board parameters of growth, distrib...

by Pradymna Rawat | On 09 Aug 2017

An Approach to Forest and Conservation Policy in Southeast Asia

Forest and conservation policy in Southeast Asia is now at yet another crossroads. Despite decades of efforts, the challenges ahead remain formidable. These challenges include: (i) continued deforesta...

by Gary Bull | On 08 Aug 2017

Promoting Organic Food Products and Exports - Status, Issues and Way Forward

This paper, based on a primary survey of companies engaged in organic food business in India and the United Kingdom (UK), examines how organic food can attract more investment (domestic and foreign) a...

by Arpita Mukherjee | On 08 Aug 2017

Report of The Committee to Review Governance of Boards of Banks in India

The Report projects, under different scenarios, the capital requirements till March 2018 in order that provisions are prudent, there is adequate balance sheet growth to support the needs of the econom...

by Reserve Bank of India RBI | On 08 Aug 2017

Corporate Leverage in EMEs: Has the Global Financial Crisis Changed the Determinants?

Has the global financial crisis changed the pivotal determinants of corporate leverage in EMEs? This paper attempts to address this issue using a panel-GMM framework and quantile-analysis for 10 maj...

by Snehal S. Herwadkar | On 04 Aug 2017

Risk-weighting under Standardised Approach of Computation of Capital for Credit Risk in Basel Framework – An Analysis of Default Experience of Credit Rating Agencies in India

The paper attempts to find out whether the credit risk regulatory capital of Indian banks is commensurate with the default experience associated with ratings assigned by the Indian rating agencies. Th...

by Ajay Kumar Choudhary | On 04 Aug 2017

Comparison of Consumer and Wholesale Prices Indices in India: An Analysis of Properties and Sources of Divergence

This paper provides a comparative assessment of CPI and WPI in terms of its key characteristics, particularly on the method of compilation, distributional properties and measures of underlying inflat...

by Praggya Das | On 04 Aug 2017

Balance of Payments Manual for India

The report says that the BoP, thus, includes all transactions showing: (a) transactions in goods, services and income between an economy and the rest of the world, (b) changes of ownership and other c...

by Reserve Bank of India RBI | On 03 Aug 2017

Cities, Towns, and Poverty: Migration Equilibrium and Income Distribution in a Todaro-type Model with Multiple Destinations

Should public investment be targeted to big cities or to small towns, if the objective is to minimize national poverty? To answer this policy question the basic Todaro-type model of rural-urban migr...

by Luc Christiaensen | On 01 Aug 2017

Mapping the cotton value chain in Pakistan: A preliminary assessment for identification of climate vulnerabilities & pathways to adaptation

This approach was chosen to understand the consequences of climate risks as well as the adaptation measures needed to cope with adverse impacts in order to ensure the resilience of all actors involved...

by Samavia Batool | On 01 Aug 2017

2017 G20 Women’s Economic Empowerment Recommendations

For the 2017 G20, the German government has prioritized commitments to reducing the male and female employment gap by 25 percent by 2025, and increasing the quality of women’s employment. Investing in...

by John Ruthrauff | On 31 Jul 2017

Technology Options for the Sanitation Value Chain

The compendium details the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the different technology options, and also describes the different types of systems formed as a combination of the technolog...

by Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy CSTEP | On 28 Jul 2017

A Case for Institutional Demand as Effective Social Protection: Supporting Smallholders Through Procurement and Food Assistance Programmes

This paper focuses on the rationale for state-based market interventions to support smallholder production along with some case studies that follow the evolution and impact of what we call ‘institutio...

by Ryan Nehring | On 28 Jul 2017

Sanitation Tool Compendium

This document provides a list of sanitation tools; organisation of the same based on their specific features; and factsheets corresponding to every tool, which cover the objectives, descriptions, ad...

by Shramana Dey | On 27 Jul 2017

Electric Buses in India: Technology, Policy and Benefits

The current policy climate in India is rightly addressing the challenges of electric buses, providing an environment to accelerate their adoption and implementation.

by Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy CSTEP | On 27 Jul 2017

Targeting in Urban Displacement Context

The nature and scale of humanitarian crises are changing. The world is becoming increasingly urbanised – currently, 54 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban environments, which will rise t...

by | On 27 Jul 2017

The Impact of Skills Development Initiatives for Adolescents on Climate Adaptive Livelihoods in South-western Bangladesh

BRAC has implemented a pilot project titled ‘Skills Development Initiatives for Adolescents (SDIA) on climate adaptive livelihoods’in two districts of south-western Bangladesh to promote some agricult...

by Md Hasib Reza | On 26 Jul 2017

Gender Equality Results Case Study: Bangladesh - Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Development Project

The report narrates that in Bangladesh, women-owned SMEs have different characteristics when compared with men-owned SMEs and tend to face specific challenges and obstacles.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 25 Jul 2017

Sustainable Energy Access Planning: A Framework

This report presents a framework for sustainable energy access planning that planners and policy makers can use to design cost-effective clean energy supply systems that both poor and nonpoor can sust...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 24 Jul 2017

East Asia Department Knowledge Management Initiatives in 2014

This annual publication showcases the results of knowledge management initiatives of the East Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank in 2014.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 24 Jul 2017

Making Money Work: Financing a Sustainable Future in Asia and the Pacific

This report explores some of the ways forward. It highlights not just the need to inject more money into investments that contribute to sustainable development, but also to attract funds toward them—t...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 21 Jul 2017

Local Currency Bonds and Infrastructure Finance in ASEAN+3

This study was undertaken under ABMI. It addresses two key questions: (i) Why is local currency bond financing not more widely used for infrastructure projects in ASEAN+3? and (ii) What can be done to...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 18 Jul 2017

Aid for Trade in Asia and the Pacific: Promoting Connectivity for Inclusive Development

This report highlights emerging trends in AfT in the context of evolving trade performance in Asia and the Pacific.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 13 Jul 2017

Facilitating Foreign Exchange Risk Management for Bond Investments in ASEAN+3

The report says that the bond investors typically have a long position in local currency bond markets. To manage their foreign exchange risk, they may want to hedge that exposure for a period of time.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 12 Jul 2017

Asia Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Finance Monitor 2014

This publication reviews various country aspects of SME finance covering the banking sector, nonbank sector, and capital markets. It is expected to support evidence-based policy making and regulations...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 11 Jul 2017

Financial Soundness Indicators for Financial Sector Stability in Viet Nam

The results of this study can be used to strengthen the institutional and statistical capacities of Viet Nam to routinely collect, compile, analyze, and disseminate internationally comparable FSIs tha...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 07 Jul 2017

Trust Funds and Fiscal Risks in the North Pacific: Analysis of Trust Fund Rules and Sustainability in the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia

This report focuses on the relatively complex account structure and drawdown rules of the two funds, which are the same in the CTFs of the RMI and the FSM. Using an investment return simulation model,...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 30 Jun 2017

Cambodia: Addressing the Skills Gap

The report says that Cambodia’s growth in the last 20 years has been remarkable and the lives of its people have improved substantially. But low-cost labor advantages on a narrow economic base have dr...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 30 Jun 2017

Asia Bond Monitor - November 2015

The report says that yields for 10-year local currency (LCY) government bonds in emerging East Asia were mostly down between 1 September and 31 October. Investor confidence was buoyed as financial mar...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 29 Jun 2017

Transforming Towards a High-Income People's Republic of China: Challenges and Recommendations

This report summarizes findings and policy recommendations for the government's 13th Five-Year Plan.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 29 Jun 2017

Ola and Uber failing to live up to the promises made

With mushrooming of commercial drivers, incomes are falling and expenses are rising. Unable to pay monthly loan instalments, cars are being seized, while contracted employees cannot quit. Will legal p...

by Amrit B L S | On 29 Jun 2017

Asian Economic Integration Report 2015: How Can Special Economic Zones Catalyze Economic Development?

The report is an annual review of Asia’s regional economic cooperation and integration. It covers the 48 regional members of the Asian Development Bank. This issue includes Special Chapter: How Can Sp...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 23 Jun 2017

Timor-Leste: Development Effectiveness Brief

The report narrates that the related technical assistance has focused on infrastructure management, financial and private sector development, preparations for regional economic integration, and region...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 23 Jun 2017

Asia Bond Monitor - June 2017

This issue of the Asia Bond Monitor includes two special discussion boxes. Box 1 discusses the risks to emerging Asia’s financial stability under tightening global liquidity conditions. Box 2 discusse...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 23 Jun 2017

Addressing Climate Change Risks, Disasters, and Adaptation in the People’s Republic of China

This study informs decision makers regarding major climate change risks to development and provides feasible policy recommendations for consideration to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability in...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 22 Jun 2017

Integrated Information and Communication Technology Strategies for Competitive Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific

The report narrates that early adoption of information and communication technology can allow developing countries in Asia and the Pacific to move from labor-intensive, natural resources-based to know...

by Jouko Sarvi | On 22 Jun 2017

Achieving Skill Mobility in the ASEAN Economic Community: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications

This report examines the challenges ASEAN member states face in achieving the goal of greater mobility for the highly skilled, including hurdles in recognizing professional qualifications, opening up...

by Demetrios G. Papademetriou | On 16 Jun 2017

The Asian Bond Markets Initiative: Policy maker achievements and challenges

This paper also provides recommendations for addressing new sources of market volatility and other challenges within and outside the framework of the Asian Bond Markets Initiative.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Jun 2017

Fossil Fuel Subsidies in Asia: Trends, Impacts, and Reforms - Integrative Report

This report measures the size of associated subsidies on these fossil fuels including direct transfers, tax exemptions, subsidized credit, and losses of state enterprises in India, Indonesia, and Thai...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 14 Jun 2017

ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard Country Reports and Assessments 2014

In this fourth round of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Corporate Governance initiative of the Asian Development Bank and the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum, over 500 top publicly list...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 05 Jun 2017

Asian Development Outlook 2016 Supplement: Asia's Growth Prospects Undimmed by Brexit Vote

Growth in Central Asia is weaker than predicted, while expansion in the Pacific is now expected to be a touch higher. Forecasts are unchanged for East, South, and Southeast Asia. While the Brexit vote...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 02 Jun 2017

Myanmar Transport Sector Policy Note: Rural Roads and Access

Rural roads and rural transport services are fundamental to reducing rural poverty and enabling social and economic development. Evidence from Myanmar, and from around the world, makes it clear that a...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 01 Jun 2017

Myanmar Transport Sector Policy Note: River Transport

Myanmar has an extensive river network that is well positioned to serve the country’s main transport corridors, including the link between Yangon and Mandalay. However, main rivers are difficult to na...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 31 May 2017

Climate Change and Variability What are the Risks for Nutrition, Diets, and Food Systems?

The paper uses a food systems approach to analyze the bidirectional relationships between climate change and food and nutrition along the entire food value chain. It then identifies adaptation and mit...

by Jessica Fanzo | On 30 May 2017

Bangladesh: Consolidating Export-led Growth - Country Diagnostic Study

This study argues that some of the policies that allowed Bangladesh to prosper in the last few years will become less effective, and the economy will need to “switch gears” to consolidate the growth m...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 23 May 2017

Financing Asian Irrigation: Choices Before Us

The paper says irrigation schemes in the region are aging and underperforming, and, with land in short supply, there is little scope for creating major new schemes. Persistent inability to attract ade...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 19 May 2017

The Railway Refugees: Sealdah, 1950s -1960s

This paper provides a micro-history of Sealdah Station as a halt of the refugee population coming from East Pakistan in the 1950s and ‘60s. The station as a site of refugee concentration was very diff...

by Anwesha Sengupta | On 19 May 2017

Study Report on Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Across Indian States and UTs

An important reason for this dichotomy between agriculture and non agricultural sectors is that the former is a state subject under the Indian Constitution placing the burden of implementation of refo...

by Ramesh Chand | On 18 May 2017

INDIA Leaps Ahead: Transformative Mobility Solutions For All

The report says India can save 64% of anticipated passenger road-based mobility-related energy demand and 37% of carbon emissions in 2030 by pursuing a shared, electric, and connected mobility future....

by Shikha Juyal | On 17 May 2017

Asian Economic Integration Report 2016

The reports notes the regional cooperation and integration (RCI) in Asia and the Pacific continues to evolve, creating an important source for the region’s dynamic growth. This report assesses the RCI...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 10 May 2017

Firing Up Regional Brain Networks: The Promise of Brain Circulation in the ASEAN Economic Community

The reports in this series draw on the insights of 387 regional and international experts and practitioners through their participation in focus group discussions, meetings, and surveys. Contributors...

by Jeanne Batalova | On 08 May 2017

The Long Road Ahead: Status Report on the Implementation of the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements on Professional Services

In the report there has been progress primarily in two areas: (1) the creation of implementing offices and bodies at the regional and national levels as outlined in the MRAs; and (2) the incorporation...

by Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza | On 05 May 2017

Asia Bond Monitor - March 2017

This issue of the Asia Bond Monitor includes three special discussion boxes. Box 1 discusses the risk of Federal Reserve rate hikes to emerging Asia’s financial stability. Box 2 analyzes the risks to...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 05 May 2017

Income Generation and Inequality in India's Agricultural Sector: The Consequences of Land Fragmentation

This paper is a contribution to understanding income generation and inequality in India's agricultural sector. The paper analyses the National Sample Surveys of agriculture in 2003 and 2013 using desc...

by Sanjoy Chakravorty | On 02 May 2017

Towards a Better Future for Women and Work: Voices of Women and Men

Decent work, the core mandate of the ILO, is defined as productive work for women and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.Decent work involves opportunities for work that:...

by International Labour Organization [ILO] | On 17 Apr 2017

Job-to-Job Transitions, Sorting, and Wage Growth

We measure the contribution of match quality to the wage growth experienced by job movers. We reject the exogenous mobility assumption needed to estimate a standard fixed-effects wage regression in th...

by | On 30 Mar 2017

Budget 2017-18: Business as Usual

Budget 2017-18 was presented at the time when the global situation is inhospitable, marked with protectionism and domestic environment is constrained by the twin balance sheet crisis. The investment ...

by M Govinda Rao | On 10 Mar 2017

Haryana Budget : 2017-18

Haryana Budget presented by Hon'ble Minister Capt. Abhimanyu.

by Haryana Government | On 07 Mar 2017

Kerala Budget 2017-18

Kerala budget presented by Hon.Finance Minister Thomas Issac.

by T.M. Thomas Issac | On 06 Mar 2017

Development Planning and 'Urban' Context: Reflections on the Indian Scene

Through a broad portrayal of character of its development, changing urban patterns, nature of urban economic structure and contents of urban development policies, this paper takes a political econom...

by Biswaroop Das | On 17 Feb 2017

Lack of Toilets and Violence against Indian Women: Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications

It is now well-accepted among policy makers that the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene is a basic human right. Yet, millions of people lack access to basic toilet facilities, which anecdotal...

by | On 15 Feb 2017

Educational Inequality in India: An Analysis of Gender Differences in Reading and Mathematics

This paper analyzes gender differences in reading and mathematics among Indian children ages 8-11 using data from the 2005 India Human Development Survey. Employing descriptive statistics and ordered...

by | On 15 Feb 2017

Tackling Sex Discrimination through Pay Equity

Discrimination at work is a violation of a basic human right. Workers may be discriminated against on many different grounds, including their sex, with women being particularly discriminated against w...

by International Labour Organization [ILO] | On 06 Feb 2017

Latest Highlights of Union Budget Rally 2017

These are the latest union budget highlights. Gear up to enjoy subsidies, pay newer taxes and enjoy greater freedom, as that covers a major part of the Union Budget 2017.

by | On 01 Feb 2017

Study of Environment can lead to Human Development

Reveiw of ‘Population, Health and Environment’ Edited by Sayeed Unisa, T.V. Sekher, Chander Shekhar, Abhishek Singh, L.K.Dwivedi and M.R. Pradhan by Rawat Pubslishers.

by Manisha Karne | On 30 Jan 2017

Fertility, Mortality and Environmental Policy

This article examines pollution and environmental mortality in an economy where fertility is endogenous and output is produced from labor and capital by two sectors, dirty and clean. An emission tax c...

by | On 24 Jan 2017

Missing from the Market: Purdah Norm and Women’s Paid Work Participation in Bangladesh

Despite significant improvement in female schooling over the last two decades, only a small proportion of women in South Asia are in wage employment. We revisit this puzzle using a nationally represen...

by | On 24 Jan 2017

Rural - Urban Linkages in South Asia: Contemporary Themes and Policy Directions

The early literature on migrant urban communities emphasized the conditions and employment patterns of squatter residents who have emerged on the urban landscape. Only recently has attention shifted t...

by | On 23 Jan 2017

Federalism, Fiscal Space and Public Investment Spending: Do Fiscal Rules Impose Hard Budget Constriants?

The core emphasis of rules-based fiscal legislation at the subnational level in India is to achieve debt sustainability through a numerical ceiling on borrowing and the use of borrowed resources for...

by Pinaki Chakraborty | On 23 Jan 2017

Strategic Review of Food Security and Nutrition in Bangladesh

The battle against the challenges with food security and nutrition will have to be fought on many fronts at the same time. In general, anything that promotes broad-based or inclusive growth, thereby r...

by | On 18 Jan 2017

Securing Property Rights in India Through Distributed Ledger Technology

India registered rapid economic growth over the past couple of years, with the GDP growing 7.6 percent in 2015-2016. While economic activity remains buoyant, however, the country still has a long way...

by | On 11 Jan 2017

Unequal India in an Unequal World: Causes, Consequences & Policy Options

Disparities in income and wealth have all along been present in almost every society across the world. However, the rate of increase in inequality in the distribution of income and wealth has been ala...

by | On 10 Jan 2017

The Power of Social Pensions

This paper examines the impacts of social pension provision among people of different ages. Utilizing the county-by-county rollout of the New Rural Pension Scheme in rural China, we find that, among t...

by | On 10 Jan 2017

Going and Coming and Going Again: Second-Generation Migrants in Dubai

The government of the United Arab Emirates requires all foreign migrant workers to reside on temporary visas. This affects transnational mobility patterns among the one class of residents whom we shou...

by | On 09 Jan 2017

Global Wind Energy Outlook 2016

The Global Wind Energy Council is pleased to present this 6th edition of the Global Wind Energy Outlook, looking at the future of our industry out to 2020, 2030 and ultimately to 2050. What happens in...

by | On 05 Jan 2017

Impact of Internet and Digitisation on SMBs in India

“Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) form the backbone of the Indian economy making large contributions to important economic indicators as well as household incomes. Digital technologies have transfor...

by | On 05 Jan 2017

Solar Energy and Economic Development In India: A Review

Shortage of electricity prompted the countries to give a momentum to renewable energy resources. Renewable energy refers to energy resources that Aries naturally and repeatedly in the environment and...

by | On 04 Jan 2017

Indian Human Resources Mobility: Brain Drain versus Brain Gain

India is a major source of migrants, especially of highly-skilled and well-trained workers. This paper attempts to show that even with a high number of Indian talents abroad, India – as well as destin...

by | On 19 Dec 2016

The Problem of Inequality

The paper examines consumption, income, regional, social and gender inequalities in India. Income inequalities are much higher that of consumption. It also looks at inequalities in opportunities like...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 19 Dec 2016

India and the Global Economy

Drawing attention to a high dropout rate in upper primary schools, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam today said schools are facing the “biggest crisis” in India. Delivering the f...

by Tharman Shanmugaratnam | On 08 Dec 2016

Government’s Role in India’s Ailing Cold Storage Sector

Every year, India wastes about 18 per cent of fruits and vegetables, due to lack of post-harvest storage facilities. The cold storage sector has been one of the most undermined sectors in India, devo...

by Madhu Sivaraman | On 05 Dec 2016

E-governance, Accountability, and Leakage in Public Programs: Experimental Evidence from a Financial Management Reform in India

In collaboration with the Government of Bihar, India, a large-scale experiment is conducted to evaluate whether transparency in fiscal transfer systems can increase accountability and reduce corrupt...

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 02 Dec 2016

Challenges to the Role of Private Participation in Public Transportation: A Case of Kerala’s Private Buses

The State of Kerala in 2012 through a notification stopped issuing new permits to inter-district buses in Kerala while exempting state run Kerala State Transport Corporation. This was the beginning...

by Madhu Sivaraman | On 28 Nov 2016

Burden of Diseases due to Air Pollution in Urban India

Air pollution causes some of the most serious long-term impacts on human health. Unlike other health problems, the diseases caused by air-pollution are likely to affect everyone exposed to polluted...

by Amrita Ghatak | On 25 Nov 2016

Asymmetric Impact of Relative Price Shocks in Presence of Trend Inflation

This study examines whether skewness of cross sectional distribution of relative price shocks has asymmetric impact on aggregate inflation. The empirical evidence from various countries suggests tha...

by Sartaj Rather | On 16 Nov 2016

A Study on Widening of Tax Base and Tackling Black Money

Beyond the issue of unaccounted monies lying overseas, however, is the issue of unaccounted monies lying in India and what is perceived to be the parallel economy. There is, of course, this issue of w...

by FICCI Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Indu | On 09 Nov 2016

Household Income Mobility in India: 1993-2011

Using nationally representative longitudinal survey, the paper examines the income mobility among rural (urban) Indian households over 1993-2004 and 2004-2011 (2004-2011). The paper finds mobility est...

by Mehtabul Azam | On 03 Nov 2016

Gender Inequalities and Demographic Behaviour

This issue is particularly crucial in the present climate of privatization associated with structural adjustment policies. The intellectual tradition behind these policies assumes that the withdrawal...

by Sonalde Desai | On 02 Nov 2016

The Elephant That Became a Tiger 20 Years of Economic Reform in India

A foreign exchange crisis in 1991 induced India to abandon decades of inward-looking socialism and adopt economic reforms that have converted the once-lumbering elephant into the latest Asian tiger. I...

by | On 28 Oct 2016

Doing Business

Against the backdrop of the global financial and economic crisis, policy makers around the world took steps in the past year to make it easier for local firms to start up and operate. This is importan...

by World Bank [WB} | On 27 Oct 2016

The Ease of Doing Business Rank: An Assessment of its Macroeconomic Relevance

This paper examines the macroeconomic impact of World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business (EDB) rank, of increasing importance to policy makers, using simple but robust cross-country regressions. Its main f...

by | On 27 Oct 2016

Valuation of Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Services in India: Macro Assessment

The aim of this study is to value, in monetary units, coastal and marine ecosystem services in India. The reasons for doing so are two–fold: i) the destruction and degradation of coastal ecosystems...

by K. S. Kavi Kumar | On 25 Oct 2016

India-Africa Partnership for Food Security: Issues, Initiatives and Policy Directions

The paper argues that there is strong rationale for India-Africa collaboration on food security, given their common challenge of hunger, undernutrition, and low productivity. This paper offers specifi...

by | On 24 Oct 2016

Shelter From the Storm

While remarkable progress has been achieved during the past decade protecting the health and rights of women and adolescent girls in humanitarian settings, the growth in need has outstripped the growt...

by United Nations Population Fund UNFPA | On 21 Oct 2016

World Population Data Sheet 2016

The Population Reference Bureau informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and futu...

by | On 21 Oct 2016

Decline in Rural Female Labour Force Participation in India: A Relook into the Causes

As an economy transforms from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy, a decline in participation of female labour force is observed. This is attributed to the shift from family-based product...

by | On 19 Oct 2016

Less Work is More Work: Female Labour Force Participation and Reproduction in India

The puzzling decline in female labour force participation in India in the context of high economic growth has recently generated considerable academic interest. Increasing educational enrolment by wom...

by | On 19 Oct 2016

The Effect of Changing Financial Incentives on Repartnering

This paper examines how a reduction in the financial resources available to lone parents affects repartnering. We exploit natural experiment that reduced the financial resources available to a subset...

by | On 18 Oct 2016

Review: The Making of International Human Rights: The 1960s, Decolonization, and the Reconstruction of Global Values

Review of The Making of International Human Rights: The 1960s, Decolonization, and the Reconstruction of Global Values. Human Rights in History Series. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016.

by | On 17 Oct 2016

Will China’s Demographic Transition Exacerbate Its Income Inequality? A CGE Modeling with Top-down Microsimulation

Demographic transition due to population aging is an emerging trend throughout the developing world, and it is especially acute in China, which has undergone demographic transition more rapidly than...

by Xinxin Wang | On 10 Oct 2016

Refugee Compacts: An Initial Framework

This brief outlines a particular iteration of a compact approach that incorporates critical components—such as shared outcomes for refugees, host country ownership and focus on longer-term transition,...

by Cindy Huang | On 10 Oct 2016

Glimpsing the End of Economic History? Unconditional Convergence and the Missing Middle Income Trap

This paper suggests a reinterpretation of global growth—encompassing notions of unconditional convergence and the middle income trap—in the past 50 years through the lens of growth theory. Two modes o...

by Sutirtha Roy | On 10 Oct 2016

Trade Shocks and the Provision of Local Public Goods

We analyze the impact of trade-induced income shocks on the size of local government, and the provision of public services. Areas in the US with declining labor demand and incomes due to increasing im...

by | On 10 Oct 2016

Growth and Distribution: Understanding Developmental Regimes in Indian States

Economic and political processes differ widely across states in India. Some states have seen rapid economic growth and development while others are facing economic stagnation. The differences in outco...

by | On 07 Oct 2016

Poor Women in Urban India: Issues and Strategies

It is generally recognised that poverty is experienced differently according to their gender, age, caste, class and ethnicity and within households. Income levels, food security and indeed life choice...

by | On 05 Oct 2016

Is there a Size-Induced Market Failure in Skills Training?

A skilled and educated workforce can support the competitiveness of enterprises of all sizes. However, smaller firms may face greater challenges in developing human capital. We explore differences b...

by Paul Vandenberg | On 04 Oct 2016

Outward FDI, Exports and Technological Efforts: A Study of Indian Manufacturing Firms

In this study the hypotheses that the choice between OFDI and export decision of the firms depends on the firm level productivity is tested. Here, the productivity levels of OFDI firms vis a vis exp...

by Ronny Thomas | On 03 Oct 2016

Interactions between Policy Assumptions and Rural Women's Work - A Case Study

The concern of this paper is limited to the approaches to rural women's development and an understanding of their work roles in the planning strategies. [CWDS Working paper].

by Kumud Sharma | On 30 Sep 2016

World Social Science Report

Economic inequalities in income and wealth, social inequalities in health, education and access to welfare services, gender and racial inequalities, cultural and religious discrimination, barriers to...

by | On 22 Sep 2016

National Income Accounting When Firms Insure Managers: Understanding Firm Size and Compensation Inequality.

Among U.S. publicly traded firms, the average firm's capital share has declined, even though the aggregate capital share has increased. This paper attributes the secular increase taken together capita...

by Barney Glaser | On 22 Sep 2016

Two Centuries of Finance and Growth in the United States, 1790-1980

Do efficient financial markets and institutions promote economic growth? Have they done so in the past? This essay, to be included in the Handbook of Finance and Development (edited by Thorsten Beck a...

by Howard Bodenhorn | On 22 Sep 2016

Inter State River Water Disputes in India: A Geographical Analysis

Rivers are life line of the human being. Indian rivers are worshiped as a mother, because she cares the humanity and makes the ways easy for the people and living organism. Without the water no one ca...

by | On 20 Sep 2016

Quantitative Spatial Economics

The observed uneven distribution of economic activity across space is influenced by variation in exogenous geographical characteristics and endogenous interactions between agents in goods and factor m...

by Stephen Redding | On 20 Sep 2016

The Labor Market Consequences of Refugee Supply Shocks

The continuing inflow of hundreds of thousands of refugees into many European countries has ignited much political controversy and raised questions that require a fuller understanding of the determina...

by George Borjas | On 20 Sep 2016

Group Inequality in Democracies: Lessons from Cross-National Experiences

Group inequality is a prominent feature of many modern democracies. The purpose of this paper is to take stock of what we know about the ways in which major democracies have viewed social groups and a...

by Rohini Somanathan | On 19 Sep 2016

Zoning and the Economic Geography of Cities

Comprehensive zoning is ubiquitous in U.S. cities, yet surprisingly little is known about its long-run impacts. This paper provides the first attempt to measure the causal effect of land use regulatio...

by Allison Shertzer | On 19 Sep 2016

Making Pulses Affordable Again: Policy Options from the Farm to Retail in India

Rising prices and declining consumption of pulses cause concern in terms of both nutrition and food inflation in India. This paper outlines policy strategies to increase the availability of pulses at...

by P.K. Joshi | On 16 Sep 2016

Harvesting Solar Power in India!

This is particularly so when the current solar power capacity in the country has just touched 8000 MW by July end, 2016, and no country in the world has such an ambitious target as India has set out...

by Ashok Gulati | On 16 Sep 2016

The Effects of Climate Change on Public Health and the Healthcare Provider 's Role in Addressing Climate Change

Climate change is a term that refers to major changes in temperature, rainfall, snow, or wind patterns lasting for decades or longer. Both human-made and natural factors contribute to climate change”...

by | On 14 Sep 2016

Scenario Of Climate Change and Human Health in India

The article review the issues related to climate change and its adverse impact on human health in India. Evidences shows that in India climate change has caused threat to public health from extreme we...

by Varsha Chorsiya | On 12 Sep 2016

Climate Change & Infectious Diseases in India: Implications for Health Care Providers

Climate change has the potential to influence the earth’s biological systems, however, its effects on human health are not well defined. Developing nations with limited resources are expected to face...

by | On 12 Sep 2016

Water for Food: Innovative Water Management Technologies for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation

This paper sets out the water and food security challenges in Least Development Countries (LDCs) and developing countries. The document explores the rainfed-irrigation nexus in different regions of th...

by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD | On 12 Sep 2016

Understanding and Applying Primary Pathways and Principles

This brief focuses on the pathway from agricultural income to better diets, health, and nutrition, illustrated in blue in the figure below. However, all of the pathways are interrelated. Agricultural...

by | On 09 Sep 2016

Toward SDG 2: Food Security and Urbanization in the Global South

In light of the United Nations’ SDGs1 and their global hunger directive, in particular Goal 2 to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition,” it is clear that food security will be a m...

by | On 09 Sep 2016

Does Government Spending on Social Sector Impacts Growth? An Analysis Across Indian States for the Last Two Decades

This paper attempts to examine the impact of government expenditure in social sector on economic growth at the state level for 15 major states. The study reveals that the share of social sector expend...

by | On 07 Sep 2016

The MDG Hunger Target and the Contested Visions of Food Security

This paper explores the normative and empirical consequences of the MDG hunger target (1C), to halve the proportion of people who are undernourished, measured by the proportion of children under 5 who...

by | On 06 Sep 2016

Counting Critically: SDG ‘Follow-up and Review’ Needs Interlinked Indicators, Monitoring and Evaluation

Global indicators are important for understanding progress towards each of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, they can mask sub-national and thematic variations. They cannot explain ho...

by | On 02 Sep 2016

The End of Cheap Labour: Are Foreign Investors Leaving China?

China’s government is promoting the shift towards a consumption-based economy since a few years. The explicit goal to significantly raise the percentage of wages in the national household income is in...

by | On 31 Aug 2016

Picking the Winner: Measuring Urban Sustainability in India

This study provides a snapshot of the sustainability of selected Indian cities by employing 57 indicators in four dimensions to develop an overall city sustainability index. In recent years, its comp...

by B.Sudhakara Reddy | On 29 Aug 2016

Migrant Workers in Saudi Arabia

One of the wealthiest countries in the Middle East, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is also one of the largest exporters of oil, and as such, one of the most influential in the region. Despite this, more...

by | On 25 Aug 2016

The History of Humanitarian Action in East and Southeast Asia: Asian Perspectives

ASEAN assumed different roles in responding to humanitarian crises in Cambodia (in the 1970s) and Myanmar (Cyclone Nargis in 2008). For the Cambodia situation, ASEAN was playing the role of ‘antagonis...

by | On 19 Aug 2016

Diversity in Donorship: The Changing Landscape of Official Humanitarian Aid

The lead agency in India’s assistance strategy is the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA is directly responsible for assistance to Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan, and advises the Department of...

by | On 19 Aug 2016

Revisiting the Tax Compliance Problem using Prospect Theory

The paper presents a model for tax compliance based on prospect theory wherein an individual makes the decision whether to file, and declare a certain amount of income, or to not file based on a set...

by R.Kavita Rao | On 17 Aug 2016

Infrequent but Long-Lived Zero-Bound Episodes and the Optimal Rate of Inflation

Countries rarely hit the zero-lower bound on interest rates, but when they do, these episodes tend to be very long-lived. These two features are difficult to jointly incorporate into macroeconomic mod...

by Marc Carreras | On 16 Aug 2016

Trade Liberalization and Regional Dynamics

We study the evolution of trade liberalization’s effects on local labor markets, following Brazil’s early 1990s trade liberalization. Regions that initially specialized in industries facing larger t...

by Rafael Dix-Carneiro | On 16 Aug 2016

Public Expenditure, Governance and Human Development: A Case of Madhya Pradesh

This paper examines the link between quality of governance, public expenditure and human development outcomes in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The role of governance is measured in five dimensions: Pol...

by N R Bhanumurthy | On 12 Aug 2016

Migration and Global Environmental Change: Future Challenges and Opportunities

This report considers migration in the context of environmental change over the next 50 years. The scope of this report is international: it examines global migration trends, but also internal migrati...

by | On 10 Aug 2016

Union Army Veterans, All Grown Up

This paper overviews the research opportunities made possible by a NIA-funded program project, Early Indicators, Intergenerational Processes, and Aging. Data collection began almost three decades ago...

by Dora Costa | On 09 Aug 2016

GST in India: Chasing a Mirage or Reality?

India is moving towards introducing a Goods and Services Tax (GST). The GST would be a multistage comprehensive value added tax (VAT) encompassing both goods and services. Given the federal structur...

by Sacchidananda Mukherjee | On 09 Aug 2016

Will Services be the New Engine of Economic Growth in India?

This paper revisits the role of manufacturing and services in economic development in the light of the following new facts: (a) a faster growth of services than that of manufacturing in many developin...

by | On 08 Aug 2016

Anatomy of Input Demand Functions for Indian Farmers across Regions

This study models the optimum use of production inputs and analyse the behaviour of input demand functions of agricultural production through restricted transcendental logarithm profit function for...

by Shrabani Mukherjee | On 04 Aug 2016

Universal PDS: Efficiency and Equity Dimensions

India being home to the largest number of poor and malnourished population in the world, the tabling of National Food Security Bill has renewed the public pressure for universalization of PDS in Ind...

by Sowmya Dhanraj | On 03 Aug 2016

Depreciation of Business R&D Capital

This paper develops a forward-looking profit model to estimate the depreciation rates of business R&D capital. By using data from Compustat, BEA, and NSF between 1987 and 2008, and the newly developed...

by Wendy Li | On 02 Aug 2016

Global Estimates 2015: People Displaced by Disasters

The time is opportune to ensure the causes and consequences of this urgent issue are better addressed. Policy makers are pushing for concerted progress across humanitarian and sustainable development...

by | On 01 Aug 2016

The Gap within the Gap: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Income Differences in Student Achievement

Gaps in educational achievement between high- and low-income children are growing. Administrative datasets maintained by states and districts lack information about income but do indicate whether a st...

by Katherine Michelmore | On 01 Aug 2016

New Evidence on Trust and Well-Being

This paper reports existing and fresh evidence on some of the direct and indirect linkages between trust and subjective well-being. This paper first uses data from three large international surveys –...

by John Helliwell | On 26 Jul 2016

Evaluation of Government Interventions in Khadi Sector

Khadi sector is an over-regulated one in India, where the entire production process, sales, distribution, and marketing is fully regulated by the government. The paper examines the growth of Khadi sec...

by Lekshmi R Nair | On 25 Jul 2016

Chinese Returnees and High-tech Sector Outward FDI: The Case of Changzhou

The rapid growth and high levels of internationalization by Chinese firms, raise a natural interest in the study of the factors which have led the notable international presence of Chinese firms. In t...

by Zhao Chen | On 19 Jul 2016

Vulnerability to Poverty: Tajikistan During and After the Global Financial Crisis

The paper examines vulnerability to poverty in Tajikistan during the global financial crisis, focusing on the roles played by international migration and remittances, using a formal, practical, and ea...

by Ira N. Gang | On 19 Jul 2016

A Study on Financial Literacy and its Determinants among Gen Y Employees in Coimbatore City

Financial literacy is the mix of one’s knowledge, skill and attitude towards financial matters. It helps to make informed decisions and well-being of an individual. Research has been conducted globall...

by | On 18 Jul 2016

Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India

Gender-based inequalities translate into greater value being placed on the health and survival of males than of females. In India, examples of health and population indicators that are driven by gende...

by | On 15 Jul 2016

Human capital potential of India’s future workforce

This paper discusses India’s demographic dynamics and argues that policymakers have the widest window of opportunity with that segment of population which is poised to enter the workforce between 2030...

by Ali Mehdi | On 14 Jul 2016

Rural Livelihood Diversification and its Measurement Issues: Focus India

The rural structural distinctiveness in terms of resource endowments and factors of production often has bearings on livelihood and well-being of their people, constraining improvement in the economic...

by Rajiv Mehta | On 11 Jul 2016

Deciphering Reproductive Mobilities in Indonesia: Trajectories of Infertility, Adoption and Migration

This paper engages the concept of reproductive mobilities to explore the nexus between the migration of female domestic workers and the adoption of their birth children by infertile couples who remain...

by | On 08 Jul 2016

International Migration and Development

This new era has created challenges and opportunities for societies throughout the world. It also has served to underscore the clear linkage between migration and development, as well as the opportuni...

by United Nations (UN) | On 07 Jul 2016

Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) and Financial Sector Regulation in India

This paper examines the changes in regulation in four G7 countries post the financial sector breakdown of 2008 and suggestions made by the Financial Stability Board with respect to e.g. capital adequa...

by Jaimini Bhagwati | On 07 Jul 2016

The “Engine of Economic Growth”: An Overview of Private Investment Policies, Trends, and Projects in Cambodia

This paper aims to present an overview and analysis of the current investment landscape in Cambodia, as well as its impacts on people and the environment. It is hoped that the information ...

by Mark Grimsditch | On 01 Jul 2016

Valuing Air Quality Using Happiness Data: The Case of China

This paper estimates the monetary value of cutting PM2.5, a dominant source of air pollution in China. By matching hedonic happiness in a nationally representative survey with daily air quality data a...

by Xin Zhang | On 30 Jun 2016

Ad(d)venture with Knowledge: Stepping ahead with Intellectual Property Rights

Human society has witnessed adventure with knowledge resulting in scientific understanding of the secrets of nature and converting them into technological innovations resulting in metamorphosis of...

by Prabuddha Ganguli | On 30 Jun 2016

Cyclicality of Social Sector Expenditures: Evidence from Indian States

This paper attempts to study the cyclical behaviour of social sector spending including that on education and health for the 17 non-special category states covering the period 2000-01 to 2012-13. It f...

by | On 30 Jun 2016

Beautiful Minds: The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics

This is that time of the year when the economics fraternity is abuzz with the news of potential winners of the prestigious prize in economics, the Nobel Memorial Prize. This will be the 45th year of a...

by Saibal Ghosh | On 30 Jun 2016

Child Poverty in Perspective: An Overview of Child Well-Being in Rich Countries

This report builds and expands upon the analyses of Report Card No. 6 which considered relative income poverty affecting children and policies to mitigate it. This report provides a pioneering, compre...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 30 Jun 2016

Factors Determining Inbound and Outbound M&A in an Industry in India

This paper is an attempt to look at the industry level factors that determine the inward and outward FDI in an industry. The findings of the paper suggest that capital intensity of the industry has a...

by Chitra Singla | On 30 Jun 2016

Evidence on Policies to Increase the Development Impacts of International Migration

International migration offers individuals and their families the potential to experience immediate and large gains in their incomes, and offers a large number of other positive benefits to the sendin...

by | On 28 Jun 2016

The Intimate Link between Income Levels and Life Expectancy: Global Evidence from 213 Years

The paper finds a systematic and economically sizeable relationship between income levels and life expectancy in a panel dataset of 197 countries over 213 years. By itself, GDP/capita explains more th...

by Michael Jetter | On 28 Jun 2016

Capabilities and Skills

This paper discusses the relevance of recent research on the economics of human development to the work of the Human Development and Capability Association. The recent economics of human development b...

by James J. Heckman | On 28 Jun 2016

Factors Determining the Roles Board Members Play in Firms

This paper studies how the directors play an important role in influencing board’s action and its effectiveness. This paper attempts to contribute to the existing literature. In this paper, propositio...

by Chitra Singla | On 27 Jun 2016

The Drought and Humanitarian Crisis in Central and Southwest Asia: A Climate Perspective

A persistent multi-year drought in Central and Southwest Asia has affected close to 60 million people as of November 2001. Chronic political instability in many parts of this region and the recent mil...

by | On 24 Jun 2016

Implementing the Right to Education Act 2009: The Real Challenges

This study is based on the fact that the implementation of the Act involves serious financial and governance challenges. Considering that different Indian states are at different stages of development...

by Jyotsna Jha | On 23 Jun 2016

Ability Tracking and Social Capital in China’s Rural Secondary School System

The goal of this paper is to describe and analyze the relationship between ability tracking and student social capital, in the context of poor students in developing countries. Drawing on the results...

by Fan Li | On 23 Jun 2016

An Examination of One Dimension Marginal Distributions: Selling and Non - Selling Activities of a Salesperson

This study examines the number of times a salesperson engages in vacation and the time taken by the number of vacations by controlling the number of customers. The one dimensional marginal...

by Dheeraj Sharma | On 23 Jun 2016

Towards Increasing Off-Farm Income Opportunities for Farmers

Small land holders dominate Indian agriculture, and need off-farm income for survival. Analysis shows that for sufficient off-farm income opportunities, growth in agriculture, manufacturing, or touri...

by Brajesh Jha | On 22 Jun 2016

Job Creation in a Multi-Sector Labor Market Model for Developing Economies

This paper proposes an overlapping generations multi-sector model of the labor market for developing countries with three heterogeneities – heterogeneity within self-employment, heterogeneity in abili...

by Arnab K. Basu | On 22 Jun 2016

Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) and Financial Sector Regulation in India

The Financial Sector Reforms Commission (FSLRC) which was set up in 2011 by the Ministry of Finance was mandated to study existing legislation and financial sector regulatory practices in India and...

by Jaimini Bhagwati | On 22 Jun 2016

Putting Justice First: Legal Strategies to Combat Human Trafficking in India

The comprehensive research found significant impediments preventing victims of trafficking from using the courts: from the lack of specialised legal assistance, to the absence of protection for those...

by The Thomson Reuters Foundation | On 17 Jun 2016

Federal Budget of Pakistan 2016

Budget speech of Pakistan 2016-17.

by Mohammad Ishaq Dar | On 17 Jun 2016

Urban Water Systems in India: A Way Forward

This paper provides a new presentation of the urban water problem and offers a set of solutions that are sustainable, both in ecological and financial terms, and seek to tackle the deep inequities in...

by Mihir Shah | On 16 Jun 2016

Income Mobility among Social Groups in Indian Rural Households: Findings from the Indian Human Development Survey

The paper analyses income mobility across different social groups in India using data from the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) collected in 2004–05 and 2011–12. Indices signifying different n...

by Thiagu Ranganathan | On 16 Jun 2016

Optimal Unemployment Benefit Policy and the Firm Productivity Distribution

This paper provides a novel justification for a declining time profile of unemployment benefits that does not rely on moral hazard or consumption-smoothing considerations. It considers a simple search...

by Tomer Blumkin | On 15 Jun 2016

Inter-Regional Comparisons of Humanitarian Action

Throughout the conference it became clear that there are two emerging trends in humanitarian action across the Asia–Pacific. The first is the increasing activity of selected Asia-Pacific states engage...

by | On 09 Jun 2016

The Value of Private Schools: Evidence from Pakistan

Using unique data from Pakistan we estimate a model of demand for differentiated products in 112 rural education markets with significant choice among public and private schools. Our model accounts fo...

by | On 09 Jun 2016

Source of Livelihood and Inter-Temporal Mobility: Evidence from Western Odisha Villages

It is observed that even in a stagnant region with limited opportunities income mobility is occurring,to a limited extent though.Agrarian contract forces households to look for better avenues. With i...

by Arup Mitra | On 07 Jun 2016

Contracting by Small Farmers in Commodities with Export Potential: Assessing Farm Profits of Lentil Growers in Nepal

This study is undertaken to quantify the benefits of contract farming (CF) on farmers’ income in a case where new market opportunities are emerging for smallholder farmers in Nepal. CF is...

by Anjani Kumar | On 07 Jun 2016

Education Through the Lens of Sustainable Human Development

If human development is defined as a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and political process aiming to improve the well-being of populations and individuals, then the one element that can serve...

by Gianna Alessandra Sanchez Moretti | On 06 Jun 2016

The Family Peer Effect on Mothers’ Labour Supply

The documented historical rise in female labour force participation has flattened in recent decades, but the proportion of mothers working full-time has steadily increased. We provide the first empiri...

by | On 03 Jun 2016

The Tradeoffs between GHGs Emissions, Income Inequality and Productivity

Rising emission of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) and growing economic inequalities have emerged as key challenges for policymakers over the past two decades and the problems are likely to intensify in th...

by Unmesh Patnaik | On 03 Jun 2016

Righting the Wrong Strengthening Local Humanitarian Leadership to Save Lives and Strengthen Communities

The international humanitarian system—the vast UN-led network in which Oxfam and other international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs), the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, and others play key rol...

by Oxfam India | On 02 Jun 2016

Measuring Water use in a Green Economy

This report by the UNEP-hosted International Resource Panel marks a serious and critical analysis of the way societies are managing water supplies including how those supplies are allocated across sec...

by | On 02 Jun 2016

The Harvest is in My Blood: Hazardous Child Labor in Tobacco Farming in Indonesia

This report—based on extensive research including interviews with more than 130 children who work on tobacco farms in Indonesia—shows that child workers are being exposed to serious health and safety...

by Human Rights Watch | On 31 May 2016

Fairness for Children: A League Table of Inequality in Child Well-Being in Rich Countries

This Report Card presents an overview of inequalities in child well-being in 41 countries of the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It focuses o...

by | On 31 May 2016

Surveillance of Chronic Diseases: Challenges and Strategies for India

This paper describes the status, challenges and scope for strengthening surveillance of chronic disease risk factors, morbidities and mortality in India. Surveillance experience of four selected Stat...

by Udaya S. Mishra | On 30 May 2016

Indicators for Monitoring the Millennium Development Goals

The present handbook is designed to provide United Nations country teams and national and international stakeholders with guidance on the definitions, rationale, concepts and sources of the data for t...

by United Nations (UN) | On 27 May 2016

IT Vision @ UP 2012

The aim of the IT policy is: 1.To position Uttar Pradesh as the preferred IT/ITES investment destination in India 2. To leverage IT as an engine of growth for UP 3.To transform physical communit...

by Uttar Pradesh Government UP | On 27 May 2016

The Role of Small and Medium Enterprises in Structural Transformation and Economic Development

The study directs the attention to the role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in overcoming these structural rigidities and ushering-in structural transformation in an economy. To explore the iss...

by Mausumi Das | On 26 May 2016

Aid and Conflict in Afghanistan

This report examines the international community’s assistance to Afghanistan, with particular focus on U.S. efforts. It assesses the impact of the U.S.-devised counter-insurgency strategy on Afghans’...

by International Crisis Group | On 26 May 2016

Women and Conflict in Afghanistan

This report assesses the status of women in present-day Afghanistan, including the gains achieved with international support after the U.S.-led intervention in 2001. It examines gaps and challenges to...

by International Crisis Group | On 26 May 2016

Social Protection in East and South East Asia: A Regional Review

The paper starts with a discussion of the general context of growth and poverty across the region, exposure to risk or crisis, and the nature of vulnerability facing individuals, households and commu...

by | On 25 May 2016

Charcoal Supply Chains from Mabalane to Maputo: Who Benefits?

Charcoal is the main cooking energy source for people living in Maputo city. It is also a crucial source of income for rural producers in Mabalane district, a key supplier of Maputo’s charcoal. But Ma...

by Sophia Baumert | On 25 May 2016

Search for Resources in a High Income State: A Study of State Finances of Sikkim

The paper examines the public financial management (PFM) of Sikkim focusing mainly on resources generation effort and budget management practices. We note that any deviation from the Central transfers...

by Pratap R Jena | On 23 May 2016

Institutionalising Civilian Control of the Military in New Democracies: Theory and Evidence from South Korea

This paper aims to answer the question of how and under what circumstances civilian control can be established in newly democratised nations. To do this, the paper proposes a new theoretical argument...

by | On 23 May 2016

Effects of Ownership Structure on Capital Structure of Indian Listed Firms: Role of Business Groups vis-a-vis Stand-Alone Firms

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between promoter ownership and capital structure of firms using a sample of Indian publicly listed firms for the period from 2006 to 2013, d...

by Indrani Chakraborty | On 23 May 2016

Sustainable Consolidation: Suggesting the Way Ahead for Kerala

The paper examines the fiscal scene of Kerala, during the last one and a half decades, by looking at the trends in receipts and expenditure. It finds that a revenue led fiscal consolidation is the w...

by T.M. Thomas Issac | On 20 May 2016

Does Agricultural Credit Play Any Role in Reducing Rural Poverty in Bangladesh?

Since its independence the government of Bangladesh had taken various measures to reduce the intensity of poverty on rural people in Bangladesh. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine wh...

by Mahfuza Akther | On 20 May 2016

Women’s Labour Migration from Asia and the Pacific: Opportunities and Challenges

In an era of unprecedented human mobility, migration from and within the Asia-Pacific region has assumed gendered dimensions, with implications for migration flows, trends and patterns. Gender roles,...

by | On 19 May 2016

National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP)

The NBAP draws from the principle that National Enviroment Policy (NEP) that human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development and they are entitled to a healthy and productive li...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 18 May 2016

Rainwater Harvesting: A Lifeline for Human Well-Being

This publication highlights the link between rainwater harvesting, ecosystems and human wellbeing and draws the attention of readers to both the negative and positive aspects of using this technology...

by | On 18 May 2016

More Than a Lightbulb: Five Recommendations to Make Modern Energy Access Meaningful for People and Prosperity

"Modern energy access” is finally on the international agenda, but the current common definition of 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per capita per year is far too low. To reflect likely demand and historica...

by Todd Moss | On 18 May 2016

The Relevance of Wetland Conservation in Kerala

Kerala has the largest proportion of land area under wetlands among all the states of India, changes to which can significantly affect ecosystem processes. Compared to other states of the country, wet...

by Sheeba Abraham | On 17 May 2016

Where All the Water Has Gone? An Analysis of Unreliable Water Supply in Bangalore City

The demand for urban water supply service is increasing rapidly as globalisation accelerates economic development and brings improvements in living standards in India with the interactive effects of...

by | On 12 May 2016

The Global Risks Report 2016: 11th Edition

Now in its 11th edition, The Global Risks Report 2016 draws attention to ways that global risks could evolve and interact in the next decade. The year 2016 marks a forceful departure from past finding...

by [WEF] World Economic Forum | On 11 May 2016

Advancing the Interests of Bangladesh’s Migrant Workers: Issues of Financial Inclusion and Social Protection

The study is expected to contribute to stimulating debate around the broader issues of safeguarding the interests of migrant workers through financial mainstreaming of their income, raising efficacy o...

by | On 11 May 2016

Pursuing Development: The Perils of the Beaten Track

The report of a high level committee led by Vijay Kelkar to promote balanced development in Maharashtra has several important recommendations. But will it all come to nought because of its failure to...

by | On 11 May 2016

Issues & Challenges of Air Pollution in Delhi

The mortality due to air pollution is shown in the presentation. The different types and sources of air pollution are explained. The condition of the respiratory system after breathing polluted air is...

by T K Joshi | On 11 May 2016

Air Pollution in Delhi: Air Quality Index - Public Awareness Tool

The air pollution in Delhi is shown and how the air quality index is calculated and the health impacts are shown here.

by J.K. Bassin | On 11 May 2016

Evaluation Study of Targeted Public Distribution System in Selected States

The Ministry of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs has entrusted a study to the NCAER to assess whether, and to what extent, the weaknesses noted by past evaluation studies on the TPDS ha...

by Sohini Paul | On 09 May 2016

Does Carbon Tax Makes Sense? Assessing Global Scenario and Addressing Indian Perspective

This paper presents a plan that provides an achievable path toward a global policy on Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. At the heart of it is a small carbon tax (actually a GHG tax). The proceeds of...

by Mohana Mondal | On 09 May 2016

Issues in India's External Sector

The lecture examines the recent developments in the external sector and address some critical issues such as the appropriate level of current account deficit, exchange rate policy, adequacy of reserve...

by C. Rangarajan | On 06 May 2016

Margin Requirements for Non-Centrally Cleared Derivatives

Derivatives are an integral risk management tool for business entities and financial institutions. However, derivatives markets can also lead to excessive and opaque risk taking which may result in sy...

by Reserve Bank of India RBI | On 03 May 2016

Educational Attainment of Young Adults in India: Measures, Trends & Determinants

Given the fact that education of young adults plays crucial role from both economic and social point of view, the objective of the study is to analyse the pattern of improvements in their education an...

by Runu Bhakta | On 02 May 2016

Government Expenditure in India: Composition, Cyclicality and Multipliers

This paper assesses the fiscal space and cyclicality of total Indian Central Government expenditure and its major components

by Ashima Goyal | On 02 May 2016

‘Credit’ Transfer, ‘Capital’ Gains and Intellectual Property in the University: Points from a Case Study

An absolute insistence on profits in numbers is increasingly driving the modern University system today. The insistence on metrics as an index of scholarship has entailed a shift toward the market mod...

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 02 May 2016

Tamil Nadu: State Income Report

This government report provides information about the state income of Tamil Nadu

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 29 Apr 2016

Issues in SME Financing

This study has been undertaken to examine the maladies and conceivable remedies that associate with Small and Medium Enterprises and related establishments in India. The researcher uncovers a myriad o...

by | On 29 Apr 2016

A Comparative Study of Living Conditions in Slums of Three Metro Cities in India

A comparative study of representative slums across three largest metro cities in India through primary surveys. It is found that certain characteristics, such as large average household size, poor hou...

by Sugata Bag | On 28 Apr 2016

Increased Duration of Paid Maternity Leave Lowers Infant Mortality in Low- and MiddleIncome Countries: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Maternity leave reduces neonatal and infant mortality rates in high-income countries. However, the impact of maternity leave on infant health has not been rigorously evaluated in low- and middle-incom...

by Arjit Nandi | On 22 Apr 2016

God’s Own Country – Moving Towards Universal Health Coverage in Kerala – Piloting in the Districts of Malappuram and Palakkad

The report ‘God’s Own Country, Moving Towards Universal Health Coverage in Kerala, Piloting in the Districts of Malappuram and Palakkad’, 2016 provides details and in-depth understanding of the Univer...

by Sunil Nandraj | On 21 Apr 2016

Human Security & Food Security

As the international community transitions from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the challenges ahead of Member States is to build on the substanti...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 12 Apr 2016

State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2015-16

Empirical findings across a swathe of countries, advanced and emerging, confirm that the composition of government expenditure can have perceptible growth implications.

by Reserve Bank of India RBI | On 12 Apr 2016

When the Dish Knocked Down the Antenna

A technology switch in television affects different income groups differently. In India the digitization of TV signals is putting an end to the free-to-air telecast regime. This study, the first of it...

by Aloke Thakore | On 07 Apr 2016

Analytical Tools for Measuring Poverty Dynamics: An Application Using Panel Data in the Philippines

This study reviews two methods of measuring poverty dynamics. The components approach uses the longitudinally averaged income to determine whether a household is chronically poor or not. On the othe...

by Arturo Martinez Jr. | On 06 Apr 2016

Youth in India: Challenges of Employment and Employability

Using the NSSO Employment and Unemployment Survey Rounds as the basis, this paper examines questions of unemployment, employment and human capital formation among Indian youth belonging to various s...

by Rajendra P. Mamgain | On 05 Apr 2016

Employment and Earnings in Rural India: 2004-2012

This paper analyzes the changes in employment and earnings of paid workers in rural India from 2004/05 to 2011/12. While the employment rate of adults remained stable at 51 percent during this perio...

by Shantanu Khanna | On 04 Apr 2016

Global Report on Urban health: Equitable, Healthier Cities for Sustainable Development

The Global report on urban health: equitable, healthier cities for sustainable development, 2016 presents new data on the health of urban residents from nearly 100 countries, updating the first joint...

by World Health Organisation (WHO) | On 04 Apr 2016

Human Development in Telangana State: District Profiles

Telangana emerged as the 29th state of the Indian Union from undivided Andhra Pradesh after a prolonged struggle for statehood for nearly six decades. The social structure in Telangana is uniquely sk...

by Center for Economic and Social Studies CESS | On 31 Mar 2016

A Case for China’s Security Role in South Asia

The paper focuses on the constructive role that China can play in enhancing security in South Asia. The potential contribution that China can make to enhancing non-traditional security in the region i...

by Ramandeep Kaur | On 21 Mar 2016

Linkages between Dispersed Urbanisation and Rural Industrialisation: A Case Study from West Bengal

In some poor parts of the world, rural areas are known as pastoral folk; for their heavily dependence on agricultural activities; and for having poor infrastructure, limited employment opportunities a...

by Subrata Dutta | On 20 Mar 2016

Reforming the Financing System for the Road Sector in the People's Republic of China

This report recommends the creation of a National Roads and Funding Administration and a central road trust fund with dedicated revenues; changes to roles and responsibilities of different levels of g...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 17 Mar 2016

Maldives Overcoming the Challenges of a Small Island State Country Diagnostic Study

This report identifies four critical constraints to inclusive growth in the Maldives: (1) inadequate and poor quality maritime infrastructure that constrains connectivity, limits provision of basic go...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 17 Mar 2016

Market Provision of Quality: Impact of Economic Growth

Over the past three decades, the world has witnessed economic growth accompanied by widening of income inequalities. In the face of rising income inequalities, it becomes imperative to ask what happen...

by Sangeeta Bansal | On 16 Mar 2016

What Attracts FDI in Indian Manufacturing Industries?

This paper examines the pattern of inward FDI at the disaggregated industry level (NIC 3- digit), and test for the industry-specific characteristics that have been significant in attracting foreign in...

by Rashmi Rastogi | On 16 Mar 2016

Impact of Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights Regime on Income Inequality: An Econometric Analysis

This paper examines the impact of strengthening Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) on within-country income inequality for a cross-section of 65 developed and developing countries for the time period...

by Swati Saini | On 16 Mar 2016

The Role of Technological Conditions of Production in Explaining India's Manufacturing Growth, 1998-99 to 2007-08: Some Policy Perspectives

This paper tries to explain India’s manufacturing growth performance in terms of the technological conditions of production, namely, the returns to scale (RTS) and the elasticity of substitution (ES)...

by Alokesh Barua | On 15 Mar 2016

R & D Sector Outsourcing, Human Capital Formation and Growth in the Context of Developed versus Developing Economies

This paper theoretically examines the impact of R & D outsourcing from an economy which is in the innovation-only regime to an economy which is in the imitation-innovation regime. It shows that depend...

by Sujata Basu | On 15 Mar 2016

Cross-Country Analysis of Composition of Human Capital and Total Factor Productivity Growth depending on its Distance to Frontier

This paper empirically examines human capital’s contribution to economy-wide technological progress and also on technical efficiency gain depending on its distance to frontier in a panel of 75 countri...

by Sujata Basu | On 15 Mar 2016

Intergenerational Mobility, Human Capital Composition and Distance to Technological Frontier

The focus of this study is to analyze the relation between intergenerational mobility (upward and downward mobility) and wage inequality (between skilled and unskilled workers) in a dynamic endogenous...

by Sujata Basu | On 15 Mar 2016

Capital Flows and the Impossible Trinity: The Indian Experience

This paper devises quantitative techniques to analyze the management of foreign capital flows in India over the past three decades. The paper argues that India's overall approach towards liberaliza...

by Abhijit Sen Gupta | On 15 Mar 2016

Investing in Natural Capital for a Sustainable Future in the Greater Mekong Subregion

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is poised to continue developing at a significant pace. The subregion is well placed to benefit from the emerging Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Com...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

Asia SME Finance Monitor 2014

Asia has been continuously growing, and this growth has alleviated poverty and increased the number of middle income countries in the region. However, the recent regional and global economic slowdown...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

The Poverty Paradox – And How to Address It

Poverty alleviation is the cornerstone and mission of the development community. Yet perhaps the community’s focus on low-income countries (LICs) has skewed a healthy and accurate evaluation of the ef...

by | On 14 Mar 2016

North Korean Economic Reform: New Changes or Old, Empty Promises?

In June, North Korean authorities announced agricultural reforms called the “6.28 policy,” which promises to recalculate the ratio of distributed planned products (70 percent to the country, 30 percen...

by | On 14 Mar 2016

The Methodology of Polanyi's Great Transformation

The goal in this article is to articulate the methodology used in this book to bring out the several dimensions on which it differs from current approaches to social science. Among the key differences...

by Asad Zaman | On 14 Mar 2016

Towards Rules of the Monetary Game

There are few areas of robust growth around the world, with the IMF repeatedly reducing its growth forecasts in recent quarters. This period of slow growth is particularly dangerous because both ind...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 14 Mar 2016

Dependence of States on Central Transfers: Aggregate and State-wise Analysis

This paper examines the dependence of states on central fiscal transfers. It particularly focuses on the role of transfers through tax devolution under the recommendation of the Finance Commissions. T...

by D K Srivastava | On 13 Mar 2016

Corporate Governance and Product Market Competition

On one hand product market competition acts as an ultimate solution to align interests of managers and shareholders, and on the other hand, competition alone may not be sufficient because it may not p...

by Ekta Selarka | On 13 Mar 2016

Basel I and Basel II Compliance: Issues for Banks in India

Random effects panel data analysis is applied to identify financial parameters that influence banks in India in complying with Basel I. The private sector and foreign banks are affected by credit risk...

by Sreejata Banerjee | On 13 Mar 2016

China - Rebalance to Avoid the Middle Income Trap

China’s new leadership must rebalance the country’s economy if it is to avoid falling into the middle income trap. Yet slowing growth rates make drastic reforms politically sensitive at a time when th...

by | On 12 Mar 2016

Rape and Reform: India's Changing Attitudes

It has been just over a year since the Delhi rape case in which a female student was raped and died from her injuries. In its wake, massive protests and a media campaign ensured the perpetrators were...

by | On 12 Mar 2016

Parent’s Choice Function for Ward’s School Continuation in Rural India: A Case Study in West Bengal

In this paper we present a choice function of a rural household about her/his ward?s schooling. It makes an empirical evaluation on the basis of simple theoretical framework using primary data set, su...

by Debdulal Thakur | On 11 Mar 2016

Mergers and Acquisitions in the Indian Pharmaceutical Sector

Mergers and acquisitions (M and A) are common strategies of firms to increase its performance. Although, the motives of M and A are different however, the determinants are discreet. This study tries t...

by Nikita Agarwal | On 11 Mar 2016

Human Rights in North Korea: Pressure and Engagement

Over a year since its report was published, what are the implications and limitations of the UN Commission of Inquiry’s investigation into human rights violations in North Korea, and what is the best...

by | On 10 Mar 2016

Recreational Value of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in India:A Partial Estimate

Recreation is an important ecosystem service in coastal and marine ecosystems. The methodology for valuing recreational services is well developed in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, this...

by Pranab Mukhopadhyay | On 10 Mar 2016

Consumer’s Acceptance towards Genetically Modified Crops and Growth of the Economy: A Theoretical Approach

This paper develops a three-sector theoretical growth model to capture the role of consumers’ acceptance towards the second generation of genetically modified (GM) crops in the long run growth process...

by Arpita Ghose | On 10 Mar 2016

Kerosene Consumption in India: Welfare and Environmental Issues

The adverse fiscal effects of fuel subsidies in developing countries like India are well documented. More recently, few studies have highlighted the fiscal, welfare and environmental effects of possib...

by Brinda Viswanathan | On 10 Mar 2016

Tariff Reduction and Income Distribution: A CGE-based Analysis for Urban and Rural Households in Pakistan

This paper intends to explore functional and households personal income distribution across four different income groups in both the urban and rural areas. Using Social Accounting framework, Siddiqui...

by A. R. Kemal | On 10 Mar 2016

Tariff Reduction and Functional Income Distribution in Pakistan: A CGE Model

The specific question to be explored in this study is: whether or not trade liberalisation (tariff reduction) policies improve income distribution and reduce poverty in Pakistan?

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 10 Mar 2016

Critical Review of Literature on Computable General Equilibrium Models

This model focuses on sectoral allocation of capital and labour and distribution of sectoral output. Second, Harberger-Scarf-Shoven-Whalley models, which have their roots in welfare economics. Third,...

by Zafar Iqbal | On 10 Mar 2016

Poverty and Child Mortality in Pakistan

The present analysis is based on the Pakistan Socio-Economic Survey (PSES) data. The survey was conducted nationwide between April and July, 1999 and collected data on household information, incidence...

by Syed Mubashir Ali | On 10 Mar 2016

An Introduction to the 1998-99 Pakistan Socioeconomic Survey (PSES)

This brief paper is quite focused. It describes the methodology and scope of the household survey carried out by the PIDE between March and July 1999, with an aim to generate nationally representative...

by G. M. Arif | On 10 Mar 2016

Distributional Impact of Structural Adjustment on Income Inequality in Pakistan: A SAM-based Analysis

This study intends to analyze the impact of fiscal policy relating to subsidies (production and consumption subsidies), government current expenditure and expenditure on health and education on income...

by Zafar Iqbal | On 10 Mar 2016

Salient Features of Social Accounting Matrix of Pakistan for 1989-90: Disaggregation of the Households Sector

In the present SAM, the input-output industry classifications have been condensed into five main production accounts namely agriculture, industry, health, education and other sectors. The SAM 1989-90...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 10 Mar 2016

Pension System Reforms for Pakistan: Current Situation and Future Prospects

The study deals with pension system reforms for the Pakistan economy and highlights the current situation and future prospects. The study presents an overview of the problems prevailing in current pay...

by Umaima Arif | On 10 Mar 2016

In Search of a Better Match: Qualification Mismatches in Developing Asia

This paper empirically tests the role of search frictions in driving qualification mismatches in the labor market. Using new data from several low-income economies in urban Asia we find that overeduca...

by Kenn Chua | On 10 Mar 2016

The Social Order of Markets

This article develops a proposal for the theoretical vantage point of the sociology of markets, focusing on the problem of the social order of markets. The initial premise is that markets are highly d...

by Jens Beckert | On 09 Mar 2016

Institutions in History: Bringing Capitalism Back In

The paper explores possible frontiers of historical-institutionalist analysis. It argues three points: that progress will require a return from a static to a dynamic perspective in which change is no...

by Wolfgang Streeck | On 09 Mar 2016

Neoliberal Restructuring in Turkey: From State to Oligarchic Capitalism

How have neoliberal reform policies changed Turkey’s political economy? The aim of this paper is to counter claims of convergence towards a liberal capitalist order. Given the historical dynamics of t...

by | On 09 Mar 2016

Climate Change Economics: A Review on Theoretical Understanding and Controversies

The neo-classical economics literature incorporated the notion of environment during the mid 20th century, but climate change has found its place in the economics discourse during the early 1980s. Dur...

by Unmesh Patnaik | On 09 Mar 2016

E Pluribus Unum? Varieties and Commonalities of Capitalism

The paper reviews the origins of the comparative study of capitalism and of the diverse approaches applied to it in contemporary political economy. It distinguishes four models accounting for differen...

by Wolfgang Streeck | On 09 Mar 2016

Taking Capitalism Seriously: Toward an Institutionalist Approach to Contemporary Political Economy

This paper outlines an institutionalist political economy approach to capitalism as a specific type of social order. Social science institutionalism considers social systems to be structured by sancti...

by Wolfgang Streeck | On 09 Mar 2016

Institutional Change in Market-Liberal State Capitalism: An Integrative Perspective on the Development of the Private Business Sector in China

This paper shows that a more accurate depiction of the development of China’s private sector is gained by considering the complex interaction between bottom-up and top- down processes. First, the pape...

by | On 09 Mar 2016

German Varieties of Capitalism and Varieties of Macroeconomic Policy: Are Some Economies More Procyclical Than Others?

The role of macroeconomic policy in the different varieties of capitalism has been largely ignored. Recent contributions to the literature have argued that nonliberal economies should be expected to h...

by | On 09 Mar 2016

Regulating International Finance and the Evolving Imbalance of Capitalisms since the 1970s

In this paper, the ongoing G20 process of improving the regulation of international finance is put into a historically informed perspective. To understand the driving forces behind and obstacles to in...

by | On 09 Mar 2016

Top Incomes and Human Well-Being Around the World

The share of income held by the top 1 percent in many countries around the world has been rising persistently over the last 30 years. But we continue to know little about how the rising top income sha...

by Richard V. Burkhauser | On 09 Mar 2016

Class Gains in Fisheries Management in India: Reflections from Two States

The debate on common property resource centres on issues of a particular strategy for managing it in order to cater to the growing demand for communities that depend on it and the economy at large tha...

by Jharna Pathak | On 09 Mar 2016

The Politics of Public Debt: Neoliberalism, Capitalist Development, and the Restructuring of the State

Rising public debt has been widespread in democratic-capitalist political economies since the 1970s, generally accompanied among other things by weak economic growth, rising unemployment, increasing i...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

Is There a Closure Penalty? Cohesive Network Structures, Diversity, and Gender Inequalities in Career Advancement

That social capital matters is an established fact in the social sciences. How different forms of social capital affect gender disadvantages in career advancement is less clear, however. Qualitative r...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

Capitalist Dynamics Fictional Expectations and the Openness of the Future

Capitalism is an economic and social order oriented toward the future. In this paper, I describe the unfolding of the temporal order of capitalism and relate it to the restless dynamism of capitalism...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

Transnational Economic Order and National Economic Institutions Comparative Capitalism Meets International Political Economy

Even after two decades of research on globalization, we still face open questions about the interplay between national capitalist institutions and transnational economic governance. How does embeddedn...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

Linking mobility, human trafficking and Infectious Disease

Current studies on pandemics explore the links between population mobility and health. These studies usually focus on regular population movement such as those of tourists and legal immigrants. Howeve...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 06 Mar 2016

Chartering ASEAN Human Rights

Human rights issues within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations pose a significant challenge as it seeks to remain relevant in an increasingly interconnected global system. On 20 July 2009, ASEA...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 05 Mar 2016

Disaster Preparedness in Southeast Asia

In the final quarter of 2009, Southeast Asia witnessed a number of disaster that affected sevevral countries in the region, attesting to the levels of national preparedness in dealing with disasters....

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 05 Mar 2016

Mega¬ Sporting Events Fuelling Human Trafficking?

The upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup scheduled to take place in South Africa between 11 June and 11 July 2010 has once again raised concerns over the possibility of human trafficking. A study by the Human...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 05 Mar 2016

Transnational Organised Crime In Southeast Asia: Threat Assessment

Transnational organised crime is considered one of the major threats to human security, impeding the social, economic, political and cultural development of societies. Much attention has been given...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 04 Mar 2016

Responding to Transnational Organised Crime: Case Study of Human Trafficking and Drug Trafficking

Human trafficking and illicit drug trafficking are arguably the most intractable of all transnational crimes. They are an issue of both domestic and foreign policy concern and a subject of longstandin...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 04 Mar 2016

Landmark Verdict by The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia

On 26 July 2010, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) delivered its first verdict against a former official of the Khmer Rouge regime, KaingGuekEav (also known as ‘Duch’). The E...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 04 Mar 2016

Asia Flooded with Disasters

The past month has witnessed several major environmental disasters in Asia. Of particular significance are the Pakistan floods, which have engulfed a fifth of Pakistan’s total land area and affected 2...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 04 Mar 2016

Advancing Protection Of Civilians Through The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission On Human Rights(AICHR)

In the first issue of this month’s NTS Alert, the importance of a robust human rights framework to complement international humanitarian law, and address its shortcomings in protecting civilians caugh...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 03 Mar 2016

Pro¬- Government Armed Groups: A Source of Peace or Multipliers of Conflict?

Non-state armed groups (NSAGs) are often associated with those that act in opposition to governments – such as insurgents, terrorists and rebels – and are the subject of significant analysis. Less fre...

by Manpavan Kaur | On 03 Mar 2016

Critical Reflections on Anti¬-Human Trafficking: The Case of Timor¬Leste

Human trafficking is commonly seen as a heinous crime affecting millions of migrants from all parts of the globe. The struggle against this phenomenon is perceived as noble, moral and necessary. Howev...

by | On 03 Mar 2016

Food and Health in the Asia-Pacific: The Economics of Access and its Implications for Health

This is the first of a two-part NTS Alert series that will explore the intersection between food security and health issues in the Asia-Pacific. This NTS Alert focuses on health problems stemming from...

by J. Ewing | On 03 Mar 2016

Where and How Are Roads Endangering Mammals in Southeast Asia’s Forests?

Habitat destruction and overhunting are two major drivers of mammal population declines and extinctions in tropical forests. The construction of roads can be a catalyst for these two threats. In South...

by Gopalasamy Reuben Clements | On 03 Mar 2016

Economic and Environmental Impacts of Harmful Non-Indigenous Species in Southeast Asia

Harmful non-indigenous species (NIS) impose great economic and environmental impacts globally, but little is known about their impacts in Southeast Asia. Lack of knowledge of the magnitude of the pro...

by Le T. P Nghiem | On 03 Mar 2016

The Implications of the US Anti-human Trafficking Strategy for National Policies: The Case of Malaysia

This NTS Alert discusses the protection gaps in national anti-human trafficking policies perpetuated by the dominant influence of the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Reports. Using Malaysia as a case...

by Manpavan Kaur | On 02 Mar 2016

Exercising the Responsibility to Assist: The Roles Of the International Community And Cambodian Civil Society

This Alert examines the role of intergovernmental and non-governmental stakeholders in promoting human security in Cambodia through transitional justice. It maps out the relations between and among th...

by | On 02 Mar 2016

Indradhanush-Banking Sector Reforms

The Indradhanush framework with its seven pronged plan was unveiled by Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley on 14th August 2015 for revamping Public Sector Banks (PSBs) of India. In this paper, we look at...

by Sakshi Bhardwaj | On 02 Mar 2016

Trafficking In Persons: Singapore’s Evolving Responses

For a long time, sending countries have been the focus of efforts to combat trafficking in persons (TIP). However, in recent years, destination countries such as Singapore have also stepped up their e...

by Pau Hangzo | On 01 Mar 2016

The Political-economy of Tax Reforms in Pakistan: The Ongoing Saga of the GST

Should tax reforms be guided by rules of thumb suggested by the IMF, or directions or reform based on analytical approaches, such as optimal tax theory? In many cases, the applications of the directio...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 01 Mar 2016

Cultivated Land Conversion in China and the Potential for Food Security and Sustainability

With over a billion people in China, the issue of cultivated land conversion is extremely important both in terms of food security and environmental sustainability. This paper investigates the relatio...

by Shunji Cui | On 01 Mar 2016

Food Security and the Targeted Public Distribution System in India

Annual food production is enough to feed the 6.9 billion people in the world today. However, access and distribution of food in order that people do not have to die due to hunger continues to remain e...

by Ruth Kattumuri | On 01 Mar 2016

Vital Stats: Union Budget 2016-17

Trends regarding the central government’s sources of financing including tax revenue, disinvestments, and its revenue and capital expenditure, including subsidies. Estimates are presented in the 2016-...

by Mandira Kala | On 01 Mar 2016

Poor Budgeting Leads to Huge Under Spending

Regardless of the allocations for healthcare, there is a systemic reluctance to spend on health care. This trend needs to be reversed and a more transparent citizen-centred process of budget-making...

by Ravi Duggal | On 01 Mar 2016

India and an Indian village: 50 years of economic development in Palanpur

The analysis of the paper begins in the next section by setting out broad economic changes in India as key context for change in Palanpur, with a particular focus on the three drivers set out above; s...

by Himanshu Prof | On 29 Feb 2016

Railroads of the Raj: Estimating the Impact of Transportation Infrastructure

How large are the benefits of transportation infrastructure projects, and what explains these benefits? To shed new light on these questions, I collect archival data from colonial India and use it to...

by Dave Donaldson | On 29 Feb 2016

Challenges and Developments in the Financial Systems of the Southeast Asian Economies

This paper discusses the economies and financial systems of Southeast Asia (SEA) and focuses on challenges and developments in the region. Despite the diversity of SEA economies and some important exc...

by Toshiyuki Shimada | On 29 Feb 2016

Tax Reforms in the Presence of Informality in Developing Countries: Incentives to Cheat in Mexico

In this paper we examine incentives to cheat in the Mexican tax system and argue that these are affected by interactions between taxes. We use variation in tax status between Mexican firms and variati...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 29 Feb 2016

Economy for Life in our Earth community

This living document is a result of an extensive process led by the Social Movements for an Alternative Asia (SMAA), GerakLawan, La ViaCampesina and the supporters of the EndWTO Campaign.

by Focus on the Global South FGS | On 29 Feb 2016

Agricultural investments in Southeast Asia: Legal tools forpublic accountability

In Southeast Asia, the rise in agricultural investments takes place against the backdrop of a fast-evolving regional context. In this ‘Asian Century’, trade and investment flows are flourishing across...

by Shalmali Guttal | On 29 Feb 2016

Understanding Innovation in Production Networks in East Asia

This paper explores the “black box” of innovation in the electronics production network in East Asia through a mapping exercise of technological capabilities and an econometric analysis of exporting i...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 29 Feb 2016

The Future of Australia's Productivity: Some Insights from Productivity Analysis

The Productivity Commission program of studies on the productivity of different sectors — to date, Mining, Electricity, gas and water, and Manufacturing — provide some insight into what lies behind th...

by Jenny Gordon | On 29 Feb 2016

Conditional Cash Transfer Programs: An Effective Tool for Poverty Alleviation?

The paper highlights a number of issues that countries need to explore in assessing the feasibility of a CCT program: a country needs to assess the current level of specific human capital outcomes and...

by Hyun H. Son | On 29 Feb 2016

On the Skill of Balancing While Riding a Bicycle

Humans have ridden bicycles for over 200 years, yet there are no continuous measures of how skill differs between novice and expert. To address this knowledge gap, the dynamics of human bicycle riding...

by | On 29 Feb 2016

Combating Low Birth Weight and Intra - Uterine Growth Retardation

Low birth weight is a major public health problem in India. About 30% of all infants born in hospitals are reported to weigh less than 2.5 kg at birth. Studies carried out by ICMR in the late seventie...

by Sarath Gopalan | On 29 Feb 2016

Narendra Modi, Mark II

Has Narendra Modi re-set his political sights? What's there in the Budget?

by T.N. Ninan | On 29 Feb 2016

20 Years of Human Security: A special focus on food security

This year is the 20th anniversary of the release of the 1994 United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Report, which defined the concept of human security and brought it to int...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

20 Years of Human Security: A Special Focus on Environmental Security

This year is the 20th anniversary of the release of the 1994 United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Report, which defined the concept of human security and brought it to int...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

20 Years of Human Security: A Special Focus on Community Security

This year is the 20th anniversary of the release of the 1994 United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Report, which defined the concept of human security and brought it to int...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

20 Years of Human Security: A Special Focus on Political Security

Security used to be defined in military terms with the state as the referent of security. From this state-centric lens, political security means the stability of the state’s political regime and socia...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

New Issues in Human Security: Energy-Climate-Water-Food Nexus

Today, millions of people experience insecurity as a result of new and complex issues threatening human welfare and dignity, such as climate change and the contested or inefficient use of energy and w...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

2015: A Year for Reflection

2015 is a critical year for global and regional institutions, and for the international community as a whole, as it represents a milestone in the big push for achieving global goals of peace, human se...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

Women in Southeast Asia: From Equality to Development

2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Women, held in Beijing in September 1995. While the world takes stock of how far we have come in terms of acknowledging women’s righ...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

Movement of Labour within Southeast Asia

Labour migration is a growing trend in the ASEAN region as workers seek better-paid jobs and employers endeavor to meet employment gaps. Migrant labour forms an increasing source of construction, serv...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

COP 21: Diplomatic Milestone or Half Measure?

Year 2015 ended with scenes of congratulatory jubilation in Paris. The world had for once come together to deliver what is now referred to as the Paris Agreement at the end of the 21st United Nations...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

Basel Banking Norms – A Primer

This paper aims to first build a deeper understanding of the emergence of Basel banking norms (Basel I), and the transition to each of the subsequent regulations (Basel II and Basel III). The primary...

by Akshay Uday Shenoy | On 27 Feb 2016

Divergence and Convergence of Firm-level Best Practices: the Case of Bajaj and Hero-Honda in India’s Two-wheeler Industry

Literature in economic development shows how countries diverge and converge in economic growth owing to technological change and capital accumulation. This paper examines micro level issues of competi...

by Murali Patibandla | On 27 Feb 2016

A Model of Gender Inequality and Economic Growth

This paper introduces a model of gender inequality and economic growth that focuses on the determination of women’s time allocation among market production, home production, child rearing, and child e...

by Jinyoung Kim | On 27 Feb 2016

Building a Regional Disaster Response Mechanism for a Secure ASEAN Community

A series of recent humanitarian crises in Southeast Asia have signalled a new impetus to re- think the nature of security cooperation in the region. The outbreak of pandemics, the devastating impact o...

by Melly Caballero-Anthony | On 26 Feb 2016

Recalibrating the ASEAN Security Community

Against the recent conflicts and crises facing the region, the spotlight is once again directed at ASEAN’s plans for an ASEAN Security Community (ASC). What is significant in this slew of crises that...

by Mely Caballero-Anthony | On 26 Feb 2016

The Myanmar Nargis Aftermath: A Disaster in Governance

Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, which made headline news across the globe, triggered denunciations of the military regime in delaying the international humanitarian relief efforts. The cyclone-struck count...

by | On 26 Feb 2016

Measuring HDI – The Old, the New and the Elegant: Implications for multidimensional development and social inclusiveness

The Human Development Index (HDI) is calculated using normalized indicators from three dimensions- health, education, and standard of living (or income). This paper evaluates three aggregation methods...

by Srijit Mishra | On 26 Feb 2016

Economic Survey 2015-16-Volume I

This year’s Economic Survey comes at a time of unusual volatility in the international economic environment. Markets have begun to swing on fears that the global recovery may be faltering, while ris...

by Arun Jaitley | On 26 Feb 2016

Gossip and the Efficiency of Interactions

Human communication in organizations often involves a large amount of gossiping about others. Here we study in an experiment whether gossip affects the efficiency of human interactions. We let subject...

by | On 26 Feb 2016

Estimation and Determinants of Chronic Poverty in India: An Alternative Approach

The paper conceptualizes chronic poverty by using the spaces of income and nutrition and estimates its incidence among states and social groups. It also aims to improve our understanding of the determ...

by C.H. Hanumantha Rao | On 25 Feb 2016

CO2 Emissions Reduction Strategies and Economic Development of India

This paper examines the consequences of alternative CO2 emission reduction strategies on economic development and, in particular, the implications for the poor by empirically implementing an economy-w...

by N. Murthy | On 25 Feb 2016

ICC’s Verdict on Darfur: Whose Responsibility?

The International Criminal Court’s unprecedented ruling to arrest the Sudanese president for crimes against humanity is a step further in advancing the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P)....

by | On 25 Feb 2016

Resolving Internal Conflict in Myanmar: A Human Security Approach

National security in Myanmar has always been equated with state security by the ruling military junta. However, the drive to protect the state has led to insecurities for its people. This paper argues...

by | On 25 Feb 2016

The Economic Crisis and Labour Migrants: A Test for Human Security?

As the current global economic crisis deepens, labour migrants have begun to experience the consequences of both political and economic insecurity. How effective are legal frameworks in protecting the...

by | On 25 Feb 2016

Responding to Non-Traditional Security Challenges in Asia

Emerging security challenges in Asia are compelling the international community to take a hard look at their causes and implications on state and human security. Given the growing complexity of these...

by Mely Caballero-Anthony | On 25 Feb 2016

Oil Pipeline from Myanmar to China: Competing Perspectives

An oil pipeline is set to be constructed to connect Myanmar with China. To make sense of the development, one can benefit from paying attention to industry descriptions about the project, rather than...

by | On 25 Feb 2016

Health Sector Financing by Centre and States / UTs in India

Public expenditure data has been sourced from the States' budget documents, detailed demand for grants of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and other Central Ministries/Departments. This document gi...

by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare H & FW | On 25 Feb 2016

Development Policies and Democratic Disruptions: Predicaments of the Marxist Left

This paper argues that development policies operate in Indian democracy at the interstices of two largely different yet interconnected worlds – of technical formulation and political formations. The I...

by | On 25 Feb 2016

Comparative Assessment of Proposals to Amend the Personal Income Tax Law

Proposals to reform the personal income tax has gained prominence in recent months. To date, personal income tax reform is part and parcel of the platform of a number of the candidates in the 2016 pre...

by Rosario G. Manasan | On 25 Feb 2016

Indian Railway Budget Speech 2016-17

Speech of Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu introducing the Railway Budget for 2016-17.

by Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu | On 25 Feb 2016

Assessment of Sources and Utilization of Funding of State Universities and Colleges

The implementation of the "Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997", CHED Memorandum Order No. 20, and "Public Higher Education Reform Framework" granted state universities and colleges (SUCs) the...

by Rosario G. Manasan | On 25 Feb 2016

Exploring Priority Areas for Philippine APEC 2015 Hosting: Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World

This paper is an integration of the studies commissioned under the DFA-PIDS memorandum of agreement to explore the priority areas during the Philippines' APEC hosting in 2015 under the theme: "Buildin...

by Erlinda M. Medalla | On 25 Feb 2016

Challenges in Health Services Trade: Philippine Case

There is a growing emphasis on the role of trade in health services (telehealth, health tourism and retirement, investments and deployment of medical professionals) in easing fiscal constraints, gener...

by Maria Cherry Rodolfo | On 25 Feb 2016

Towards Comprehensive Economic Co-operation between India and Central Asian Republics

Despite some recovery in recent years, Central Asian Republics (CARs) remain in difficult economic situation and they present a serious challenge to Asia. It is in the mutual interest of both CARs and...

by Ramgopal Agarwala | On 24 Feb 2016

Typhoon Kestana: Asia’s Katrina

The devastation and catastrophe wrought by Typhoon Kestana on the Philippines’ capital Manila reflect a huge gap between rising vulnerabilities and preparedness at the national and regional levels. As...

by | On 24 Feb 2016

The US and Myanmar: Moving into a New Phase

At the recent United Nations general debate, US President Barack Obama outlined his vision for US foreign policy, making a clear break with the previous administration. The shift has significant impli...

by | On 24 Feb 2016

The AICHR Framework for Action

On 23 October 2009, ASEAN formally launched the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights at the 15th ASEAN Summit in Thailand. The ASEAN leaders also announced the ‘Cha-am Hua Hin Declaratio...

by | On 24 Feb 2016

From Aceh to Chile: Is ASEAN Prepared for Another Disaster?

The latest natural disaster in Chile, like the one in Haiti, comes as yet another test of Southeast Asia’s readiness in global humanitarian relief — five years after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. How...

by | On 24 Feb 2016

Impact of Management Practices on Employee Effectiveness in South Asia

South Asian organizations in countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are trying to professionalize management practices in recent years. Inspite of such efforts, employees indiscipli...

by Zafar Qureshi | On 24 Feb 2016

Why Inequality Matters in Poverty Reduction and Why the Middle Class Needs Policy Attention

While the Philippines has had a new economic growth trajectory in recent years, the country has had little progress in reducing poverty and in making growth more inclusive. In this paper, the authors...

by Jose Ramon G. Albert | On 24 Feb 2016

India’s Fifth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity 2014

The country's biodiversity faces a variety of threats, ranging from land use changes in natural habitats to overexploitation of natural resources, proliferation of invasive species and climate change....

by Ministry of Environment and Forest | On 24 Feb 2016

The Determination of Contracts in Agricultural Economies

This paper aims to analyze how contracts are determined and modified given diverse agricultural settings and to examine the implications of these changes with respect to their efficiency, distribution...

by Leonardo Lanzona | On 24 Feb 2016

Financial Sector Reform: Longer-Run Policy Responses to the Asian Crisis

The Asian financial crisis of 1997 involved significant economic and social costs for the affected economies, but also highlighted fundamental weaknesses in the structure and operations of their finan...

by Kevin Davis | On 24 Feb 2016

Industrial Growth And Environmental Industrial Growth And Environmental Industrial Growth And Environmental Degradation: Degradation: Degradation: A Case Study Of Tiruppur Textile Cluster A Case Study Of Tiruppur Textile Cluster A Case Study Of Tiruppur Textile Cluster

The rapid economic growth achieved after globalization by most of the developing countries, has imposed considerable social costs and has become a major threat to sustainable development. However it i...

by Prakash Nelliyat | On 23 Feb 2016

Rising Food Prices and Food Security: Impact of the 2008 Food Crisis on Asia

The trend of rising food prices has made this basic human need inaccessible to an increasing number of people. The impact on vulnerable groups, especially the poor, is immense. Food price rise has imp...

by | On 23 Feb 2016

Un-balanced Economic Growth

Since the elasticity of substitution between capital and labor is not always one, and since technical progress is not always Harrod-neutral, it is desirable to have an endogenous growth model that adm...

by Hing-Man Leung | On 23 Feb 2016

Pakistan’s Flood Disaster: An Unprecedented Humanitarian Crisis

The recent monsoon-related floods have wreaked havoc in Pakistan. Decades of development outcomes have been wiped out and critical human security challenges have been precipitated. It is critical to b...

by | On 23 Feb 2016

Development Strategy, Optimal Industrial Structure and Economic Growth in Less Developed Countries

In this paper, we develop an endogenous growth model that combines structural change with repeated product improvements. There are two sectors in the present paper, one is traditional sector, and the...

by Justin Yifu Lin | On 23 Feb 2016

Report on “Climate Change, Migration and Human Security in Southeast Asia”

The Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies in the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), organised a study-group meeting to address the topic of ‘Climate Change, Migration an...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 22 Feb 2016

Dissecting the China Puzzle: Asymmetric Liberalization and Cost Distortion

In this paper we attempt to explain the China Puzzle: coexistence of accelerating economic growth and worsening growth outlook. The root cause lies in China’s unique liberalization approach, i.e., the...

by Huang Yiping | On 22 Feb 2016

International Monetary Reform: A Critical Appraisal of Some Proposals

This paper reviews some of the current debates on the reform of the international monetary system. Despite its deficiencies, the United States (US) dollar will remain the dominant currency and Special...

by Yung Chul Park | On 22 Feb 2016

Agriculture and Food Security in Asia by 2030

Rapid trade-led economic growth in emerging Asia has been shifting the global economic and industrial centres of gravity away from the north Atlantic, raising the importance of Asia in world trade but...

by Kym Anderson | On 22 Feb 2016

Central Banking for Financial Stability in Asia

A key lesson of the 2007–2009 global financial crisis (GFC) was the importance of containing systemic financial risk and the need for a “macroprudential” approach to surveillance and regulation that c...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 22 Feb 2016

‘Mind the Gap’: Reducing Waste and Losses in the Food Supply Chain

One oft-neglected strategy to improve food availability is the simple act of reducing waste. Inefficiencies across the entire food supply chain – from ‘farm to fork’ – result in significant food losse...

by | On 22 Feb 2016

Asymmetry In Government Bond Returns

Is there asymmetry in the distribution of government bond returns in developed countries? Can asymmetries be predicted using financial and macroeconomic variables? To answer the first question, we pro...

by Ippei Fuijwara | On 21 Feb 2016

Deepening Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Financial Markets

This paper discusses the financial landscape of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a region engaged in building an economic community (a “single market and production base”) by 2015....

by Choong Lee | On 21 Feb 2016

Changing Population In Japan And A Life-Long Active Society To Cope With It

Japan's ageing population also has a sort of depth. By “depth,” I mean that within the older population itself the proportion of very old people aged 75 years old and over is increasing particularly r...

by Atsushi Seike | On 21 Feb 2016

Early Lessons from the Process to Enhance Understanding of Loss and Damage in Bangladesh

This document is the culmination of a process that unfolded over two years in Bangladesh, which benefitted from contributions from individuals and organisations too numerous to mention by name here. H...

by Erin Roberts | On 21 Feb 2016

Are Returns To Private Infrastructure In Developing Countries Consistent With Risks Since The Asian Crisis?

This paper presents a basic assessment of the financial performance of infrastructure service operators in developing countries. It relies on a new database of 120 companies put together to track the...

by Maria Pinglo | On 21 Feb 2016

Preferential Trading In South Asia

This paper examines the economic case for the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) Agreement signed on January 6 th, 2004 by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. It s...

by Tercan Baysan | On 21 Feb 2016

Infrastructure Gap in South Asia Inequality of Access to Infrastructure Services

The South Asia region is home to the largest pool of individuals living under the poverty line, coupled with a fast-growing population. The importance of access to basic infrastructure services on wel...

by Dan Biller | On 21 Feb 2016

The People’s Republic of China and Global Imbalances from a View of Sectorial Reforms

This paper examines the impact of sectorial reforms on current account imbalances, with a special focus on the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In particular, we investigate to what extent reforms pe...

by Hiro Ito | On 21 Feb 2016

Green Growth and Equity in the Context of Climate Change: Some Considerations

Green growth entails several different kinds of processes: conversion to low-carbon energy, climate resilience, and response to climate shocks. Equity implies a fair sharing of the costs, within count...

by Jeffrey D. Sachs | On 21 Feb 2016

Roadmap for the Responsibility to Protect (RtoP) in Asia: Personalities, Institutions and Processes

It is over six years since the 2005 UN World Summit endorsed the Responsibility to Protect (RtoP), thus recognising an individual state’s responsibility to protect its citizens from four mass atrociti...

by | On 20 Feb 2016

Climate Change, Migration and Human Security in Southeast Asia

The proposition that migration as a result of climate change has consequences for regional and global security has become prominent in public discourse over the last few years. Yet much of that debate...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Report on “Policy Roundtable on Asian Non-Traditional Security”

This report presents the proceedings of a Policy Roundtable on Asian Non-Traditional Security held in Beijing on 30-31 July 2012. Attended by academics and policymakers from across the region, the Rou...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 19 Feb 2016

Plight of the Rohingya: ASEAN Credibility Again at Stake

The suffering of the Rohingya in Myanmar’s Rakhine state is putting pressure on ASEAN to intervene. Coming just before their 21st Summit, the wisdom and stewardship of ASEAN leaders will be tested onc...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Disasters in Southeast Asia’s Megacities: Protecting the Informal Sector

In the megacities of developing Southeast Asia, the important role of the informal sector in supporting economic development is often under-recognised. Cities seeking to address the economic risks and...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

The ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR): Cooperation, commitment and contradictions

This NTS Working Paper examines the prospects for the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) launched in July 2012. It looks at whether the APTERR can overcome the limitations of past rice r...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

From Agropolis to Ecopolis – Heading Towards Regenerative Cities

In this lecture, Stefan Schurig (World Future Council) talks about the vision of regenerative cities as the greening of the urban environment and the protection of nature from urban expansion, and abo...

by Stefan Schurig | On 19 Feb 2016

Destined for Destitution: Intergenerational Poverty Persistence in Indonesia

We estimate intergenerational poverty persistence in Indonesia using a panel dataset. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such study looking at the issue in the Indonesian context. Differe...

by Yus Pakpahan | On 19 Feb 2016

Overseas WMotives and Giving Norms Behind Remittances: The Case of Filipinoorkers and their Recipient Households

The literature has focused on motives to explain remittance behavior. But as non-anonymous transfers, remittances are apt to be influenced by giving norms as well. We formula...

by Michael Alba | On 19 Feb 2016

The Notion Of Prosperity

Mohamed Halfani (UN-Habitat) outlines the notion of prosperity as it relates to the work of UN-Habitat. This introduction to the theme of urban prosperity highlights the disjuncture between current de...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Transforming Cities with Transit

In rapidly urbanizing and motorizing cities of the world, massive investments are being made in high-capacity transit systems to fend off worsening traffic congestion. Most investments have been guide...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Impact of Services Trade Liberalization on Employment and People Movement in South Asia

Services have been a key driver of overall economic growth in South Asia since the 1990s. This paper examines how the growth of services output, trade and investment have affected service sector emplo...

by Rupa Chanda | On 19 Feb 2016

Street-led city-wide slum upgrading

This lecture proposes a fundamental shift in addressing the problems of slums, and suggests an approach that focuses on streets as the engine for urban transformation. The strategy brought forward by...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Discourse on Kashmir: From Territoriality to ‘Enlightened Sovereignty’

The author calls for renewed focus on the idea of ‘soft borders’ between India and Pakistan, with particular reference to Jammu and Kashmir, in the light of a theory of ‘enlightened sovereignty’ that...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Mass housing requires mass housing finance

In this lecture Marja Hoek Smit argues that housing finance is critical to solve the housing problem, increasing, as it does, the number of households that can afford to acquire a house in the formal...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Urbanization & Demographics: The Coordination Problem

The lecture is based on the realization that little attention is being paid to the inexorable increase in urban populations, particularly in very low income countries. Almost all of the world’s next 2...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Urban Economy in the New Millennium

Michael Cohen in this lecture illustrates data about economic growth that demonstrate how cities act as engines of national economic development. In 2008, for the first time in human history, half the...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Where Have China’s State Monopolies Gone?

If China’s economy is an example of ‘state-capitalism’, then its large, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) could be expected to monopolise key sectors. But previous estimates of industrial concentration u...

by Paul Hubbard | On 19 Feb 2016

Poverty-reducing or Poverty-inducing? A CGE-based Analysis of Foreign Capital Inflows in Pakistan

Foreign capital inflows (FKI) help an economy by financing the imbalance between income and expenditure. However, their impact on poverty in the recipient economy is a controversial issue. In this stu...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 18 Feb 2016

Adaptation to Climate Change in India: A Study of Union Budgets

The present study reviews the framework on adaptation in India and provides an estimation of the public resources devoted to this sector.

by Kaushik Ganguly | On 18 Feb 2016

New Avenues for Regional Cooperation: Tackling Human Trafficking in Asia

In Southeast Asia, rising population and technological advances mean that unfortunately human traffickers have a growing target base online and are making greater use of technology. Nevertheless, crea...

by | On 17 Feb 2016

A Significant Shift in Casual Relations of Money, income, and Prices in Pakistan: The Price Hikes in the Early 1970s

This study extends the analysis of causality by Husain and Rashid (2006) by taking care of the shift in the variables due to the price hikes in the early 1970s. Casual relation between real income and...

by Fazal Husain | On 17 Feb 2016

A Social Accounting Matrix for Pakistan, 2001-02: Methodology and Results

This paper describes the structure and construction of a social accounting matrix (SAM) for Pakistan for 001-02. A SAM is an internally consistent extended set of national accounts that disaggregates...

by Paul Dorosh | On 17 Feb 2016

Demographic Dividend or Demographic Threat in Pakistan

This paper looks into the demographic dividend available to Pakistan and its implications for the country, mainly through three mechanisms: labour supply, savings, and human capital. For economic bene...

by Durr-e- Nayab | On 17 Feb 2016

Power, Violence, Citizenship and Agency: A Review of the Literature

This Working Paper comprises a literature review that was carried out to inform the formulation of a research project on power, violence, citizenship and agency, which addresses how social actors reac...

by | On 17 Feb 2016

Bumpy Road Ahead for Agriculture Sector

Agriculture is important sector for Indian economy. The agricultural growth output and rural income has to increase, only then can we think of an all-inclusive development of the economy. The problems...

by Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute | On 17 Feb 2016

Can Parental Migration Reduce Petty Corruption in Education?

Educational outcomes of children are highly dependent on household and school-level inputs. In poor countries remittances from migrants can provide additional funds for the education of the left behin...

by Lisa Höckel | On 17 Feb 2016

Parental Influences on Health and Longevity: Lessons from a Large Sample of Adoptees

To what extent is the length of our lives determined by pre-birth factors? And to what extent is it affected by parental resources during our upbringing that can be influenced by public policy? We stu...

by Mikael Lindahl | On 17 Feb 2016

Something in the Air? Pollution, Allergens and Children’s Cognitive Functioning

Poor air quality has been shown to harm the health and development of children. Research on these relationships has focused almost exclusively on the effects of human-made pollutants, and has not full...

by Dave Marcotte | On 17 Feb 2016

Climate Change Impacts and Mitigation in the Developing World

This paper conducts an integrated assessment of climate change impacts and climate mitigation on agricultural commodity markets and food availability in low- and middle-income countries. The analysis...

by Petr Havlík | On 17 Feb 2016

Methods for Identifying Low Emissions Development Options for Agriculture

Low emissions development strategies (LEDS) are national economic and social development plans that promote sustainable development while reducing GHG emissions. While LEDS programs have helped to mai...

by Sonja Vermeulen | On 17 Feb 2016

Supporting Women Farmers in a Changing Climate: Five Policy Lessons

Climate change demands new approaches to agriculture: farmers’ practices will need to change in order to adapt to and mitigate changing conditions. Gender is central to this change. Agriculture is a f...

by Sophia Huyer | On 17 Feb 2016

Achieving Skill Mobility in the ASEAN Economic Community Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications

Despite clear aspirations by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to create an effective framework to facilitate movements among skilled professionals within the ASEAN Economic Community...

by Demetrios G. Papademetriou | On 16 Feb 2016

Indonesia’s Foreign Domestic Workers: Dilemma of Not Working Overseas

While the United Nations takes stock of how far women have come in getting women’s rights acknowledged as human rights, Indonesia wants to stop sending women out of the country as foreign domestic wor...

by | On 16 Feb 2016

ASEAN’s Haze Shroud: Grave Threat to Human Security

Transboundary haze pollution is posing significant multiple risks to the well-being and security of people in ASEAN. Beyond looking at it as an environmental issue, it is a severe threat to human secu...

by | On 16 Feb 2016

COP 21 and the Paris Agreement: Achievement or Half Measure?

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change hailed as the first truly universal and unanimous agreement on climate was celebrated as progress in humanity’s collective fight against climate change. But what...

by | On 16 Feb 2016

Why Civil Service Reforms Do Not Work

(Public Sector Reforms) PSR must be based on the recognition that people are at the heart of public service. As a result, managing human resources must be at the centre of any effort. The people who...

by Nadeem Ul Haque | On 16 Feb 2016

Entrepreneurship in Pakistan

In Pakistan innovation and risk taking is severely inhibited by the intrusive role of government in the marketplace. From the early days of planning when protection and subsidy policies determined win...

by Nadeem Ul Haque | On 16 Feb 2016

National Finance Commission Awards in Pakistan: A Historical Perspective

This study explores the evolution of fiscal resource distribution in Pakistan. Pakistan is a federation comprising four provinces, federally administered areas, and the Islamabad Capital Territory. Be...

by Iftikhar Ahmed | On 16 Feb 2016

Supply Chains and Credit-Market Shocks: Some Implications for Emerging Markets

Driven by the increasingly important role of supply chains in global production, this paper studies empirical association between global credit-market shocks and firm behavior towards liquidity needs...

by Yothin Jinjarak | On 16 Feb 2016

Global Implications of the Renminbi’s Ascendance

This paper evaluates the prospects for the renminbi’s role as an international currency and the implications for global financial markets. Although the People’s Republic of China (PRC) does not have e...

by Eswar Prasad | On 16 Feb 2016

Financial Stability and Financial Inclusion

Developing economies are seeking to promote financial inclusion, i.e., greater access to financial services for low-income households and firms, as part of their overall strategies for economic and fi...

by Peter J. Morgan | On 16 Feb 2016

From Global Factory to Global Mall: East Asia’s Changing Trade Composition

This paper studies how East Asia’s trade composition and orientation have changed over the past decade and analyzes the implications for the region and beyond. Over the last 2 decades we have witnesse...

by Matthias Helble | On 16 Feb 2016

Hometown Investment Trust Funds: An Analysis of Credit Risk

In Asia, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for a major share of employment and dominate the economy. Asian economies are often characterized as having bank-dominated financial systems...

by Naoyuki Yoshino | On 16 Feb 2016

Sharing the Burden of Carbon Emissions

Industrialized countries had their share of carbon emissions. Can the developing countries also get a fair share in their deal for reducing carbon emissions and clear their way to development?

by Aakriti Singh | On 15 Feb 2016

Need to Push for Inclusive Growth

The major challenge facing the Indian economy at this juncture is to provide a big push to the growth momentum while striking a balance between the much-needed capital expenditure and fiscal consolida...

by S.D Naik | On 15 Feb 2016

Basel II and Bangladesh: The Challenges Ahead

Basel II consists of three pillars such as Pillar I, II and III. Implementation of this New Accord is a challenge for many developing countries including Bangladesh. This study has made an attempt to...

by Md. Kabir Ahmed | On 15 Feb 2016

Monetary Policy and Capital Market Development in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Bank (BB) adjusted its monetary policy stance during 2005 in order to contain inflationary pressures and facilitate stability in the foreign exchange market. At the end of 2005, interest ra...

by Shubhasish Barua | On 15 Feb 2016

The Role of an Explicit Subordinate Debt Policy in the Smooth Transition to Basel II

The major concern for the banking sector of Bangladesh is that implementation of Basel II will cause banks to raise capital appreciably and thus undermine their existing capital position. In such a si...

by Md. Kabir Ahmed | On 15 Feb 2016

Household Budget Analysis for Pakistan under Varying the Parameter Approach

Using micro-level household data for rural and urban Pakistan, this study estimates Engel equations for 22 commodity groups with quadratic spline specification, in which the number and locations of kn...

by Eatzaz Ahmad | On 14 Feb 2016

Income, Public Social Services, and Capability Development: A Cross-district Analysis of Pakistan

Is household income enough for human development or should government direct resources towards the provision of social services to improve capabilities of individuals? The former is emphasised by the...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 14 Feb 2016

Maximizing Chances for Success in Afghanistan and Pakistan

The following is a Campaign 2012 policy brief by Bruce Riedel and Michael O’Hanlon proposing ideas for the next president on America’s foreign policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan. Vanda Felbab-Brow...

by Bruce Riedel | On 14 Feb 2016

The Afghanistan–Pakistan Challenge: Meeting Humanitarian Needs

For Campaign 2012, Bruce Riedel and Michael O’Hanlon wrote a policy brief proposing ideas for the next president on America’s foreign policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan. The following paper is a r...

by Elizabeth Ferris | On 14 Feb 2016

Mitigating the Costs of Corruption in Water for the Poor

The water crisis, exacerbated by corruption, is exacting a high human toll on the lives of the poor and vulnerable. Corruption makes water undrinkable, inaccessible and unaffordable. In developing cou...

by Transparency International TI | On 14 Feb 2016

Afghanistan’s Displaced People: 2014 and Beyond

Afghanistan is the largest refugee repatriation operation in the world. More than 5.7 million people have returned in the last ten years, representing nearly a quarter of the current population of 28...

by Aidan O'Leary | On 14 Feb 2016

Calibrating Law Enforcement and Its Purpose

In “Calibrating Law Enforcement and Its Purpose,” published by Addiction on November 10, 2014, Vanda Felbab-Brown comments on Harold Pollack and Peter Reuter’s article “Does tougher enforcement make d...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 14 Feb 2016

The Conditional Capital Asset Pricing Model:- Evidence from Karachi Stock Exchange

This is an attempt to empirically investigate the risk and return relationship of individual stocks traded at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), the main equity market in Pakistan. The analysis is based on...

by Attiya Y. Javid | On 14 Feb 2016

Test of Multi-moment Capital Asset Pricing Model: Evidence from Karachi Stock Exchange

This study examines the Capital Asset Pricing Model of Sharpe (1964) Lintner (1965) and Black (1972) as the benchmark model in the asset pricing theory. The empirical findings indicate that the Sharpe...

by Attiya Y. Javid | On 14 Feb 2016

A Strategy of the Special Cell

The primary objective of this study is to understand if the strategy which was developed by and for the violated woman, is at all detrimental to her and her access to rights.

by Anjali Dave | On 14 Feb 2016

Reforming Institutions: Where to Begin?

The theories of institutional evolution put forth by Douglas North, Darron Acemoglu and Dani Rodrik and the historical experiences of different countries in the context of development (or non-developm...

by M. Idrees Khawaja | On 14 Feb 2016

Human Capital vs. Physical Capital: A Cross-Country Analysis of Human Development Strategies

This study estimates a small simultaneous equation model using panel data from sixty-four countries for the years 1996 and 2004. The model is estimated by various techniques—OLS, TSLS, dummy variable...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 14 Feb 2016

Trends in Inequality, Welfare, and Growth in Pakistan, 1963-64 to 2004-05

The present study investigates the trends in inequality, welfare, and growth based on per capita household income/consumption in Pakistan, both its rural and urban areas, from 1963-64 to 2004-05. It e...

by Nadia Zakir | On 14 Feb 2016

Horizontal and Vertical Inequalities in India

Indian income inequality reflects the high values typical of most low and middle income economies, well above those observed for the high income LIS countries. There is also substantial variation in i...

by Reeve Vanneman | On 14 Feb 2016

Living Arrangement: How does it relate to the Health of the Elderly in India?

India has the second largest population of elderly people after China. The living arrangement of the elderly is seen as a parameter of great importance in understanding their plight in developing coun...

by Mitali Sen | On 14 Feb 2016

Private Schooling in India: A New Educational Landscape

Private schooling in India has expanded rapidly in the past decade. However, few studies have looked at its implications for educational quality. Using data from the recently collected India Human Dev...

by Sonalde Desai | On 14 Feb 2016

Negotiated Identities: Male Migration and Left Behind Wives

This paper examines the impact of husbands’ migration on the lives of women left behind. Using data from the India Human Development Survey 2005, we focus on two dimensions of women’s lives: women’s a...

by Sonalde Desai | On 14 Feb 2016

Women’s Empowerment at the Frontline of Adaptation: Emerging Issues, Adaptive Practices, and Priorities in Nepal

The findings of the study reveal that, across Nepal, there has been an increase in rural women’s workload rendering multiple effects on women’s health, income, safety, nutrition, violence against wome...

by Dibya Devi Gurung | On 13 Feb 2016

Dietary Diversity in the Everyday Lives of Children in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India

This paper investigates young people’s and their caregivers’ experiences of food insecurity, diet and eating practices in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It also provides original child-focused evidence...

by Elisabetta Aurino | On 13 Feb 2016

Social Capital in India: Networks, Organizations, and Confidence

Using original data from a newly collected nationally representative survey for 40,000 households in India, we examine associations of various dimensions of social capital with each other and with con...

by Reeve Vanneman | On 13 Feb 2016

Social Networks in India: Caste, Tribe and Religious Variation

Using original data from a newly collected nationwide survey for 40,000 households in India, we examine variation in social capital in India across caste, tribe, and religion. Our primary measure uses...

by Reeve Vanneman | On 13 Feb 2016

Disempowered by Whom? Gender vs. Generation in Family Decision making

The now-frequent use of decision-making questions in household surveys has greatly enhanced our understanding of intra-household power relations. While much of the research interest in these questions...

by Mitali Sen | On 13 Feb 2016

Utilization of Maternal Health Care Services in India: Understanding the Regional Differences

There is great regional variation on utilization of maternal health care services across India. While regional differences have long been established, why women in some states are more likely to utili...

by Sonalde Desai | On 12 Feb 2016

Youth and Corruption

Integrity, like corruption, is learned. Unfortunately, in many countries corruption has been tolerated for generations. Young people have the potential to transform this present reality and end corrup...

by Transparency International TI | On 12 Feb 2016

Beyond Geography: Unlocking Human Potential

This Report focuses on the productive abilities of the regions, households and individuals. The report also reinforces the fact that there are inequalities between and within regions, as well as soci...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 12 Feb 2016

Corruption and Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is thought to affect more than 12 million victims around the world. Corruption is seen as facilitating this flow of people and feeding the impunity that prevents the prosecution of t...

by Transparency International TI | On 12 Feb 2016

Rice Seed Production and Use in Bangladesh and India Need for Bilateral Cooperation

Rice seed production, marketing, distribution situation in Bangladesh and India is not considered to be efficient. This has led to low availability and accessibility of modern varieties (MV) rice seed...

by Mahfuz Kabir | On 11 Feb 2016

The Global Gender Gap Report 2013

The Global Gender Gap Index seeks to measure one important aspect of gender equality: the relative gaps between women and men, across a large set of countries and across the four key areas of health,...

by World Economic Forum [WEF] | On 11 Feb 2016

Skill Mismatch among Migrant Workers - Evidence from a Large Multi-Country Dataset

This article unravels the migrants’ incidence of skill mismatch taking into consideration different migration flows. Mismatch is the situation in which workers have jobs for which lower skill levels a...

by | On 10 Feb 2016

Inequities in Health Services in Mumbai

In absolute terms, the MCGM has presented a budget for the year 2015-16 wherein its income is Rs. 33,000 crores and expenditure is Rs 31,000 crores. Out of this expenditure, it has allotted Rs. 2,552...

by Sadanand Nadkarni | On 09 Feb 2016

A Tragic Exit from Social Death

In spite of his continuous victimization, Rohith Vemula did live a life of the mind that militated against the caste of the mind.

by Gopal Guru | On 09 Feb 2016

Transnational Economic Order and National Economic Institutions

Even after two decades of research on globalization, we still face open questions about the interplay between national capitalist institutions and transnational economic governance. How does embeddedn...

by | On 08 Feb 2016

Progress of the World's Women 2000

Launched in June of 2000, "Progress of the World's Women" is UNIFEM's biennial investigation of progress made towards a world where women live free from violence, poverty and inequality. The first iss...

by UN Women | On 08 Feb 2016

Poor Budgeting Leads to Huge Under Spending

Regardless of the allocations for healthcare, there is a systemic reluctance to spend on health care. This trend needs to be reversed and a more transparent citizen-centred process of budget-making...

by Ravi Duggal | On 08 Feb 2016

Consumption Smoothing in the Demand for Health Care

We investigate how, in temporary economic hardship, agents change their consumption of health services, and how this depends on whether the service is universally free-of-charge visits to GP’s or priv...

by Nicolai Kristensen | On 07 Feb 2016

Subjective Well-being in China, 2005-2010: The Role of Relative Income, Gender and Location

We use data from two rounds of the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) to study the determinants of subjective well-being in China over the period 2005-2010 during which self-reported happiness score...

by M. Niaz Asadullah | On 07 Feb 2016

Real Lives, True Stories

When we talk about corruption in terms of statistics, it’s easy to forget the human cost of abused power. Behind every fact or figure are real people, forced to live without the services, opportunitie...

by Transparency International TI | On 06 Feb 2016

Analysing the Terms of Trade Effect for Pakistan

The study investigates the impact of changes in terms of trade in Pakistan on its income and consumption potentials, by employing two measures of terms of trade, namely, barter terms of trade and inco...

by Nishat Fatima | On 06 Feb 2016

Algebraic Representation of Social Capital Matrix

This paper proposes a mathematical model based on a Boolean algebra involving a 4×4 social capital matrix [Shah (2008)], that emerges through interaction within and across individuals, communities, in...

by Tariq Shah | On 06 Feb 2016

Working to Improve Price Indices Development in Pakistan

Given the importance of Consumer Price Index (CPI), there has been long debate on its measurement issues. It is the best and most well-known indicator of inflation, which is further used for evaluatin...

by Mahmood Khalid | On 06 Feb 2016

Capital Inflows, Inflation and Exchange Rate Volatility: An Investigation for Linear and Nonlinear Causal Linkages

In this study, an investigation of the effects of capital inflows on domestic price level, monetary expansion and exchange rate volatility. To proceed with this, linear and nonlinear cointegration and...

by Abdul Rashid | On 06 Feb 2016

Impact of Financial Liberalisation and Deregulation on Banking Sector in Pakistan

The study analyses market perception about the performance of Pakistani commercial banks due to financial liberalisation and deregulation measures taken by the central bank over the last two decades....

by Kalbe Abbas | On 06 Feb 2016

An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship between Food Insecurity, Landlessness, and Violent Conflict in Pakistan

This study is an attempt to examine empirically the association between socio-economic measures of deprivation—such as food insecurity, landlessness, unemployment, and human under-development—and the...

by Sadia Mariam Malik | On 06 Feb 2016

Remittances and Poverty Linkages in Pakistan: Evidence and Some Suggestions for Further Analysis

This exercise is envisaged to provide a brief account of the research studies on inter-relationship between remittance inflows from abroad and the poverty levels obtained in the country. This is discu...

by Mohammad Irfan | On 06 Feb 2016

Budget Speech by BMC Municipal Commissioner-2016-17

Statement of Municipal Commissioner.

by Ajoy Mehta | On 05 Feb 2016

International Trade and Access to Sustainable Energy: Issues and Lessons from Country Experiences

How can trade policy respond to the needs and concerns of more than a billion people in the developing world that lack access to energy for fulfilling their daily needs such as cooking and lighting? A...

by | On 05 Feb 2016

Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Operations

Transparency International has long held that the most directly damaging impact of corruption is the diversion of basic resources from poor people. Corruption in humanitarian aid is most egregious for...

by Transparency International TI | On 05 Feb 2016

Preliminary Study: Explaining the Ten-fold Increase in Remittances to Pakistan 2001-2012

This study is part of a broader study being undertaken by PIDE on remittances and their impact on the Pakistan economy including explaining its over ten-fold increase between 2001–2012 from around US$...

by Rashid Amjad | On 03 Feb 2016

The New Role of the World Bank

The World Bank was founded to correct failures in international capital markets. That role has shifted over the past 70 years. Modern analyses should proceed from the premise that the Bank’s central g...

by Michael Clemens | On 03 Feb 2016

Governance and the Effectiveness of Foreign Capital

This study empirically investigates the impact of foreign capital and governance on the economic growth by employing country level data from 1984 to 2010 for Asian developing countries. Governance; fo...

by Unbreen Qayyum | On 03 Feb 2016

Financial Flows, External Capital Structure, Institutions and Economic Growth in Asian Developing Economies

Present study is conducted to measure the impact of financial integration on economic growth in Asian developing economies using panel data of twelve Asian countries from 1984-2012. In first part of a...

by Madiha Bashir | On 03 Feb 2016

Building Genuine Islamic Financial Institutions

Since the spirit of Islam is in stark and violent conflict with the spirit of Capitalism, the form taken by institutions designed to express this spirit must also be different. Capitalist financial in...

by Asad Zaman | On 03 Feb 2016

Does the Rise of the Middle Class Lock in Good Government in the Developing World?

The current size of the income-secure middle class and its likely future growth, suggest that optimism is indeed warranted for many of today’s middle-income countries. But it is not warranted for all...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 03 Feb 2016

Structural Change, Global Imbalances, and Employment in the Least Developed Countries

This paper addresses the effects of changes in the level and composition of global demand, and especially of global rebalancing, on trade flows and employment from a demand perspective. It emphasizes...

by International Centre for Sustainable Trade and Development | On 03 Feb 2016

Employment Strategy and Equitable Growth: A Social Capital Perspective for KPK

Although labour force participation in Pakistan has improved from 50.33 percent in 2006-07 to 57.24 percent in 2010-111 as well as employment has increased from 47.65 million to 53.84 million, however...

by Syed Akther Shah | On 02 Feb 2016

Infrastructure Investment, Private Finance, and Institutional Investors: Asia from a Global Perspective

This study evaluates infrastructure investment and finance in Asia from a global perspective. It provides an overview on infrastructure needs and the various sources of private finance, globally and w...

by Georg Inderst | On 02 Feb 2016

Apostasy and the Freedom of Belief: A New Islamic Perspective

This paper offers a novel perspective on the concept of freedom of conscience in Islam and the rules of apostasy in which the author, YehyaJad revises the notion of the death penalty for the apostate....

by | On 02 Feb 2016

The 2014 Arab Opinion Index

The 2014 Arab Opinion Index is the third annual survey of Arab public opinion carried out by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. In 2011, the survey was carried out in 12 Arab countries,...

by Arab Center for Policy Studies | On 02 Feb 2016

Faith-based NGOs in Multi-Confessional Society: Evidence from Lebanon

This paper combines data from a unique NGO survey in Lebanon with local indicators of religious and income polarization to assess which factors contribute to the emergence of faith-based or confession...

by | On 02 Feb 2016

Children Affected by Armed Conflict in South Asia: A Review of Trends and Issues Identified Through Secondary Research

‘Armed conflict’ is defined in this report as the use of armed violence to resolve local, national and/or international disputes between individuals and groups that have a political, economic, cultura...

by | On 02 Feb 2016

Remittances: An Unrecognised Support Mechanism During Humanitarian Crises

Remittances – money sent home by migrants – can help families survive conflicts or natural disasters. However, humanitarian agencies often fail to consider remittances when planning interventions. Thi...

by Paul Harvey | On 01 Feb 2016

The Role of NGOs In Conflict and Peace-Building

Non-government organisations (NGOs) have become increasingly involved in the international response to armed conflict, some aiming to mitigate the effects of war and others to help end the violence. B...

by Jonathan Goodhand | On 01 Feb 2016

Making it Safer to Cross Waterways in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has about 120,000 engineered rural waterway crossings (such as bridges) and another 250,000 non-engineered crossings built and maintained by communities. Because of a lack of financial and h...

by Granie Jayalath | On 01 Feb 2016

Developing Technologies for Sustainable Fisheries in Asia

Governments in Asia must prioritise technologies that improve fishery productivity to meet the growing local and international demand for fish. This increased productivity must be sustainable, however...

by The WorldFish Center TWC | On 01 Feb 2016

People, Policy, and Partnership for Disaster Resilient Development

The National Alliance of Disaster Risk Reduction (NADRR) was launched at a two-day workshop held in New Delhi on November 3rd and 4th, 2007. The workshop brought together over 150 participants represe...

by National Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction NADRR | On 01 Feb 2016

Pensions at a Glance: Asia/ Pacific

This study combines rigorous analysis with clear, easy-to-understand presentation of empirical results. It does not advocate any particular kind of pension system or type of reform. The goal is to inf...

by OECD Development Centre | On 01 Feb 2016

A Taste of Success: Examples of the Budget Work of NGOs

This report is a compilation of examples of the budget work undertaken by nongovernmental organizations from around the world. Although many of these organizations are new to budget analysis, they h...

by International Budget Partnership IBP | On 01 Feb 2016

Pensions at a Glance: Asia and Pacific

This study combines rigorous analysis with clear, easy-to-understand presentation of empirical results. It does not advocate any particular kind of pension system or type of reform. The goal is to inf...

by OECD Development Centre | On 31 Jan 2016

Global Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Women A Human Rights Perspective

A gender analysis of the human rights situation is therefore necessary in order to understand the impact of the crisis on women and their livelihoods. In South Asia, there is an urgent need for engagi...

by Programme on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural PWESCR | On 31 Jan 2016

Coordinating Capital Account Regulation

There is a renewed consensus on the need to re-regulate international capital movements. But there is a collective action problem, which puts developing countries at a particular disadvantage. Countri...

by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs | On 31 Jan 2016

Why Global Health Funds should be Consolidated

Over the past decade, international donors increased financing for health in developing countries substantively. Much of the additional support has come from the rapid expansion of so-called vertical...

by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs | On 31 Jan 2016

Increasing Public Spending in Agricultural R&D to Ensure Food Security in Developing Countries

Arguably, ensuring food and nutrition security for all people in the coming decades is the major challenge for the global community. Food demand is increasing in aggregate and per capita values, in pa...

by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs | On 31 Jan 2016

Challenges of Financing Human and Sustainable Development

Accelerating progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will serve to advance human development and also to lay a solid foundation for the pursuance of sustainable development goals a...

by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs | On 31 Jan 2016

Savings Behaviour In South Asia

Savings behaviour is important because of the close relation between savings and growth. Further, the direction of causality between savings and growth is of critical importance for development policy...

by Ranjan Kumar Dash | On 30 Jan 2016

Improving Tax Compliance in Bangladesh: A Study of Value-Added Tax (VAT)

In recent years, tax compliance has come to the centre of both academic and policy discourse for several reasons. In the first place, tax-GDP ratio in Bangladesh is very low (10.6%) when compared with...

by Nasiruddin Ahmed | On 30 Jan 2016

Relationship between Credit Rating, Capital Structure and Earning Management Behaviour: Evidence from Pakistani Listed Firms

Credit ratings have become a widely accepted measure of firms’ creditworthiness in financial markets. The present study aims to examine the impact of external credit ratings on the financial structure...

by Shoaib Ali | On 30 Jan 2016

Issues in Statistical Modelling of Human Capital and Economic Growth Nexus: A Cross Country Analysis

The human capital and growth relationship has been subject to a lot of debate in economic literature. The empirical growth models are beset with problems ranging from theoretical frameworks and statis...

by Verda Salman | On 30 Jan 2016

Women's Leadership and Corporate Performanace

Is leadership diversified in Asian corporate boardrooms? How is gender diversity in corporate leadership associated with financial performance? What is the magnitude of potential gain by allocating hu...

by Meijun Qian | On 30 Jan 2016

Teacher Shortage in the Arab World: Policy Implications

In the Arab world, there has been increased awareness on the instrumentality of education in fostering human and economic development and a realization that quality education contributes to the econom...

by | On 29 Jan 2016

Investing in Human Capital for Inclusive Growth: Focus on Higher Education

What does the Philippines need to do to transform its economy into a high middle-income economy and ensure that the benefits from such a transformation are within reach of every Filipino? Investment i...

by | On 29 Jan 2016

Glacier Systems and Seasonal Snow Cover in Six Major Asian River Basins: Water Storage Properties under Changing Climate

The publications in this series cover a wide range of subjects—from computer modeling to experience with water user associations—and vary in content from directly applicable research to more basic stu...

by Vladimir Smakhtin | On 28 Jan 2016

Evidence from the Frontlines of Climate Change: Loss and Damage to Communities Despite Coping and Adaptation

New thinking and practical approaches are needed to address the threats to human security that climate change combined with social vulnerability pose for current and future patterns of loss and damage...

by Koko Warner | On 28 Jan 2016

Inequality and Growth Reconsidered: Lessons from East Asia

East Asian economies have experienced rapid growth over three decades, with relatively low levels of income inequality, and appear to have also achieved reductions in income inequality. We argue that...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Air Pollution Reduction and Control in South Asia

In order to understand the importance of reducing air pollution and its likely trans-boundary effects, it is important to first review the socioeconomic situation of the South Asian member states. Sou...

by Mahmood Khwaja | On 28 Jan 2016

Inequality of Educational Opportunity in India: Changes over Time and across States

This paper documents the extent of inequality of educational opportunity in India spanning the period 1983-2004 using National Sample Survey (NSS) data. We build on recent developments in the literatu...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Subcontracted Women Workers in the Garment Industry in India

This paper analyse the situation of the women working in subcontracting arrangements in the industry. In the analysis of value chains we found that women workers in all segments were not the direct...

by Jeemol Unni | On 28 Jan 2016

Earnings and Education among Ethnic Groups in Rural India

In rural India social and cultural norms are deep rooted in society. Access to productive assets, employment opportunities and consequently incomes are to a large extent influenced by these social fac...

by Jeemol Unni | On 28 Jan 2016

Internal Migration in Developing Economies: An Overview

An overview is provided of the state of knowledge on internal migration in developing economies, with particular emphasis on recent contributions to the literature. The overview is divided into five s...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Healthcare Challenges in Urbanizing India

Rapid urbanisation in India, driven by a globalised economy and its accelerated growth, will increasingly demand attention of policy makers. The objective of this policy note is to throw light on heal...

by Rajeev Ahuja | On 28 Jan 2016

Micro Determinants of Human Fertility: Study of Selected Physiological and Behavioural Variables in SC and ST Population

This paper is an attempt to study plausible causal relationship of women’s physiology and behaviour components with fertility in more or less non-industrial rural populations in Orissa, an Eastern Ind...

by Satyajeet Nanda | On 28 Jan 2016

Building Human Capital in East Asia: What Others Can Learn

While recognizing that education contributes to economic growth, investments in human capital contributed to high economic growth and also to better income distribution in East Asia; and human capital...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Youth and Skills: Putting Education to Work

The global economic downturn is impacting on unemployment. One young person in eight across the world is looking for work. Youth populations are large and growing. The wellbeing and prosperity of youn...

by United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organization | On 28 Jan 2016

Inequality and the Imperative for Inclusive Growth in Asia

Developing Asia’s rapid growth rates that have contributed to a remarkable decline in the incidence of poverty have also been accompanied by rising income and expenditure inequalities and persistenc...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Role of Gender in Health Disparity: The South Asian Context

South Asia's girls and women do not have the same life advantage as their Western counterparts. A human rights based approach may help to overcome gender related barriers and improve the wellbeing of...

by Omrana Pasha | On 28 Jan 2016

Can Mandated Political Representation Increase Policy Influence for Disadvantaged Minorities? Theory and Evidence from India

A basic premise of representative democracy is that all those subject to policy should have a voice in its making. However, policies enacted by electorally accountable governments often fail to refle...

by Rohini Pande | On 28 Jan 2016

Health, Inequality and Economic Development

This article explores the connection between income inequality and health in both, poor and rich countries. Mechanisms like non-linear income effects, credit restrictions, nutritional traps, public go...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Reducing Child Undernutrition: How far Does Income Growth Take Us?

How rapidly will child undernutrition respond to income growth? This study explores that question using household survey data from 12 countries. In addition, data on the undernutrition rates since the...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Financial Inclusion and Livelihood Promotion of Rickshaw Pullers in India

The research study highlights the financial inclusion needs of cycle rickshaw pullers in India. These include access to service sectors; improvement of asset base; employment of their women; increase...

by | On 27 Jan 2016

Informal Work and Wellbeing in Urban South Asia: Who Succeeds, Who Fails and Under What Conditions?

Understanding and managing urbanisation in developing countries is one of the major global policy challenges for the first half of the 21st century. Rapidly growing towns and cities are increasingly r...

by | On 26 Jan 2016

The Determinants of Quality Specialization

A growing literature suggests that high-income countries export high-quality goods. Two hypotheses may explain such specialization, with different implications for welfare, inequality, and trade polic...

by Roberta Piermartini | On 26 Jan 2016

Export Quality in Advanced and Developing Economies: Evidence from a New Dataset

This paper develops new estimates of export quality, far more extensive than previous efforts, covering 178 countries and hundreds of products during the period 1962—2010. It finds that quality upgrad...

by Christian Henn | On 26 Jan 2016

Overcoming Challenges to Accelerating Linear Growth in Indian Children

Early childhood stunting or linear growth retardation predicts poor human capital. While stunting rates in India are unacceptably high, the decline in stunting over the past decades demonstrates that...

by Harshpal Singh Sachdev | On 26 Jan 2016

Agroforestry in Tribal Areas of Gujarat: Move towards Sustainable Agriculture?

This paper examines the agroforestry initiative adopted by the Government of Gujarat with the aim to enhance the incomes of tribal households facing numerous production constraints. The specific objec...

by Jharna Pathak | On 26 Jan 2016

Foreign Direct Investment and Poverty Reduction: India in Regional Context

It is widely proclaimed that capital account liberalisation would immensely benefit developing economies because once capital controls are lifted capital would flow from the capital abundant rich cou...

by Manmohan Agarwal | On 25 Jan 2016

Total Factor Productivity of the Software Industry in India

This paper uses the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) to estimate change in total factor productivity (TFP) and its constituent components for software companies in India during 1999–2008. On average...

by Nira Ramachandran | On 24 Jan 2016

External Shocks

After the global financial crisis, India was exposed to many external shocks from commodity prices and foreign capital flows. Although capital flow fluctuations were largely due to global risk-on risk...

by Ashima Goyal | On 24 Jan 2016

Inflation Accounting Across Income Groups: Does Inflation Hurt the Poor More in Bangladesh?

This note provides estimates of the contribution of food prices to inflation in Bangladesh. The results suggest that the current inflation takes a bigger toll on the poor because they spend more of th...

by M. Golam Mortaza | On 23 Jan 2016

Pakistan’s Widening Sectarian Divide

This paper looks at the latest targeted killings in Pakistan that have not only exacerbated its sectarian tensions but also exposed the failings of the civil administration in a country where the Army...

by | On 23 Jan 2016

Child Marriage In South Asia

The briefing paper primarily focuses on violations of women’s and girls’ reproductive rights and right to be free from sexual violence arising from child marriage in six South Asian countries—Afghanis...

by Center for Reproductive Rights CRR | On 23 Jan 2016

Economic Growth In South Asia: Role Of Infrastructure

The paper examines the output elasticity of infrastructure for four South Asian countries viz., India,Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka using Pedroni’s panel cointegration technique for the period 19...

by Ranjan Kumar Dash | On 23 Jan 2016

Technological Upgradation in the Jute Mills of Bangladesh: Challenges and Way Out

The jute manufacturing sector of Bangladesh has recently started to revitalise with the rise in global demand for jute goods, thanks to the environment-friendly nature of jute, and the price hike of p...

by Khondaker Moazzem | On 23 Jan 2016

Imbalance in Child Sex Ratio: Trends, Causes and Emerging Issues

In many states of India, there are several evidences that indicate a widespread practice of using female birth intervention. As a result, an alarmingly lowest ever sex ratio in the age group 0-6 has b...

by R. S. Bora | On 23 Jan 2016

Five Fingers or One Hand? The BRICS in Development Cooperation

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are increasingly prominent in development cooperation activities in low-income countries in Africa and worldwide, presenting a pote...

by Institute of Development Studies IDS | On 23 Jan 2016

PDS ‘To Go’? ‘Portability’ of Rights through Real-time Monitoring: the Centralised Online Real-time Electronic PDS in Chhattisgarh, India

Information and communications technology (ICT)-based reforms are increasingly being used to improve the delivery of public services. The main question which the research reported here addressed is th...

by Anuradha Joshi | On 23 Jan 2016

Do Rich Countries Invest Less in Poor Countries Than the Poor Countries Themselves?

Could a rich-country social planner, capable only of forcing capital flows across borders but not directly into the hands of individual poor-country entrepreneurs, improve the efficiency of the global...

by | On 22 Jan 2016

India's Energy System Transition-Survival Of The Greenest

The transition to a clean and green energy system is an economic and social transformation that is exciting as well as challenging. The world today faces a formidable challenge in transforming its eco...

by A. Ganesh-Kumar | On 22 Jan 2016

Does Marginal Cost Pricing of Electricity Affect the Groundwater Pumping Behaviour of Farmers? Evidence From India

The purpose of this evaluation was to quantify the impact of the recent policy change in West Bengal relating to the pricing of electricity from a flat-rate tariff to a metered tariff. The study attem...

by Meenakshi J V | On 21 Jan 2016

Cohort Profile: The Consortium of Health-Orientated Research in Transitioning Societies

The experience of working together on the original paper, which was published in 2008,6 was highly positive. This motivated Cesar Victora, on behalf of the principal investigators, to apply for a rese...

by Linda Richter | On 21 Jan 2016

Productivity in the Era of Trade and Investment Liberalization in India

Very recent years India has witnessed wide-ranging economic reforms in her policies governing international trade and FDI flows. As per the findings of the paper, some of the important determinants of...

by Ram Upendra Das | On 21 Jan 2016

India 2050: Can We Celebrate the Centenary of the Republic as a Developed Country?

The paper argues that there is great disparity of incomes between developed and developing countries. Relative income gap of the developing countries which was 10.8 per cent in 2000 was 15.1 per cent...

by | On 21 Jan 2016

Financial Crisis of 2008 and Shifting Economic Power Is there Convergence

This paper analyses shifts in economic power over the last almost five decades. Developing countries and regions have increased their share of incremental world income and incremental world exports ov...

by Manmohan Agarwal | On 21 Jan 2016

Demographic Change, Brain Drain, and Human Capital: Development Potentials in Services-Driven South Asia

This discussion paper seeks to understand the nature of the ongoing demographic transition in South Asia and the challenges faced by the countries of the region to augment their future supply of skill...

by Biswajit Dhar | On 21 Jan 2016

Stunting among Children Facts and Implications

Indian children are very short, on average, compared with children living in other countries. Because height reflects early life health and net nutrition, and because good early life health also helps...

by Alessandro Tarozzi | On 20 Jan 2016

Role of Private Sector in Higher Education

The Standing Committee on Human Resource Development is currently examining the subject 'Role of Private Sector in Higher Education'. In this context, an analysis of the role of the private sector...

by Apoorva Shankar | On 20 Jan 2016

An Evaluation Of Mid -Day Meal Scheme

With the twin objectives of improving health and education of the poor children, India has embarked upon an ambitious scheme of providing mid day meals (MDM) in the government and government-assisted...

by Satish Deodhar | On 19 Jan 2016

Report on World Social Situation 2013: Inequality Matters

Published by the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) of UN DESA, the report places special focus on policy and disadvantaged social groups, in addition to examining the consequences of h...

by United Nations (UN) | On 19 Jan 2016

Examining the Catalytic Effect of Aid on Domestic Resource Mobilization for Social Transfers in Low-Income Countries

Social transfers, a non-contributory form of social protection, present a great potential to tackle poverty and inequality, and support inclusive socioeconomic development. Yet, they also represent a...

by | On 19 Jan 2016

Determinants of Child Undernutrition in Bangladesh Literature Review

This literature review identifies and summarises existing evidence on the determinants of undernutrition in children under the age of two years in Bangladesh. The review gathers evidence on the immedi...

by Stuart Gillespie | On 19 Jan 2016

“If we eat well, we can study” Dietary Diversity in the Everyday Lives of Children in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India

This paper investigates young people’s and their caregivers’ experiences of food insecurity, diet and eating practices in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It also provides original child-focused evidence...

by Elisabetta Aurino | On 19 Jan 2016

Evolution of Capital Structure in East Asia: Corporate Inertia or Endeavours?

The present paper examines the capital structure adjustment dynamics of listed non-financial corporations in seven East Asian countries during 1994-2002. Compared to firms in the least affected countr...

by Sarmistha Pal | On 19 Jan 2016

Openness and Technological Innovation in East Asia: Have They Increased the Demand for Skills?

This paper asks whether the increased openness and technological innovation in East Asia have contributed to an increased demand for skills in the region. We explore a unique firm level data set acros...

by Rita Almeida | On 19 Jan 2016

Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia: Results from a Pilot Project in Vietnam

Human trafficking is one of the most widely spread and fastest growing crimes in the world. However, despite the scope of the problem, the important human rights issues at stake and the professed inte...

by Ngan Dinh | On 19 Jan 2016

Does Gender Matter for Firm Performance? Evidence from Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Using 2005 firm level data for 26 ECA countries, this paper estimates performance gaps between male- and female-owned businesses, while controlling for their location by industry and country. We find...

by Shwetlena Sabarwal | On 19 Jan 2016

Indian Media’s Dickensian Age

What has allowed the Indian print media to grow, while newspapers are declining in the west? The first is literacy. Back in 1981, shortly after India’s magazine market got new life, only 40 percent of...

by T. N. Ninan | On 19 Jan 2016

A Tale Of Two Villages: Kinship Networks And Political Preference Change In Rural India

This paper develops a theory on how voters form and change political preferences in democratic developing world contexts. In the developing world, where state institutions are often weak, voters tend...

by Neelanjan Sircar | On 18 Jan 2016

Reappraising the Greed and Grievance Explanations for Violent Internal Conflict

Two phenomena have been recently utilised to explain conflict onset among rational choice analysts: greed and grievance. The former reflects elite competition over valuable natural resource rents. The...

by | On 18 Jan 2016

Better Hospitals, Better Health Systems, Better Health A Proposal for a Global Hospital Collaborative for Emerging Economies

With the global community mobilizing to achieve universal health coverage, adequate, efficient, and evidence-based investments in hospitals must be a cornerstone of efforts to build sustainable and ef...

by (Centre for Global Development) Advisory Faculty | On 18 Jan 2016

Where is India’s Growth Headed?

In this paper, we analyze the sources of output growth in the past three decades and discuss the outlook going forward. Projections are made for the growth of factors of production and the growth of...

by Ila Patnaik | On 18 Jan 2016

Educational Attainment of Young Adults in India: Measures, Trends and Determinants

Given the fact that education of young adults plays crucial role from both economic and social point of view, the objective of the study is to analyse the pattern of improvements in their education a...

by Runu Bhatka | On 18 Jan 2016

India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement: Follow-up Concerns Need a Fair Approach

The recent success of India and Bangladesh in settling the complicated issue of political enclaves in each other’s territories could be traced to the spirit displayed by the leaders of the two countri...

by | On 18 Jan 2016

Does Development Reduce Migration?

The most basic economic theory suggests that rising incomes in developing countries will deter emigration from those countries, an idea that captivates policymakers in international aid and trade dipl...

by | On 15 Jan 2016

A Survey of the Role of Fiscal Policy in Addressing Income Inequality, Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth

A growing concern on widening income gap between the rich and the poor, the policy mismatch in tackling the relative poverty and income inequality have invited increasing volumes of research focusing...

by | On 15 Jan 2016

Language Proficiency of Migrants: The Relation with Job Satisfaction and Matching

We empirically analyze the language proficiency of migrants in the Netherlands. Traditionally, the emphasis in studying language proficiency and economic outcomes has been on the relation between earn...

by Hans Bloemen | On 15 Jan 2016

International Migration, Transfers of Norms and Home Country Fertility

This paper examines the relationship between international migration and source country fertility. The impact of international migration on source country fertility may have a number of causes, includ...

by Maurice Schiff | On 15 Jan 2016

A Profile of the World's Young Developing Country Migrants

Individual level census and household survey data are used to present a rich profile of the young developing migrants around the world. Youth are found to comprise a large share of all migrants, parti...

by David McKenzie | On 14 Jan 2016

Globalization, Brain Drain and Development

This paper reviews four decades of economics research on the brain drain, with a focus on recent contributions and on development issues. We first assess the magnitude, intensity and determinants of t...

by Frédéric Docquier | On 14 Jan 2016

Gender Sensitivity In Disaster Management

It lies at the intersection of two major challenges: disaster, experienced by many of the rural poor as drought, flood and storms; and the continuing issue of gender imbalances in many aspects of soci...

by Janet Robinson | On 14 Jan 2016

Looking Within The Household: A Study On Gender, Food Security, And Resilience In Cocoa-Growing Communities

This study, relying primarily on qualitative data from Côte d’Ivoire, examines how income allocation and intra-household dynamics affect household resilience during the lean season. Its findings indic...

by Elizabeth Kiewisch | On 14 Jan 2016

Female Migrants and their Health in India: A Study of Kerala Women Working in Mumbai

In this paper, an attempt has been made to understand the general, reproductive, and mental health status of migrant women from Kerala who stay in the working women’s hostels. The present study is bas...

by R. S. Reshmi | On 13 Jan 2016

Social Institutions & Gender Index : 2014 Synthesis Report

Discrimination against women and girls carries a high development cost. This third edition of the SIGI captures and measures gender-based discrimination in social institutions- social norms, practices...

by OECD Development Centre | On 13 Jan 2016

Should Global Goal Setting Continue, and how, in the Post-2015 Era?

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were introduced to monitor implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration which set out a vision for inclusive and sustainable globalization based...

by Sakiko Fukuda-Parr | On 13 Jan 2016

The Imprudence of Labour Market Flexibilization in a Fiscally Austere World

This paper assesses the effects of combining fiscal austerity with flexibilization policies aimed at reducing labour costs and increasing competitiveness. Core to our analysis is a global perspective...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Recipients and Contributors: Middle income countries and the future of development cooperation

The new role that middle-income countries (MICs) play in the global landscape obliges international community to review the configuration of the development cooperation system. On the one hand, MICs s...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Redistributive Policies for Sustainable Development: Looking at the Role of Assets and Equity

Analyses of redistributive policies often focus on income flows to examine the nexus between redistribution and economic growth. With strengthening signs of growing economic inequality in many countri...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Will Inequality Lead China to the Middle Income Trap?

China has departed from the East Asian model of development by letting inequality to rise to a high level, which is contributing to China’s current problems of macroeconomic imbalance, declining effic...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Inequality and the Tails: The Palma Proposition and Ratio Revisited

This paper revisits the earlier assessments of the Palma Proposition and the ‘Palma Ratio’. The former is a proposition that currently changes in income or consumption inequality are (almost) exclusiv...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Why Human Rights Fail to Protect Undocumented Migrants

In this article, I depart from the factual difficulties of undocumented migrants to access a state’s protection mechanisms for avowedly universal human rights. I relate this aporia to two competing co...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

The Effect of Childhood Migration on Human Capital Accumulation: Evidence from Rural-Urban Migrants in Indonesia

Developing countries are experiencing unprecedented levels of urbanization. Although most of these movements are motivated by economic reasons, they could affect the human capital accumulation of the...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Migration, School Attainment and Child Labor: Evidence from Rural Pakistan

Inequalities in access to education pose a significant barrier to development. It has been argued that this reflects, in part, borrowing constraints that inhibit private investment in human capital by...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Data-Driven Planning for Solid Waste Management in Chennai

The paper reports the advantages of data-based planning for solid waste management in a major Indian city, which have been demonstrated through three steps undertaken as part of a pilot project in a C...

by | On 09 Jan 2016

Trade and Development Report, 2015

The Trade and Development Report (TDR) 2015: Making the international financial architecture work for development reviews recent trends in the global economy and focuses on ways to reform the internat...

by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD | On 09 Jan 2016

Trade and Environment Review 2009/2010

UNCTAD´s Trade and Environment Review 2009/2010focuses on the 140 plus low-income and least developed countries, which have not caused the economic, financial, climate and food crises, but have to bea...

by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD | On 09 Jan 2016

Indian Military Diplomacy: Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

The paper focuses on India’s approach to collaboration on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief with major powers and within various regional initiatives. This paper begins with a brief review o...

by C. Raja Mohan | On 09 Jan 2016

Impact of Participatory Forest Management on Financial Assets of Rural Communities in Northwest Pakistan

The system of participatory (or joint) forest management was commenced in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan in 1996 through Asian Development Bank's funded project. These forest refo...

by Tanvir Ali | On 08 Jan 2016

Prevention and Resolution of Foreign Exchange Crises in East Asia

This paper discusses mechanisms to prevent and resolve foreign exchange crises in East Asia. Policies and mechanisms at the country level as well as regional and global levels are discussed. Policies...

by Andrew Cooper | On 07 Jan 2016

Collapsing ‘Government’, Emerging ‘Governances’

Contrary to widespread belief, the collapse of ‘government’ does not automatically entail the collapse of ‘governance’. In a setting of ‘unstable’ livelihoods, households’ coping strategies, coupled w...

by | On 07 Jan 2016

Conflict through a Gender Lens

This brief suggests that those seeking an in-depth understanding of the social and political world need to apply a feminist curiosity – that is, a curiosity about the roles gender plays at all levels...

by | On 07 Jan 2016

Remittances and Labor Supply in Post-Conflict Tajikistan

This paper analyzes the impact of remittances on the labor supply of men and women in post-conflict Tajikistan. It is found that on average men and women from remittance-receiving households are less...

by Olga Shemyakina | On 07 Jan 2016

Socio-Economic Uncertainty and Violent Conflicts

This paper, with reference to the literature on research on violent conflicts, discusses socio-economic uncertainty and characteristics of coping with it in the context of violent mass conflicts. Rese...

by Gyöngyvér Demény | On 07 Jan 2016

Innovative Strategies in Higher Education for Accelerated Human Resource Development in South Asia Nepal

The report herein provide in-depth analysis of the state of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education in Nepal.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 07 Jan 2016

Cross-Border Price Differentials and Goods Market Integration in East Asia

As cross-border movements of goods, capital, and labor are intensifying, it is likely that goods markets in East Asia will become increasingly integrated. This study investigates the current state of...

by Woosik Moon | On 07 Jan 2016

Special Study on Sustainable Fisheries Management and International Trade in the Southeast Asia and Pacific Region

This paper analyzes the current status of fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia and international trade. Analysis concludes that a policy of sustainable management for both capture fisheries and...

by Masayuki Komatsu | On 07 Jan 2016

Globalization, Infrastructure, and Inclusive Growth

This paper covers threes issues: first, defining and measuring inclusive growth; second, the relationship between international trade and inequality; and third, the links between infrastructure and in...

by Juzhong Zhuang | On 07 Jan 2016

Contracting out the Last-Mile of Service Delivery: Subsidized Food Distribution in Indonesia

The paper examines these issues by conducting a randomized field experiment in 572 Indonesian localities in which a procurement process was introduced that allowed citizens to bid to take over the imp...

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 07 Jan 2016

Antibiotics on the Farm: Agriculture’s Role in Drug Resistance

The evidence that antibiotic use in agriculture creates a pool of resistant bacteria in farm animals is not in dispute. The key questions relate to the magnitude of the risk to human health, and the p...

by | On 06 Jan 2016

Mercury Contamination of the Ground water in Bhopal

Water samples were collected from groundwater sources used by the communities residing in several settlements around the UCIL factory. These sources included handpumps, tubewells and one open well. A...

by | On 06 Jan 2016

Nepal Business Climate Survey

This is a perception survey of business owners and operators in four districts of Nepal. The survey provides a snapshot of prevailing state of business environment in Nepal and identifies most critica...

by Bal Khadka | On 02 Jan 2016

Labour Migration Trends and Patterns: Bangladesh, India, and Nepal 2013

This regional study commissioned by The Asia Foundation entitled "Labour Migration: Trends and Patterns" examines the patterns and process of labour migration by Nepali and Bangladeshi migrant workers...

by The Asia Foundation | On 02 Jan 2016

State Building, Political Progress, and Human Security in Afghanistan

Based on the Asia Foundation’s , "Afghanistan in 2006: A Survey of the Afghan People." , the papers in this volume analyze survey data on the opinions and perceptions of Afghans towards government, pu...

by | On 02 Jan 2016

Summary of Indonesia's Gender Analysis

Indonesia has made significant progress in promoting gender equality. Gender gaps in the youth literacy rate have been eliminated. Near parity in enrollment rates in elementary up to tertiary levels h...

by Uzma Hoque | On 01 Jan 2016

Managing Capital Flows in Asia: An Overview of Key Issues

Global capital flows into emerging markets, including those in Asia, continue to be volatile, generating both benefits and costs. The latter are associated with episodes of currency and banking crises...

by Ramón López | On 01 Jan 2016

Achieving Environmental Sustainability in Myanmar

With many environmental assets, and industrial pressure only beginning to develop, Myanmar could effectively form policies and regulations that ensure sustainable growth and conservation of key natura...

by Sakiko Tanaka | On 01 Jan 2016

Minimum Wage Effects On Employment And Working Time Of Chinese Workers—Evidence Based On CHNS

This paper examines the impact of minimum wage policies on employment, income, and working time of Chinese workers. Using data from China Health and Nutrition Survey, we focus on identifying the effec...

by Xiaoxi Zhang | On 01 Jan 2016

Partial Minimum Wage Compliance

In many developing countries, a significant portion of the wage distribution is found below the legal minimum wage. In order to fully understand the nature of this non-compliance, we need to compare t...

by Delia Furtado | On 01 Jan 2016

Service Sector Productivity and Economic Growth in Asia

This paper explores the impacts of more rapid growth in labor productivity in the service sector in Asia based on an empirical general equilibrium model. The model allows for input-output linkages and...

by Jong-Wha Lee | On 30 Dec 2015

International Financial Reforms: Capital Standards, Resolution Regimes and Supervisory Colleges, and their Effect on Emerging Markets

This paper focuses on the relevance to emerging economies of three major financial reforms following the global financial crisis of 2007–2009: the improved capital requirements intended to reduce the...

by Duncan Alford | On 30 Dec 2015

Urban Systems and Urban Development in the People’s Republic of China

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is experiencing a trend toward population concentration in its large coastal cities. However, at the same time, there is also a distortion of city size toward smal...

by Zhao Chen | On 29 Dec 2015

Using the Social Capital of Nationals Abroad as a Strategy for Development in the IT Sector

This Discussion Paper examines the relevance of social capital theories in explaining the migration-development nexus. The author uses three case studies to investigate this relationship, namely devel...

by | On 29 Dec 2015

Can Social Security Boost Domestic Consumption in the People’s Republic of China?

This paper reviews the development of the social security system and trends in the urban labor market in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Despite its remarkable economic achievement, the PRC face...

by Wang Dewen | On 29 Dec 2015

An Asian Perspective on Global Financial Reforms

The purpose of this study is to better understand the likely impact on Asian economies and financial institutions of various recent global financial reforms, including Basel III capital adequacy and l...

by Peter Morgan | On 29 Dec 2015

Monetary Policy Frameworks in Asia: Experience, Lessons, and Issues

This paper reviews the history of East Asian monetary policy frameworks since 1990; describes current monetary policy frameworks, including issue of price versus financial stability for a central bank...

by Peter Morgan | On 29 Dec 2015

Same Program, Different Outcomes: Understanding Differential Effects from Access to Free, High-Quality Early Care

The Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP) was designed to promote the development of low-birth weight (up to 2,500 grams) and premature (up to 37 weeks gestational age) infants. There is eviden...

by | On 29 Dec 2015

The Future Women Want: A Vision of Sustainable Development for All

In this publication UN Women highlights the commitments made on gender equality, and explores women's contributions to sustainable development and policy around the world. Focusing on priority areas—s...

by UN Women | On 28 Dec 2015

Empowering Women Migrant Workers in Asia: A Briefing Kit

A new feature of international migration for work is the increase in the numbers of overseas women migrant workers, which in countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka exceed the numbe...

by | On 28 Dec 2015

The Contested Corners of Asia: Subnational Conflict and International Development Assistance

Subnational conflict is the most widespread, deadly and enduring, form of conflict in Asia. Over the past 20 years, there have been 26 subnational conflicts in South and Southeast Asia, affecting half...

by Ben Oppenheim | On 26 Dec 2015

Income Distributions, Inequality, and Poverty in Asia, 1992–2010

In this paper, income distributions for developing countries in Asia are modeled using beta-2 distributions, which are estimated by a method of moments procedure applied to grouped data. Estimated par...

by Duangkamon Chotikapanich | On 24 Dec 2015

Fiscal Decentralization And Tax Incentives In The Developing world

Many developing countries use tax incentives to attract foreign direct investment, sacrificing immediate revenue from foreign capital, even though the effects of tax incentives on investment, growth,...

by Quan Li | On 23 Dec 2015

Oil and State Capitalism: Government-Firm Coopetition in China and India

This paper examines the domestic sources of the internationalization of national oil companies (NOCs) in China and India. It argues that – counter to notions of state-led internationalization – the go...

by Jonas Mecklinga | On 23 Dec 2015

Capital Structure, Ownership and Crisis: How Different Are Banks?

Employing data for 1992-2012, the article examines the factors affecting the capital structure of publicly listed Indian banks from a corporate finance perspective and compares the findings by exploit...

by Goutam Chatterjee | On 22 Dec 2015

Endangering the Investment Climate

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require high levels of productive private and public sector investment, which in turn requires a suitable investment climate. This paper provide...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

Cricket and Indian National Consciousness

It is recognized that there are close links between sport and politics, and in particular between sport and national consciousness. The Olympic Games and the football, rugby and cricket World Cups hav...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

National Refugee Law for India: Benefits and Roadblocks

This paper intends to ascertain whether a uniform national law would be beneficial to the interests of the three main parties involved with refugee policy in India, namely the Government of India, the...

by Arjun Nair | On 22 Dec 2015

The Sikh Diaspora and the Quest for Khalistan: A Search for Statehood or for Self-preservation?

This paper will reexamine the role of the Sikh Diaspora in the Sikh separatist movement, commencing in the 1980s, that loomed over the political, security, social, and humanitarian makeup of the Indi...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

Second Demographic Transition or Aspirations in Transition: An Exploratory Analysis of Lowest-low Fertility in Kolkata, India

The paper argues that second demographic transition (SDT) might have to be redefined for a developing country in context to India. India currently has the lowest fertility rate (TFR 1.2). This could b...

by Saswata Ghosh | On 22 Dec 2015

Disability, Health and Human Rights

This paper addresses the issue of disability and its public health implications within the human rights framework. It also throws light on people with physical disabilities at least get noticed but th...

by Leni Chaudhari | On 21 Dec 2015

Innovations in Knowledge and Learning for Competitive Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific

The challenge of aligning higher education services (programs) with evolving labor market changes, and responding to knowledge-based economy of respective developing countries, has been difficult for...

by Jouko Sarvi | On 21 Dec 2015

Transitions to K-12 Education Systems Experiences from Five Case Countries

Preparing and implementing a K–12 transition absorbs considerable financial and human resources. It follows that the reasons for restructuring must be compelling. It follows that the reasons for restr...

by | On 21 Dec 2015

Study on Conditions and Needs of Women Workers in Delhi

Study on the needs and conditions of women workers in Delhi must begin its enquiry with the initial problem of poor availability of employment or access to economic activity/work for women in the cap...

by Neetha N | On 21 Dec 2015

Missed Opportunities in Global Health: Identifying New Strategies to Improve Mental Health in LMICs

Countries like South Africa and India are putting new mental health policies in place. There is now a clear agenda of “what to deliver” to make this deplorable reality better, and indeed a nascent adv...

by Victoria Menil | On 19 Dec 2015

Now Corporate Paralysis

Public investment financed by the government's own or borrowed resources do not provide an adequate answer to the problem of relatively low investment.

by T.N. Ninan | On 18 Dec 2015

Social Exclusion and Discrimination in the Labour Market

Social exclusion of certain groups on the basis of race, creed, colour and caste has been practised in most societies. This paper explores the sources and implications of such exclusion, especially as...

by T.S. Papola | On 18 Dec 2015

Managing Firms in an Emerging Economy: Evidence From The Time Use of Indian CEOS

The success or failure of a company is often ascribed to the behavior of its CEO. Yet little is known about what top managers actually do, whether this matters for firm performance, and why it differ...

by Oriana Bandiera | On 18 Dec 2015

A Note on Reserve Currencies with Special Reference to the G-20 Countries

It is most likely that the current reserve currencies will retain their status in the near future, given the persistence in the composition of reserve holdings. However, since we do not have complete...

by Menzie D. Chinna | On 18 Dec 2015

Can basic entrepreneurship transform the economic lives of the poor?

The world’s poorest people lack capital and skills and toil for others in occupations that others shun. Using a large-scale and long-term randomized control trial in Bangladesh this paper demonstrates...

by Munshi Sulaiman | On 18 Dec 2015

Labour Processes and the Dynamics of Global Value Chain: A Developing Country Perspective

This paper with specific reference to India argues that limited view of verticality of production fails to appreciate the fact that choices of locations, the amount of rent created, the shift of value...

by Satyaki Roy | On 18 Dec 2015

Household-level Effects of Electricity on Income

This paper studies the effect of electricity on income, using the Nepal Living Standards Survey-III (NLSSIII), carried out in the years 2010-11. To account for endogeneity issues, we use Three Stage L...

by Matias Fontenla | On 18 Dec 2015

External Sector Openness Management: The Bangladesh Experience

Bangladesh has had impressive growth in exports, remittances and foreign exchange reserve in recent year. By analyzing the liberalizing regime from 1979 to this date by adopting a comprehensive approa...

by Abdul Wahab | On 18 Dec 2015

The Effect of Gender Equality Programming on Humanitarian Outcomes

Despite a number of developments in policy and practice aimed at integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment into humanitarian action, what remains missing is a strong evidence base that demon...

by UN Women | On 17 Dec 2015

Channelling Household Savings to Productive uses Through the Capital Markets

Savings provides the means for investments. Typically, investments are primarily funded through domestic savings and the rest through foreign capital inflows. Domestic savings are from three sources -...

by Vardhana Pawaskar | On 17 Dec 2015

Urbanisation, rural–urban migration and urban poverty

Rural-urban migration continues to attract much interest, but also growing concern. Migrants are often blamed for increasing urban poverty, but not all migrants are poor. In many cities, however, migr...

by David Satterthwaite | On 17 Dec 2015

In a Weak State: Status and Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed forces and Armed Groups (CAAFAG) in Nepal

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed on 21 November 2006, made an unprecedented commitment to those children who had been involved in Nepal’s decade long civil war. It stipulated that those ...

by | On 17 Dec 2015

Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Environments: A Critical Analysis of the UN Approach in Timor-Leste, Liberia and Nepal

This paper looks at possible alternatives to UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions with a view to establishing if there are organizations or other interested parties, which may be more effective...

by | On 17 Dec 2015

Income Inequality and Labour Income Share in G20 Countries: Trends, Impacts and Causes

The paper present concise evidence of recent trends in inequality and labour income shares and to identify possible causes as a basis for developing potential policy responses. This report takes up th...

by Internaional Labour Organization [ILO] | On 17 Dec 2015

The Challenges of Climate Change: Children on the Front Line

The challenge of climate change is huge; it requires an urgent response from all generations. As the effects of climate change become more visible and extreme, they are likely to affect adversely the...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 17 Dec 2015

The Brics Development Bank

This policy brief recommends that these include commitments to: ending extreme poverty and inequality, with a special focus on gender equity and women’s rights; aligning with environmental and social...

by Oxfam International | On 17 Dec 2015

Determinants of Child Undernutrition in Bangladesh: Literature Review

The DFID Programme to Accelerate Improved Nutrition for the Extreme Poor in Bangladesh aims to improve nutrition outcomes for children, mothers and adolescent girls by integrating the delivery of a nu...

by Richard Longhurst | On 16 Dec 2015

Why Minimum Wage Increases Are a Poor Way to Help the Working Poor

Minimum wage increases are not a very effective mechanism for reducing poverty. They are not related to decreases in poverty rates. They can cost some low-income workers their jobs. And most minimum w...

by Richard Burkhauser | On 16 Dec 2015

Will Changes to the international Tax System Benefit Low- income Countries?

In recent months tax has climbed up the political agenda in ways that would have been unthinkable only a couple of years ago. Creating a fairer international tax system was a central ambition of both...

by Mick Moore | On 16 Dec 2015

Engaging with Health Markets in Low and Middle-Income Countries

Many low and middle-income countries have pluralistic health systems with a variety of providers of health-related goods and services in terms of their level of training, their ownership (public or pr...

by Henry Lucas | On 16 Dec 2015

Improving the quality of girls’ education in madrasas in Bangladesh

Research around the world has demonstrated the important role that education plays in the empowerment of girls and women. Providing girls with a quality education can help prevent early marriage, prev...

by Musammat Badrunnesha | On 16 Dec 2015

Is Access to Loan Adequate for Financing Capital Expenditure? A Household-level Analysis on Some Selected States of India

This paper attempts to identify the factors that determine access to credit for financing capital expenditures across selected developed, less developed and middle performing states in India. Using a...

by Meenakshi Rajeev | On 16 Dec 2015

Financial Inclusion, Education, and Regulation in the Philippines

This paper discusses the current status of financial inclusion, education, and regulation in the Philippines and measures to foster financial inclusion. The primary policy challenge faced by the gover...

by Gilberto M. Llanto | On 15 Dec 2015

How Can Food Subsidies Work Better? Answers from India and the Philippines

This study explores the outcomes of food subsidies to the poor in the case of India and the Philippines. Both countries operate in-kind food subsidy programs with similar mandates, commonalities in...

by Shikha Jha | On 15 Dec 2015

A Community Based Micro Hydro: A Promising Technology for Rural Development in Nepal

The study finds that micro hydro (MH) has significant impact on reduction in fuel wood consumption. Communities are more inclined to harvest fuel wood from government forest. These led to the promotio...

by Bishwa Koirala | On 15 Dec 2015

Big Data and International Development: Impacts, Scenarios and Policy Options

Many people are excited about data, particularly when those data are big. Big data, we are told, will be the fuel that drives the next industrial revolution, radically reshaping economic structures, e...

by | On 15 Dec 2015

Human Development Report 2015- Work for Human Development

From a human development perspective, work, rather than jobs oremployment is the relevant concept. A job is a narrow concept with a set of pre-determined time-bound assigned tasks or activities, in an...

by United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] | On 15 Dec 2015

Does the Rise of Middle Class Lock in Good Government in the Developing World?

The current size of the income-secure middle class and its likely future growth, suggest that optimism is indeed warranted for many of today’s middle-income countries. But it is not warranted for all...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 14 Dec 2015

Irregular Migration, Migrant Smuggling and Human Rights: Towards Coherence

This report examines the political predicament that confronts governments and other political actors when they address the issue of irregular migration. Primarily, it sets out the rights, and claims t...

by | On 10 Dec 2015

Empowering the Poor through Human Rights Litigation

The purpose of this manual is to collaborate with grass-roots organizations, in particular with NGOs, in defining the content of economic, social and cultural rights (ESC rights) and to empower the ac...

by Maritza Formisano Prada | On 10 Dec 2015

Human Rights and Asian Values

The thesis that Asian values are less supportive of freedom and more concerned with order than discipline than are Western values and that the claims of human rights in the areas of political and civi...

by Amartya Sen | On 10 Dec 2015

Human Capital Potential of India's Future Workforce

This paper discusses India’s demographic dynamics and argues that policymakers have the widest window of opportunity with that segment of population which is poised to enter the workforce between 203...

by Ali Mehdi | On 09 Dec 2015

Ensuring and Protecting the Land Leasing Right of Poor Women in India

This paper critically examines how lease farming can be a viable livelihood option for landless rural poor, especially women in India. In the absence of land ownership and education, the majority of l...

by | On 08 Dec 2015

Skill Transferability, Migration, and Development: Evidence from Population Resettlement in Indonesia

We use a natural experiment in Indonesia to provide causal evidence on the role of location-specific human capital and skill transferability in shaping the spatial distribution of productivity. From 1...

by Samuel Bazzi | On 08 Dec 2015

Health Assessment of Ganga River at Haridwar During Kumbh 2013

With a view to undertake the exercise the of health assessment of Ganga River River during Kumbh 2013 a water quality monitoring was done during Kumbh 2013. The present report is based on the socio-cu...

by People's Science Institute PSI | On 08 Dec 2015

Gender Equality and Sustainable Development

The immense social, economic and environmental consequences of climate change and loss of essential ecosystems are becoming clear. Their effects are already being felt in floods, droughts, and devasta...

by | On 07 Dec 2015

Paris Climate Change Summit: Why it is Bound to Fail

Expectations are high for a good and fair new climate change agreement at the much anticipated on-going climate change summit in Paris. Such expectations are elusive if the negotiations fail to face...

by Raman Letchumanan | On 03 Dec 2015

What do Economists have to say about Climate Impacts on South Asia?

South Asia’s changing climate has had many different impacts including changes in ecosystems, more severe storms, rainfall that is more concentrated in a few days per year leading to more floods and m...

by E. Somanathan | On 01 Dec 2015

Intergenerational Educational Persistence among Daughters: Evidence from India

The paper examines educational transmission between fathers (mothers) and daughters in India for daughters born during 1962-1991. We find that educational persistence, as measured by the regression co...

by Mehtabul Azam | On 01 Dec 2015

The Socio-Economic Impact of HIV at the Household Level in Asia: A Regional Analysis of the Impact on Women and Girls

An important element of the socio-economic impact of HIV is how it disproportionately affects women and girls, in terms of their vulnerability to infection, constrained access to services and the a...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 01 Dec 2015

Monitoring Mortality in Forced Migrants—Can Bayesian Methods Help Us to Do Better with the (Little) Data We Have?

The global number of forced migrants is currently the highest since the Second World War. This is a major concern to public health: lack of access to safe water, food, sanitation, and inadequate shel...

by Peter Heudtlass | On 30 Nov 2015

A Review of Issues Pertaining to Distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Superior Kerosene Oil in Bhutan

LPG and Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO), are not only important sources of fuel, but also commodities whose price is subsidized to benefit the people of Bhutan. Therefore, it is important to ensure smooth...

by National Council Economic Affairs Committee | On 27 Nov 2015

Youth Vulnerabilities in Life Course Transitions

This paper examines youth vulnerabilities, with a particular emphasis on low- and middle-income countries. It touches on the challenges confronted by young people exposed to extreme, life threatening...

by | On 26 Nov 2015

Challenges to Human Security in the Arab Countries

In Arab countries, a widespread lack of human security undermines human development, according to the Arab Human Development Report 2009: Challenges to Human Security in the Arab Countries. This repor...

by | On 26 Nov 2015

Children and Their Rights in Mining Areas: A Community Resource Guide

The Ministry of Mines’ fundamental job is to mine. Many of the violations and human rights abuses that result from mining, especially with respect to children, are not the mandate of the ministry to a...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 19 Nov 2015

India Approaches Replacement Fertility

This Population Bulletin updates a previous Bulletin from 2006, India's Population Reality: Reconciling Change and Tradition. India's population (currently at 1.3 billion) will exceed China's before 2...

by O.P. Sharma | On 18 Nov 2015

Going to School in Purdah: Female Schooling, Mobility Norms and Madrasas in Bangladesh

This paper looks at the determinants of secondary school attendance in Bangladesh with a focus on the interaction between community gender norms and relative supply of madrasas (i.e. Islamic schools)....

by Zaki Wahhaj | On 16 Nov 2015

Workfare and Human Capital Investment: Evidence from India

The paper examines the effect of India's National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), one of the largest workfare programs in the world, on human capital investment. Since NREGS increases labor...

by | On 16 Nov 2015

Provincial Globalisation: Transnational Flows and Regional Development

This paper reviews the migration and development debate and the current state of knowledge about flows of migrant resources to India, pointing to gaps and shortcomings in the literature. It argues tha...

by | On 13 Nov 2015

Employment and Economic Class in the Developing World

This paper introduces a model for generating national estimates and projections of the distribution of the employed across five economic classes for 142 developing countries over the period 1991 to 20...

by | On 10 Nov 2015

A New Benchmark for Human Rights

If it passes muster, Corporate Human Rights Benchmark will undeniably be the next big thing in human rights tracking

by Sudeep Chakravarti | On 10 Nov 2015

The Sunday Edit: Deaton, the Development Economist

Angus Deaton’s contributions to economics have been seminal providing development economists with new tools of analysis that have yielded policy-altering insights.

by Suryanarayana M H | On 07 Nov 2015

Upgrading a Piped Water Supply from Intermittent to Continuous Delivery and Association with Waterborne Illness: A Matched Cohort Study in Urban India

Intermittent delivery of piped water can lead to waterborne illness through contamination in the pipelines or during household storage, use of unsafe water sources during intermittencies, and limite...

by Ayse Ercumen | On 05 Nov 2015

Trends and Patterns in Consumption Expenditure: A Review of Class and Rural-Urban Disparities

This paper primarily aims to capture the changing patterns of consumption expenditure of three broad classes, namely, the ‘upper’ ‘middle’ and ‘bottom’ classes in the rural and urban India. In contras...

by | On 05 Nov 2015

Performance of Targeted Public Distribution System in Kerala

Targeted Public Distribution System was introduced in the country following the failure of the Universal PDS to serve below the poverty line and poorest of the poor households.It is being implemente...

by T Jayan | On 04 Nov 2015

Non-Standard Work and Workers: Organizational Implications

In this paper provides an overview of the research on nonstandard work with a view to answering the following questions: (i) why do organizations use nonstandard workers, (ii) how has the practice of...

by | On 03 Nov 2015

Can We Really Measure Poverty and Identify the Poor When Poverty Encompasses Multiple Deprivations?

The paper argues that both the income/expenditure and nutritional measures of poverty suffer with their own limitations. However, for both conceptual and practical considerations, the income/expenditu...

by | On 30 Oct 2015

Process Evaluation of a Project on Vulnerability Reduction of Women Affected by Climate Change

It is evident that the poor, especially women and children are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of their limited adaptive capacity. In such circumstances, BRAC Disaster, Envi...

by Tahera Akter | On 26 Oct 2015

Ending Malnutrition: From Commitment to Action

Ending Malnutrition offers key insights from the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) to catalyze follow-up actions across the world. It reviews current evidence on the prevalence of ma...

by Vikas Rawal | On 23 Oct 2015

Progress of the World’s Women 2015-2016: Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights

This Report focuses on the economic and social dimensions of gender equality, including the right of all women to a good job, with fair pay and safe working conditions, to an adequate pension in older...

by UN Women | On 23 Oct 2015

Gender Equality and Human Rights

The achievement of substantive equality is understood as having four dimensions: redressing disadvantage; countering stigma, prejudice, humiliation and violence; transforming social and institutional...

by | On 20 Oct 2015

The Gender Dimensions of Pension Systems: Policies and Constraints for the Protection of Older Women

This paper documents the pervasiveness of women’s lack of income security in old age across a large number of countries, but also points to a number of important policy measures that can be taken to a...

by | On 20 Oct 2015

Impact of Migration on Poverty and Development

This paper reviews the literature on migration in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, East Africa and West Africa in order to highlight the complexity of migration patterns and impacts. It is...

by Tasneem Siddiqui | On 19 Oct 2015

Policy Tradeoffs in an Open Economy and the Role of G-20 in Global Macroeconomic Policy Coordination

In this paper the aim is to investigate the different nuances of India's capital account management through empirical analyses as well as descriptive discussions. In particular the study the evolution...

by Rajeswari Sengupta | On 19 Oct 2015

China’s One Belt One Road Strategy: The New Financial Institutions and India’s Options

This paper attempts to discuss India’s options to collaborate with China at the event of the formation of new financial institutions and how should India engage with China’s new Silk Road strategy.

by Ajay Chhibber | On 16 Oct 2015

Slavery at Sea: The Continued Plight of Trafficked Migrants in Thailand's Fishing Industry

The report reveals new evidence of human trafficking and the use of violence in the Thai fishing industry and inaction on the part of the Government to identify and prosecute criminals, corrupt offici...

by Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) | On 16 Oct 2015

India’s Food Grain Policies and the Public Distribution System: The Case of Rice. Who Wins, Who Loses, and by How Much?

Indian governments follow highly interventionist policies on food grains, especially rice and wheat. These policies include import and export controls which insulate the domestic market from world mar...

by Garry Pursell | On 14 Oct 2015

Indian Capitalism: A Case that doesn’t Fit?

This paper critically examines the ‘Varieties of Capitalism’ (VoC) School’s approach to constructing typologies of capitalisms with reference to the specific case of Indian capitalism. It emphasizes t...

by Surajit Mazumdar | On 14 Oct 2015

Investment in Agricultural Marketing and Market Infrastructure: A Case Study of Bihar

Present study has been undertaken to understand that to what extent reforms measures in terms of repeal of the act has affected investment in agricultural marketing infrastructure. The present s...

by Vijay Intodia | On 14 Oct 2015

Inequality: Trends, Harms and New Agendas

The paper focuses on within-country inequalities. It discusses in particular how the consequences of inequality are shaped by specific mechanisms that operate at the national, community and individual...

by | On 13 Oct 2015

Issues in the Analysis of Global Value Chains and Their Impact on Employment and Incomes in India

This paper deals with issues related to employment and income (decent work) that arise through the integration of Indian production into global value chains. The sectors looked into are labour-intensi...

by | On 12 Oct 2015

Labour, Globalization and Inequality: Are Trade Unions Still Redistributive?

Based on a newly-developed data set combining information on industrial relations and labour law, various dimensions of globalization, and controls for demand and supply of skilled labour, this paper...

by | On 12 Oct 2015

Urban Poverty in Asia

This paper on Urban Poverty in Asia looks at the different dimensions of poverty in Asia, both income and nonincome, its two main regions, including a brief account of who and what class of people are...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 09 Oct 2015

South Asian Diaspora: A Changing Landscape

This paper is an attempt to expand the debate on the impact that the South Asian Diaspora groups are having on the countries of their origin. It goes beyond the discussion of the quantum and structure...

by | On 08 Oct 2015

World Social Protection Report 2014-15: Building Economic Recovery, Inclusive Development and Social Justice

This ILO flagship report provides a global overview of the organization of social protection systems, their coverage and benefits, as well as public expenditures on social protection. The report follo...

by Internaional Labour Organization [ILO] | On 07 Oct 2015

Inside the News: Challenges and Aspirations of Women Journalists in Asia and the Pacific

Why does gender equality in the media matter? Because of the many influences that shape the way we see men and women, media are among the most powerful. Media shape our daily lives, infusing their mes...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 07 Oct 2015

Why We Should Pay Attention to the Middle Class

The middle class plays a critical role in the development of a country. It is not only expected to create employment as business start-ups but also to boost investment and production as consumers. Thi...

by Martin Joseph M. Raymundo | On 07 Oct 2015

Attempting the Production of Public Goods through Microfinance: The Case of Water and Sanitation

This paper evaluates the attempt to create public goods via microfinance loans. Microfinance loans in the production of goods with public goods characteristics signify an emergent micro-privatisation....

by Philip Mader | On 06 Oct 2015

Scarce Land: Issues, Evidence and Impact

This paper was written in response to something that happened at one session of the 2013 Cuddalore Conference of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS). In India, net sown area had expanded from 1950-51 up...

by Sheila Bhalla | On 01 Oct 2015

India Needs Rapid Manufacturing-LED Growth

The paper discusses India’s rapid services-led growth has always seemed rather fortuitous and unsustainable. For, both historical experience and economic reasoning lead us to expect growth at India’s...

by | On 01 Oct 2015

Ground Water and Farm Incomes at Risk from Climate Change in Tamil Nadu, India

Research from South India suggests that climate change will affect ground water availability with serious and negative implications for agriculture. Any increase in temperature above a threshold of ...

by R. Balasubramanian | On 30 Sep 2015

The Effect of ASEAN on Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia

This paper examines the trafficking of vulnerable populations in Southeast Asia and the effectiveness of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in combating human trafficking in the region. Human...

by | On 29 Sep 2015

Social Capital’s Dark Side and Patriarchy in India

Social capital is often extolled as a benevolent resource, but resources can be applied to any number of ends. Using new data from the India Human Development Survey (N=41,544), the author examined so...

by Lester Andrist | On 28 Sep 2015

Role and Effectiveness of Public Distribution System in Assuring Food Security in India: An Appraisal

This paper tries to identify food insecure population of the country, analyse the availability, storage, procurement of food grain , assess the effectiveness of PDS, identify the discrepancies in the...

by Ishita Aditya Ray | On 28 Sep 2015

Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. It recognises that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions...

by United Nations UN | On 28 Sep 2015

Report of the Fact Finding Mission to Rampal, Bangladesh

The objective of the mission was to evaluate the impact of the power plant on the livelihoods of the people and ecology of the region, examine the legal framework governing its and assess if the propo...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 28 Sep 2015

Surviving in Bihar

Can election change the condition of Bihar? At least improving the transport facilities....

by T.N. Ninan | On 26 Sep 2015

Health Shocks and Inter-Generational Transmission of Inequality

This study explores the inter-generational effects of health shocks using longitudinal data of Young Lives project conducted in the southern state of India, Andhra Pradesh for two cohorts of children...

by Sowmya Dhanaraj | On 25 Sep 2015

Planning and Design for Sustainable Urban Mobility: Global Report on Human Settlements 2013

Planning and Design for Sustainable Urban Mobility argues that the development of sustainable urban transport systems requires a conceptual leap. The purpose 'transportation' and 'mobility' is to gain...

by UN-HABITAT | On 25 Sep 2015

Institutional Changes Favouring FDI Inflows to India: Gradual Transformation Since 1969

How did India respond to globalization in the realm of inward foreign direct investment (FDI)? This paper presents the economic institutional change favouring FDI inflows at the union level of India b...

by | On 25 Sep 2015

Climate Sensitivity of Groundwater Systems Critical for Agricultural Incomes in South India

This study examines the implications of variations in climate variables on ground water sources of irrigation and agricultural income in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Our findings, based on a panel...

by Balasubramanian R | On 24 Sep 2015

Disadvantage and Discrimination in Self-Employment: Caste Gaps in Earnings in Indian Small Businesses

Using the 2004-05 India Human Development Survey data, The paper aims to estimate and decompose the earnings of household businesses owned by historically marginalized social groups known as Scheduled...

by Ashwini Deshpande | On 24 Sep 2015

Human Rights for All: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

This Handbook is mainly for human rights practitioners who want to familiarise themselves with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and use the human rights fram...

by | On 23 Sep 2015

Towards Universal Access to Health Care in India

In this concept note authors aim to put forth a broad canvas of the various issues that need to be considered and positions that need to be formulated, in order to argue that it is possible to make Un...

by Dr. Abhay Shukla | On 23 Sep 2015

The Troubled Democracy of Bangladesh: ‘Muddling Through’ or ‘a Political Settlement’?

Is democracy in Bangladesh on a reverse course? Is there a culture of intolerance being engendered by deliberate design? Will creeping extremisms create an inevitable schism within the nation? The pap...

by | On 23 Sep 2015

The Nexus between Agriculture and Nutrition: Do Growth Patterns and Conditional Factors Matter?

This paper seeks to provide an overview of the complex and dynamic relationship between nutrition and growth, examine how different growth patterns lead to different nutritional outcomes, and identif...

by | On 22 Sep 2015

Geo-economics: Seven Challenges to Globalization

This report from the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Geo-economics maps out the challenges that current geo-economic trends pose for globalisation. Findings show that the rise in strat...

by | On 22 Sep 2015

Report of the Working Group on Public Distribution System and Food Security for the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-2007)

This planning commission report on Food Security deals with the changing consumption pattern for food in India and reviews some studies on demand and supply projections for cereals in India. It also e...

by Planning Commission | On 21 Sep 2015

Does Democracy promote Social Capital? Evidence from Bhutan

Bhutan is one of the youngest democratic countries in the world. The constitution of Bhutan was formally signed on July 18, 2008 by the fifth King of Bhutan, elected members of Parliament, and the Chi...

by | On 21 Sep 2015

Designing and Evaluating Social Safety Nets: Theory, Evidence, and Policy Conclusions

This paper reviews the literature on the performance of commonly found social safety net programs in developing countries. The evidence suggests that universal food subsidies have very limited potenti...

by | On 18 Sep 2015

The Global Innovation Index 2015: Effective Innovation Policies for Development

The Global Innovation Index (GII) aims to capture the multi-dimensional facets of innovation and provide the tools that can assist in tailoring policies to promote long-term output growth, improved pr...

by | On 18 Sep 2015

Social Protection, Growth and Employment: Evidence from India, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico and Tajikistan

The paper addresses the issue of growth and development by looking at evidence from six country case studies to assess how to enhance the employment impact of social protection programmes by improving...

by United Nations Development Programme UNDP | On 16 Sep 2015

Losing Our Minds? New Research Directions on Skilled Migration and Development

This paper critiques the last decade of research on the effects of high-skill emigration from developing countries, and proposes six new directions for fruitful research. The study singles out a cor...

by Michael Clemens | On 16 Sep 2015

Addressing the Employment Challenge: India's MGNREGA

This paper examines, in particular, the effects of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) programme on employment, wages and incomes of the rural poor. It also considers its effect on...

by | On 14 Sep 2015

Health Shocks and Short-Term Consumption Growth

Health shocks can affect the household economy through a substantial rise in out-of-pocket medical expenditure and/or loss of income. In such a situation, households use a range of coping mechanisms t...

by Sowmya Dhanaraj | On 14 Sep 2015

The Conundrum of Profitability Versus Soundness for Banks by Ownership Type: Evidence from the Indian Banking Sector

Banks pursue profit like any business, but in their role as custodians of domestic savings, they are required to be cautious. Riskier but profitable advances may cause asset quality deterioration, thu...

by Sreejata Banerjee | On 14 Sep 2015

India: Death Without Legal Sanction

This study highlights that India has not been complying with its obligations under the ICCPR and has indeed been imposing death penalty without legal sanction. While the violations of international fa...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 14 Sep 2015

The Human Capital Report 2015

The Human Capital Index released by the World Economic Forum measures countries’ ability to maximize and leverage their human capital endowment. The index assesses Learning and Employment outcomes ac...

by | On 11 Sep 2015

Report of Working Group on Nutrition for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17)

This report details the vision for 12th Five Year Plan on Nutrition which is to move towards Nutrition Security- especially the more vulnerable infants and young children, adolescent, girls and women,...

by Planning Commission | On 10 Sep 2015

Debt-Bondage Slavery in India

There have been numerous investigations in recent years to determine the incidence and prevalence of modern slavery worldwide, and debt bondage in India has been found to be the most extensive form of...

by Sarah Knight | On 10 Sep 2015

National Focus Group on Educational Technology

The paper attempts to revitalise appropriate systems that will provide for and enable appropriate teaching-learning systems that could realise the identified goals of reach, equity, and quality. Moder...

by National Council of Educational Research &Training NCERT | On 10 Sep 2015

Rethinking Trafficking: Patriarchy, Poverty, and Private Wrongs in India

Human trafficking is a large and growing problem, and sex trafficking is a particularly egregious form of contemporary enslavement of the most vulnerable: women and children. Yet a decade of anti-traf...

by Aditee Maskey | On 10 Sep 2015

Dalit Women and Social Exclusion in Nepal: A Concern for Social Justice

Nepali society is highly stratified with many glaring inequalities among different socioeconomic groups. The worst positioned among them are Dalits. The caste system segregates Dalits from the rest to...

by | On 10 Sep 2015

The Role of Establishments and the Concentration of Occupations in Wage Inequality

This paper uses the microdata of the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey to assess the contribution of occupational concentration to wage inequality between establishments and its growth o...

by | On 09 Sep 2015

Social Security for International Labour Migrants: Issues and Policy Options

Cross-border population movement, an indispensible feature of the current phase of globalisation, has led to significant changes in the migration landscape. Factors like temporisation of labour flows,...

by | On 09 Sep 2015

Socio-Demographic Factors Associated with Domestic Violence in Urban Slums, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Domestic violence is identified as a public health problem. It is associated with adverse maternal health. This study examined the prevalence and determinants of domestic violence among women in urban...

by C.P. Prakasam | On 09 Sep 2015

Basel III Implementation- Challenges for Indian Banking System

In India, Basel III capital regulation has been implemented from April 1, 2013 in phases and it will be fully implemented as on March 31, 2019. Do we need Basel III for a country like India? What are...

by N.S. Viswanathan | On 08 Sep 2015

A Nation under Threat: The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Rights and Forced Migration in Bangladesh

The report explores how climate change has become one of the major challenges to the enjoyment of the basic rights to life, food, health, water, housing and self-determination in one of the World's mo...

by Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) | On 08 Sep 2015

Pirates and Slaves: How Overfishing in Thailand Fuels Human Trafficking and the Plundering of Our Oceans

The report calls for overfishing, pirate fishing and modern-day slavery in the Thai fishing industry to be addressed as interconnected issues. It examines the complex and multi-faceted problems in Tha...

by Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) | On 08 Sep 2015

How the Humanities Can Protect India Against the Attacks on Its Freedoms

Humanities departments in public universities are under attack across the country for their potential to spawn dissent. We need them to take the fight to the powers that be. [Transcript of a talk pres...

by Brinda Bose | On 07 Sep 2015

Driving Across the South Asian Borders: The Motor Vehicle Agreement Between Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal

The benefits of strengthening physical connectivity in a geographically contiguous region are increasingly being recognised. These links are expected to increase economic activity and people-to-people...

by Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury | On 07 Sep 2015

Nursing Shortage in India with special reference to International Migration of Nurses

In any health system, the health worker determines the nature and quality of services provided. Data demonstrate that most health systems across the globe face nursing shortages, varying across region...

by | On 07 Sep 2015

Financial Inclusion in Asia: An Overview

This paper provides an analysis of financial development and inclusion in developing Asia using data from a wide array of sources. In terms of aggregate measures of financial development, the region a...

by | On 07 Sep 2015

Change in Efficiency Level in Achieving Human Development: Inter-Temporal Comparison of Indian States

In India, research on human development has received considerable importance from both the academic and policy point of view. However, all the previous studies on human development mainly focused on t...

by Swati Dutta | On 04 Sep 2015

Why do Migrants do Better Than Non-Migrants at Destination? Migration, Class and Inequality Dynamics in India

This paper explores why migrants at their destination fare better than nonmigrants, across different socio-economic classes in India, while the general perception of migrants is that they are less end...

by Vamsi Vakulabharanam | On 03 Sep 2015

Indonesia: Concerted Efforts Needed to Find Solutions for Protracted IDPs

IDMC estimates that as of July 2015 at least 31,400 people are internally displaced as a result of conflict and violence in Indonesia. Nearly all are protracted internally displaced persons (IDPs) who...

by Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre | On 03 Sep 2015

Globalization, Liberalization and Income Inequality: The Case of China

This paper studies the mutual effects of globalization, liberalization and income inequality using a case study of China. Comparing the trends of economic growth and income distribution, it found that...

by Jinjun Xue | On 03 Sep 2015

The Permanent People’s Tribunals and Indigenous People’s Struggles in Mexico: Between Coloniality and Epistemic Justice?

On 21 October 2011, hundreds of Mexican civil society organizations formally submitted a petition to the Lelio e Lisli Basso Foundation in Rome to justify the opening of a Mexican Chapter of the Perma...

by Rosalba Icaza | On 02 Sep 2015

Needs vs Expediency - Poverty Reduction and Social Development in Post-Conflict Countries

Conflict depletes all forms of human and social capital, as well as supporting institutions. The scale of the human damage can overwhelm public action, as there are many competing priorities and resou...

by Tony Addison | On 01 Sep 2015

Report on the Death Penalty

The Law Commission of India received a reference from the Supreme Court in Santosh Kumar Satishbhushan Bariyar v. Maharashtra [(2009) 6 SCC 498] and Shankar Kisanrao Khade v. Maharashtra [(2013) 5 SCC...

by Law Commission India | On 31 Aug 2015

From Promises to Delivery: Putting Human Rights at the Heart of the Millenium Development Goals

This report focuses on three main issues – gender equality, maternal health and slums – which provide clear examples of how the MDGs and the targets set fall short of international human rights standa...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 31 Aug 2015

Lethal Lottery: The Death Penalty in India- A Study of Supreme Court Judgments in Death Penalty Cases 1950-2006

This report presents evidence for re-examining the death penalty in India, through a study of Supreme Court judgments in death penalty cases from 1950-2006.

by Amnesty International AI, | On 31 Aug 2015

Generalisations, Omissions, Assumptions: The Failings of Vedanta’s Environmental Impact Assessments For its Bauxite Mine and Alumina Refinery in India’s State of Orissa

This report highlights deficiencies in the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) undertaken by Vedanta Resources Plc for its proposed bauxite mine in Niyamgiri, Orissa, its alumina refinery in Lanji...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 31 Aug 2015

Exploited Dreams: Dispatches from Indian Migrant Workers in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has attracted more low-paid Indian migrants over the last 25 years than any other country in the Gulf region. Every day, close to 1,000 Indian low-wage migrant workers are provided with e...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 31 Aug 2015

A Policy Mix for Gender Equality? Lessons from High-Income Countries

Over the past 15 years, important gains have been made in gender equality. Gender gaps in educational attainment have shrunk substantially. In fact, in many high-income countries, young women’s educat...

by Megan Gerecke | On 31 Aug 2015

For a Fee: The Business of Recruiting Bangladeshi Women for Domestic Work in Jordan and Lebanon

This study aims to shed light on the industry that profits from the recruitment of women from South Asian countries into domestic work employment in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Banglad...

by Katharine Jones | On 27 Aug 2015

Global Wage Report 2014/15: Wages and Income Inequality

The Global Wage Report 2014/15 presents both the latest trends in average wages and an analysis of the role of wages in income inequality. The first part of the report shows that global wage growth in...

by International Labour Organisation ILO | On 26 Aug 2015

Skill Mismatch among Migrant Workers: Evidence from A Large Multi-Country Dataset

This article unravels the migrants’ incidence of skill mismatch taking into consideration different migration flows. Mismatch is the situation in which workers have jobs for which lower skill levels a...

by | On 26 Aug 2015

Wages and Working Conditions on the Formal Labour Market in India

The labour market structure plays a vital role in chalking out the development and growth path of a country. The labour market polices, institutions, and patterns of employment in turn determine the s...

by Biju Varkkey | On 26 Aug 2015

Excess Food Stocks, PDS and Procurement Policy

This planning commission paper tries to examine some of the factors that have led to accumulation of excess food grain stocks and make policy prescription on how to deal with the problem of surplus fo...

by Arvind Virmani | On 25 Aug 2015

Employment and Inequality Outcomes in India

The report takes into account present scenario of urban poverty in India. Incidence of urban poverty can be attributed to lack of development as also to the nature and pattern of development. Importa...

by | On 25 Aug 2015

Death Penalty Through Self Incrimination in India

This ACHR report focuses on six specific case studies on the right to life in the context of death penalty. The report highlights Constitutional and other legal guarantees against self-incrimination a...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 24 Aug 2015

Inequalities and Their Measurement

This paper is a review of the recent advances in the measurement of inequality. Inequality can have several dimensions. Economists are mostly concerned with the income and consumption dimensions of in...

by Almas Heshmati | On 24 Aug 2015

Children in Conflict with Law

A juvenile or a child is any person below the age of 18 years. Over the last 10 years, crimes committed by children, as a percentage of all crimes committed in the country, have risen from 1.0% to 1....

by Apoorva Shankar | On 21 Aug 2015

Analysis of Fish Consumption and Poverty in Bangladesh

Aquaculture has grown in leaps and bounds in the last couple of decades in Bangladesh. This is welcomed by most as increasing fish production is expected to contribute to enhancing food security in a...

by Kazi Ali Toufique | On 21 Aug 2015

China: Case study on Human Development Progress towards the Millennium Developmental Goals at the Sub-National Level

This paper analyses an overview of china human development in Time and Space. The paper covers themes like regional inequality in China Since 1952 and Urban-Rural Inequality, 1980-2000. The paper is a...

by | On 21 Aug 2015

Poverty Reduction in China and India: Policy Implications of Recent Trends

This paper compares the experience of poverty reduction in China and India. It finds that more than economic growth per se, what has mattered crucially is the nature of the growth: whether it is assoc...

by Jayati Ghosh | On 21 Aug 2015

Addressing Long-term Challenges to Food Security and Rural Livelihoods in South Asia

Notwithstanding its impressive economic growth, food insecurity in South Asia continues to be a stark reality for a large number of households. Despite several successful policy interventions by Gover...

by K. S. Kavi Kumar | On 19 Aug 2015

Long Run Trends in Unemployment and Labor Force Participation in China

Unemployment rates in countries across the world are typically positively correlated with GDP. China is an unusual outlier from the pattern, with abnormally low, and suspiciously stable, unemployment...

by Shuaizhang Feng | On 19 Aug 2015

Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Growth in Nepal

The concern of climate change have emphasized in the field of economics too owing to the challenge of adapting to global warming for sustainable development and growth. This challenge becomes central...

by | On 17 Aug 2015

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act: A Catalyst for Rural Transformation

This report examines changes in the lives of rural households and in the rural economy against the backdrop of changes brought about by the programme. This research report addresses such challenging q...

by Sonalde Desai | On 13 Aug 2015

Reduction of GHG Emissions and Attainment of Energy Security through Sustainable Production of Biofuels: Is it a Viable Option? A Review of Experinces

The National Policy on Biofuels sets an indicative target of 20per cent blending of biofuels by 2017 to tackle the twin problem of energy security and climate change. Although biofuels seem to be the...

by Gopinath Reddy | On 13 Aug 2015

Regulating Labour Recruitment to Prevent Human Trafficking and to Foster Fair Migration: Models, Challenges and Opportunities

This ILO paper highlights the relationship between inadequate mechanisms of recruitment and forced labour in its third Global Report on Forced Labour in 2009, stating that “there is growing awareness...

by Peter Swiniarski | On 12 Aug 2015

The Rising Cost of a Healthy Diet – Changing Relative prices of Foods in High- Income and Emerging Economies

In 2014 our previous study ‘Future Diets’ (Keats and Wiggins 2014) described how across the world an increasing share of the population is overweight and obese, with the rate of increase particularly...

by Rafael Moreira Claro | On 12 Aug 2015

Urban India 2011: Evidence

India’s urban transition has the potential to shift the country’s social, environmental, political and economic trajectory. Urbanisation will interact with the country’s ongoing demographic evolution...

by Indian Institute for Human Settlements | On 12 Aug 2015

Economic Growth, Financial Development and Income Inequality

The central objective of the paper is to empirically examine the relationship between financial development and income inequality. Theoretically, there are grounds for both a positive and negative re...

by Donghyun Park | On 12 Aug 2015

The Politics of Sustaining Inclusive Growth and Social Inclusion

This working paper records the findings of the project and discusses the key principles that underpin the Danish and Finnish welfare states. The paper reflects on the critical issues that must be cons...

by Valerie Koh | On 11 Aug 2015

Measuring and Explaining Subjective Well-being in Korea

Subjective well-being has attracted sharply increasing attention among researchers and policy makers in recent years. The public also pays a lot of attention to it, evidenced by the heavy use of the w...

by | On 06 Aug 2015

Economics of Human Trafficking

This paper presents an economic model of human trafficking that encompasses all known economic factors that affect human trafficking both across and within national borders. The authors envision human...

by Elizabeth M. Wheaton | On 05 Aug 2015

Social Sector and Economic Reforms (With Special Reference to Public Health)

Social Sector performs an effective function in human resource development and hence it is very important to study how the economic reforms are influencing social sector expenditures. Any economic re...

by Runa Paul | On 03 Aug 2015

The Role of Technical and Vocational Education in the National Development of Bangladesh

Education is a basic human right and considered by many as a key tool for national development. However, this tenet has been challenged by several economists, especially Pritchett (1996). His empirica...

by Gazi Mahabubul Alam | On 03 Aug 2015

Book Review: Starve and Immolate: The Politics of Human Weapons

Review of Starve and Immolate: The Politics of Human Weapons. New York: Columbia University Press, 2014. 512 pp. Rs. 3.775/- (Hardcover), ISBN 978-0-231-16340-8.

by Mark Bray | On 31 Jul 2015

Wealth Inequality: China and India

This paper examines wealth distribution in China and India. As China and India have witnessed significant growth rates between 1980 and 2000s, how this growth has been distributed amongst its citizens...

by | On 30 Jul 2015

Long-Run Trends in the Distribution of Income and Wealth

This paper reviews the long run developments in the distribution of personal income and wealth. It also discusses suggested explanations for the observed patterns. It tries to answer questions such as...

by | On 30 Jul 2015

The Cost of Inequality: How Wealth and Income Extremes Hurt Us All

In this Briefing paper the focus has been exclusively on one half of the inequality equation - ending extreme poverty. Inequality and the extreme wealth that contributes to it were seen as either not ...

by Oxfam International | On 30 Jul 2015

Dynamics of Youth Population- Impact of Education Expenditure

The youth constitutes the largest segment of the Indian population. Being the primary productive human resource, the socio-economic development of the Indian youth is directly linked to the developmen...

by | On 30 Jul 2015

Household Recombination, Retrospective Evaluation, and the Effects of a Health and Family Planning Intervention

This paper examines, in particular, the effects on educational mobility of a well-known maternal and child health and family planning program in Matlab Bangladesh. Results suggest that the program res...

by Andrew Foster | On 29 Jul 2015

When the Dish Knocked Down the Antenna: How Television Digitization is Impacting Low Income Viewers and Public Broadcasting

A technology switch in television affects different income groups differently. In India the digitization of TV signals is putting an end to the free-to-air telecast regime. This study,the first of its...

by Sevanti Ninan | On 26 Jul 2015

Whither Right to Food? Rights Institutions and Hungry Labour in Tea Plantations of North Bengal

This paper explores what constitutes the mechanics of the legal and the administrative world of food rights in the Dooars area of West Bengal, specifically food rights of the tea plantation labourers....

by Geetisha Dasgupta | On 24 Jul 2015

Girls’ and Women’s Right to Education

This document compiles the explicit references to girls’ and women’s right to education in national reports and is intended to serve as a practical tool for both advocacy and monitoring. The factsh...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 22 Jul 2015

The Income Mobility in Rural India: Evidence From ARIS/ REDS Surveys

Economic mobility is a significant consequence of income inequality and growth. In this paper, authors have used a unique ARIS/ REDS surveys data set for rural India spanning three decades to determin...

by Kailash Chandra Pradhan | On 21 Jul 2015

Economic Transition and Private-Sector Labor Demand: Evidence from Urban China

This paper studies the policy determinants of economic transition and estimates the demand for labor in the infant private sector in urban China. It shows that a reform that untied access to housing i...

by Lakshmi Iyer | On 20 Jul 2015

Banking on Non-solutions

Can state owned banks revive Indian economy? Let's see what the managerial solutions to revive banks show us.

by T.N. Ninan | On 18 Jul 2015

Inequitable and Ineffective: Exclusion of Mental Health from the Post-2015 Development Agenda

Given that mental health and other non-communicable diseases were conspicuously omitted from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and have only been weakly mentioned in draft Sustainable Developme...

by Alexander C. Tsai | On 09 Jul 2015

A Financial Slave State

Greece is in huge financial trouble. Greece is paying the price for past follies like fictitious national accounts, unsustainable pension programmes, non-existent tax revenues and (the biggest mistake...

by T.N. Ninan | On 04 Jul 2015

Migration and Human Development in India

The paper discusses how gaps in both the data on migration and the understanding of the role of migration in livelihood strategies and economic growth in India, have led to inaccurate policy prescript...

by Priya Deshingkar | On 03 Jul 2015

Economic Development and Welfare: Some Measurement Issues

The concept of economic development has undergone a major change over the past few decades. The authors explain the conceptual and methodological framework based on which one may be able to assess so...

by Dipankor Coondoo | On 02 Jul 2015

Is Imperialism a Relevant Concept in Today’s World?

This paper explores some aspects of the imperialism/empire/new imperialism debate and looks at whether imperialism remains to be a valid theoretical category in analyzing contemporary economics and po...

by Subhanil Chowdhury | On 02 Jul 2015

Wrong Target for Benign Neglect

The school education system needs a desperate overhaul. The human resource development minister in New Delhi be focusing on it too, in the middle of her other pressing concerns.

by T.N. Ninan | On 27 Jun 2015

Reflections on India's Emergence in the World Economy

This paper attempts to capture how India embraced the world economy against the backdrop of the evolving domestic and international economic policy environment. It began with a brief overview of the...

by | On 24 Jun 2015

The Risk of Disaster-Induced Displacement in South Asia

This technical paper provides evidence-based estimates of the likelihood of disaster-induced displacement in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It att...

by Justin Ginnetti | On 24 Jun 2015

Minimising Selection Failure and Measuring Tax Gap: An Empirical Model

This paper presents an empirical model for minimising selection failure by tax departments in selecting cases for scrutiny assessment. This model also provides a new methodology for estimating tax gap...

by Sudhanshu Kumar | On 23 Jun 2015

Unfree Mobility: Adivasi Women’s Migration

On a hot summer’s day in 1982, while walking through a jungle path in Bankura, West Bengal, anthropologist Narayan Banerjee asked an old Santhal woman who was accompanying him to narrate her experie...

by Indrani Mazumdar | On 19 Jun 2015

Financing for Health Coverage in India: Issues and Concerns

The paper explores the trends, composition, and incidence of out-of-pocket health expenditure (OOPHE) in India, which has been the predominant means of financing its health care needs. Unit-level data...

by Indrani Gupta | On 19 Jun 2015

Maldives: The Case for a Resolution at the 29th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

As the UN Human Rights Council holds its 29th session from 15th June 2015 to 3 July 2015, it ought to adopt a resolution on the deplorable human rights situation in Maldives as a consequence of the si...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 15 Jun 2015

The Legislative and Institutional Framework for Protection of Children in India

This paper presents a broad overview of the law, policy and legal institutions of child protection in India and examines the current legal issues in a rights-based perspective.It points out the poor e...

by Asha Bajpai | On 12 Jun 2015

The Migration of Women Domestic Workers from Sri Lanka: Protecting the Rights of Children Left Behind

Remittances that flow from low-skilled labor migration are critical to many developing countries, yet these economic benefits can come at a high price. Roughly half of all migrant workers are women, m...

by Brian Opeskin | On 12 Jun 2015

Budget FY11: Report on the Implementation Status, Income and Expenditure Trend and Macroeconomic Analysis (up to December 2010)

Budget FY11 contains Speech of the Bangladesh Finance Minister on the implementation status and macroeconomic analysis up to second quarter (July-December).

by | On 12 Jun 2015

Child Labour & Educational Disadvantage – Breaking the Link, Building Opportunity

Compulsory education has a vital role to play in eradicating child labour. Getting children out of work and into school could provide an impetus for poverty reduction and the development of skills nee...

by Gordon Brown | On 12 Jun 2015

Inter-State Disparities in Economic Growth in India: Some Policy Implications for Laggard States

Faster economic growth of some of the backward states like Bihar, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh in the post 2004-05 compels us to think if it is any indicative of convergence among states of India. How...

by Anjali Masarguppi | On 10 Jun 2015

Inequality, income Distribution and Growth in Maharashtra in the 2000s

The paper analyses the inter-district inequality of per capita incomes in Maharashtra for the period 2001-2009 and finds that inter-district inequality rose for the period 2001-05 and subsequently dec...

by Neeraj Hatekar | On 10 Jun 2015

When the Kerala Model of Development is Historicised: A Chronological Perspective

It is proposed in this study that the development experience in Kerala has resulted ultimately in weakening the material basis of public action. On limited evidence it is pointed out that the poor in...

by P.K.Michael Tharakan | On 10 Jun 2015

Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report 2002

The Himachal Pradesh HDR attempts to assess and explain the status of human development in the State and articulate policy implications. In the light of the definition of human development itself, iss...

by Himachal Pradesh Government of India | On 09 Jun 2015

Gender Wage Gap in the Last Ten Years: A Case Study of India

This paper examines changes in the gender wage gap in India between the years 1999-2000 and 2009-2010, and analyses its determinants. Results of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition reveal that in the las...

by Nayni Gupta | On 05 Jun 2015

Analysis of Trends in India’s Agricultural Growth

The present study discusses the trends and patterns in agricultural growth at the national and sub-national levels in India. Data on important variables like area, production, input use and value of o...

by Elumalai Kannan | On 04 Jun 2015

Report of the Sixty-Seventh World Health Assembly on WHO Global Disability Action Plan 2014–2021

This provides guidance on the draft action plan for better health to disable people. There are more than 1000 million people with disability worldwide, about 15% of the global population. The prevalen...

by World Health Organisation (WHO) | On 01 Jun 2015

Report of the Working Group on Agricultural Research and Education for the Twelfth Five Year Plan 2012-17

This report mainly focuses on agricultural research and education so as to make the system demand-driven, enhance technology flow to farmers and bring transformational changes in Indian agriculture. T...

by Planning Commission | On 28 May 2015

Report of the Working Group on Drugs & Food Regulations

Strengthening of Drugs Regulatory Mechanisms is one of the major public health interventions. This ensures that safe, efficacious and quality drugs are made available to the people. Keeping in view th...

by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare H & FW | On 21 May 2015

Experiences of Exploitation and Human Trafficking among a Sample of Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers

Indonesia has one of the highest rates of workers seeking employment abroad, with the majority of these workers being females employed in domestic service. Due to the nature of recruitment, the proces...

by | On 15 May 2015

The Human Rights of Stateless Rohingya in Thailand

The Rohingya are an ethno-religious minority group from the Rakhine region, which today is encompassed within the borders of Myanmar and is adjacent to Bangladesh. The majority of Rohingya in Myanmar...

by The Equal Rights Trust | On 14 May 2015

Punjab Youth Policy 2012

The policy covers all key issues of youth and has provided a framework that promises social, economic and political empowerment of youth. The central theme of the policy is integrated youth developmen...

by | On 12 May 2015

Promoting Human Development in India: Costs of Inequality

Policy emphasis in Indian economic development planning has always been on ‘economic growth with income redistribution’. Such a strategy seeks to exploit the potential of development programmes for po...

by Suryanarayana M H | On 11 May 2015

Performance Evaluation of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)

The study finds that about 58 per cent of the subsidized food grains issued from the Central Pool do not reach the BPL families because of identification errors, nontransparent operation and unethical...

by Planning Commission | On 08 May 2015

Nutritional Intake in India (July 2009 - June 2010)

This report presents the information on nutritional intake by the Indian population. Among the different nutrients only three nutrients – viz, calorie, protein and fat – are discussed in this report....

by National Sample Survey Office NSSO | On 05 May 2015

Connecting the Last Mile: The Role of Communications in the Great East Japan Earthquake

The report explores how communities in the most devastated areas of the prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima got their information. It identifies which communications channels were used before,...

by Lois Appleby | On 04 May 2015

India Human Development Report 2011: Towards Social Inclusion

This Report examines: human development index and profile for India and its states; economic attainment of the population, especially in terms of the two major sources of income-employment and assets;...

by | On 27 Apr 2015

India in Figures 2013

This reports reflects development in the fields of population, Human development index, labour and houses, employment, prices, agriculture, industry.

by Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute | On 24 Apr 2015

Aging and Migration in a Transition Economy: The Case of China

Post-reform China has been experiencing two major demographic changes, an extraordinary amount of internal migration and an aging population. We present a general migration model which captures the id...

by Kailing Shen | On 22 Apr 2015

Their lives on the line: Women rights defenders under attack in Afghanistan

Based on interviews with more than 50 rights defenders and their families, the 71-page document titled, "Their lives on the line: Women rights defenders under attack in Afghanistan," illustrates the r...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 14 Apr 2015

Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2014-15

Maharashra Government, State Economy, Population, State income, Prices & Public Distribution System, Public Finance, Institutional Finance & Capital Market, Agriculture & Allied Activities, infrastru...

by Government of Maharashtra | On 09 Apr 2015

Trafficking of Minor Girls for Commercial Sexual Exploitation in India: A Synthesis of Available Evidence

Globally, the number of adults and children who are trafficked for forced labour, bonded labour or commercial sexual exploitation is estimated to be about 12 million. Though India has made several com...

by K G Santhya | On 10 Apr 2015

Pakistan: The Worsening IDP Crisis

Internally displaced persons operation was one of the first against armed anti-state fighters in the tribal belt, and marked the beginning of operations across the seven tribal agencies of the Federal...

by International Crisis Group | On 06 Apr 2015

Women’s Rights, Gender Equality, and Transition: Securing Gains, Moving Forward

This report is designed to contribute to the growing body of research on gender issues in Afghanistan with a specific focus on identifying gains and losses over the past decade at both the macro and m...

by | On 01 Apr 2015

Financial Inclusion, Poverty, and Income Inequality in Developing Asia

Understanding the link between financial inclusion, poverty, and income inequality at the country level will help policymakers design and implement programs that will broaden access to financial serv...

by | On 27 Mar 2015

"Stop Reporting or We’ll Kill Your Family" Threats to Media Freedom in Afghanistan

This 48-page report documents harassment, intimidation, and attacks on journalists and the Afghan government’s failure to investigate and prosecute those responsible. The failure to protect journalist...

by Human Rights Watch | On 26 Mar 2015

Towards A Pareto Efficient Indian Agricultural Market - with specific focus on rice and wheat markets

The paper examines the policies of the central as well as state governments with respect to the agricultural market, specifically in rice and wheat markets, analyses their shortcomings and argues for...

by Dr Anandi Subramanian | On 23 Mar 2015

Making Democracy Work: Culture, Social Capital and Elections in China

This paper aims to show that culture is an important determinant of the effectiveness of formal democratic institutions, such as elections. It is found that social capital complements democratic insti...

by Gerard Padro -i-Miquel | On 23 Mar 2015

“Work Faster or Get Out” Labor Rights Abuses in Cambodia’s Garment Industry

Workers in Cambodia’s garment factories—frequently producing name brand clothing sold mainly in the United States, the European Union, and Canada—often experience discriminatory and exploitative labor...

by Human Rights Watch | On 20 Mar 2015

Regional Disparities in Growth and Human Development in India

This paper argues that that per capita income in all states in India increased in the past four decades but in fact no sign of convergence could be visible as it was expected in the context of liberal...

by | On 13 Mar 2015

Death Sentences and Executions 2012

This report covers the judicial use of the death penalty for the period January to December 2012. Amnesty International records figures on the use of the death penalty based on the best available info...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 13 Mar 2015

Review - Shifting Ground: People, Animals and Mobility in India's Environmental History

Review of Shifting Ground: People, Animals and Mobility in India's Environmental History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014. 308 pp. Rs. 818 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-19-809895-9.

by | On 13 Mar 2015

Finance Commission of India’s Assessments: A Political Economy Contention between Expectations and Outcomes

The objective of this study is to examine the structural basis on which Finance Commissions make their awards rather than examining the predictability of the forecasts. The story of Finance Commission...

by | On 12 Mar 2015

Financial Access - Measurement and Determinants: A Case Study of Unorganised Manufacturing Enterprises in India

This paper attempts to study financial access of unorganized manufacturing enterprises in India given their importance to the economy and the fact that finance has been the main constraint on their gr...

by T.A. Bhavani | On 12 Mar 2015

Budget Brief 2015-16 Gujarat State

It is the budget brief of Gujarat state for the year 2015-16.

by Saurabh Patel | On 11 Mar 2015

The Fiscal and Welfare Impacts of Reforming Fuel Subsidies in India

This paper evaluates the fiscal and welfare implications of fuel subsidy reform in India. Fuel subsidies are found to be badly targeted, with the richest ten percent of households receiving seven time...

by | On 11 Mar 2015

Gender Equality and Food Security: Women’s Empowerment as a Tool against Hunger

This report explores how gender equality can contribute to food security. Its focus is on Asia and the Pacific, though developments in other regions are also referenced. The report describes the relat...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 10 Mar 2015

Global Imbalances and Bretton Woods II Postulate

The paper intends to revisit this argument, particularly in the light of the change in deficits and surpluses in the world economy. The paper tries to trace the genesis of BWII to the debates which or...

by Krishnakumar S | On 10 Mar 2015

Hunger, Undernutrition and Food Security in India

In spite of an increase in the number of government schemes to address the problem of undernutrition, the situation has improved only marginally. A number of factors such as spaces, ethnicities, incom...

by Rudra Narayan Mishra | On 25 Feb 2015

Policy Framework for Finance SEZs

India is a large user of financial services, by virtue of a large and growing GDP and a high rate of investment and savings. At present, India is con- suming financial services produced onshore as wel...

by Ministry of Finance | On 19 Feb 2015

Medico Friend Circle Bulletin 363-364 (Jan/Feb 2015)

This special issue on mental health was put together for the Annual Meet of the Medico Friend Circle at Pune. Contents - Power to Label: the Social Construction of Madness by Prateeksha Sharma (1); T...

by Medico Friend Circle | On 18 Feb 2015

Mid-Year Economic Analysis 2014-2015

In July 2013, India was teetering on the edge of macroeconomic crisis with double digit inflation, a high and rising current account deficit (CAD), and a falling rupee as investor sentiment turned s...

by Ministry of Finance GOI | On 18 Feb 2015

Addressing Inequality in South Asia

An outcome report of IMF-World Bank meetings held in October 2014, this report highlights the stark inequalities in human development in South Asia. Based on parameters such as monetary indicators, he...

by Martin Rama | On 17 Feb 2015

Public Private Sector Partnerships in an Agricultural System of Innovation: Concepts and Challenges

The purpose of this paper is to explore current practice, speculate on future patterns of PPP and discuss how partnership can be leveraged in the development process. The paper seeks to view PPP exper...

by Andy Hall | On 16 Feb 2015

Delhi Human Development Report 2013: Improving Lives, Promoting Inclusion

The Delhi Human Development Report, 2013, has been structured around the theme ‘Improving Lives, Promoting Inclusion’. This theme encompasses all the fundamental concerns of human development that is,...

by | On 05 Feb 2015

Addressing Inequality in Southeast Asia through Regional Economic Integration

The paper mainly discusses the issues and policies relating to inequality in Southeast Asia. Policies to reduce inequality include more efficient fiscal policies, improve infrastructure and generating...

by Josef Yap | On 29 Jan 2015

Redistributive Policies for Sustainable Development: Looking at the Role of Assets and Equity

The paper distinguishes between the stock of income generating assets such as human capital and wealth and deriving income flows in order to clarify the differences between growth-equity trade off deb...

by Pierre Kohler | On 28 Jan 2015

A Post-2015 World Fit for Children

This issue brief outlines a roadmap for human progress over the next 15 years. Known as the Sustainable Development Goals, these new global targets will drive investment and action in virtually every...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 20 Jan 2015

Relations between Corruption and Human Rights in North Korea

North Korea’s public distribution system has been maintained somewhat perfunctorily since its severe economic hardship in the 1990s. However in reality, rationing to the working class has been suspend...

by | On 20 Jan 2015

The Minimum Wage and the Great Recession: Evidence of Effects on the Employment and Income Trajectories of Low-Skilled Workers

The paper estimates the minimum wage's effects on low-skilled workers' employment and income trajectories. The increased binding minimum wage had significant, negative effects on the employment and in...

by Jeffrey Clemens | On 19 Jan 2015

Tribute: Jasodhara Bagchi

Jashodhara Bagchi was a leading Indian feminist critic and a prodigious professor in her field. She was a scholar who voiced women's cause and worked for their empowerment. She also was chairman of...

by Vibhuti Patel | On 19 Jan 2015

Towards A Pareto Efficient Indian Agricultural Market - with Specific Focus on Rice and Wheat Markets

The paper examines the policies of the central as well as state governments with respect to the agricultural market, specifically in rice and wheat markets, analyses their shortcomings and argues for...

by Anandi Subramanian | On 16 Jan 2015

Global Economic Prospects

The report argues the recent setback in global economy and ways to strengthen the growth in developing countries. with a view to undertake growth and recovery in high-income countries, there is need t...

by World Bank | On 14 Jan 2015

Designing Policies in the Presence of Hawala Markets

The paper explores the impact of the existence of such a mechanism on the effectiveness of various policy instruments in influencing outcomes on the official foreign exchange markets and GDP. The pape...

by R.Kavita Rao | On 13 Jan 2015

Changing Norms about Gender Inequality in Education: Evidence from Bangladesh

This paper examines norms about gender equality of the education of children and adults in Bangladesh using a recent household survey for two cohorts of married women. Education norms are found to dif...

by Niels-Hugo Blunch | On 29 Dec 2014

Human Rights in North Korea: Addressing the Challenges

An international response to North Korea’s egregious human rights record has begun to take shape. Building on the work of NGOs and UN human rights experts, the United Nations Human Rights Council i...

by Roberta Cohen | On 26 Dec 2014

Report of the detailed findings of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

On 21 March 2013, at its 22nd session, the United Nations Human Rights Council established the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Resolution A/...

by | On 26 Dec 2014

Nutritional Intake in India, 2011-12

This report is based on information collected during 2011-12 from 7469 villages and 5268 urban blocks spread over the entire country. Two different schedules were used to collect information on cons...

by National Sample Survey Office NSSO | On 23 Dec 2014

Food and Nutrition Security Status in India: Opportunities for Investment Partnerships

Ensuring food and nutrition security is a challenge for India, given its huge population and high levels of poverty and malnutrition. India is a net agricultural exporter, particularly of milk, fruit...

by T. Nanda Kumar | On 18 Dec 2014

A Nutrition Secure India: Role of Agriculture

India continues to suffer from under-nutrition among large sections of its population. The country is unlikely to realise the first millennium development goal by 2015. How can agriculture be us...

by Suneetha Kadiyala | On 18 Dec 2014

Price Movements for Rice and Wheat: A Structuralist Policy Perspective

This paper examines the price movements in rice and wheat, following structuralist principles emphasizing the necessity of long term solutions in combination with short and medium term management. How...

by K U Gopakumar | On 17 Dec 2014

Human Rights in India: An Overview

The situation of persistent human rights violations across the country presents manifold challenges. A number of progressive legal and policy initiatives have been taken by GOI. This paper highlights...

by Working Groups on Human Rights | On 12 Dec 2014

Food Price Subsidies and Nutrition: Evidence from State Reforms to India’s Public Distribution System

It investigate whether food price subsidies affect household nutrition using a dramatic expansion of the availability of subsidized rice in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh in the early 2000’s. Hous...

by Prasad Krishnamurthy | On 28 Nov 2014

Poverty-Hunger Divergence in India

The usual explanations for the divergence between calorie intake and consumption expenditure in India ignore the enormous squeeze on food budgets arising from dispossession (leading to loss of a...

by Deepankar Basu | On 28 Nov 2014

Women’s Malnutrition in India: The Role of Economic and Social Status

This study has used India Human Development Survey, 2005 to study the factors influencing the Body Mass Index (BMI) of women between 20 to 40 years of age in India. BMI captures both undernutrition...

by Shikha Dahiya | On 28 Nov 2014

Agricultural Transformation and Food Security in India: Lessons for Southeast Asia

This article seeks firstly to look at the three aspects of food security in India, viz., food availability, accessibility, and absorption. Secondly, an attempt has been made to study food security in...

by Reshmi Banerjee | On 27 Nov 2014

Asia Child Marriage Initiative: Summary of Research in Bangladesh, India and Nepal

Child marriage is one of the most prevalent and serious violations of human rights. The issue needs urgent attention in South Asia, where 46 per cent of children are married formally or in informal u...

by Ravi Verma | On 27 Nov 2014

Bonded Labour, Agrarian Changes and Capitalism: Emerging Patterns in South India

Drawing on a number of case studies from Tamil Nadu, this paper shows that bonded labour is not a relic of the past, but surprisingly contemporary. Refuting the tenets of the semi-feudal thesis, we ar...

by Isabelle Guerin | On 21 Nov 2014

Enhancing the Nutrition-Sensitivity of Agricultural Development Interventions in the Eastern Gangetic Plains: Challenges and Options

This background paper aims first is to outline the rationale and merits for enhancing the nutrition-sensitivity of agricultural interventions in general, highlighting recognised pathways which lin...

by Toni Darbas | On 20 Nov 2014

An Empirical Study of Determinants of Child Labour

The objective of this paper is to analyse the nature and magnitude of the problem and determinants of child labour and their participation in the workforce at an early age. The results reveal that fam...

by Kabita Sahu | On 20 Nov 2014

Global Nutrition Report 2014

This Global Nutrition Report is the first in an annual series. It tracks worldwide progress in improving nutrition status, identifies bottlenecks to change, highlights opportunities for action, and co...

by Independent Expert Group (IEG) | On 17 Nov 2014

Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Migrant Workers

The Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) is pleased to present Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Migrant Workers: The Role of National Human Rights Institutions. Nati...

by Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions | On 17 Nov 2014

Extended Families and Child Well-being

Using rich longitudinal survey data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS), evidence is presented on the relationship between three measures of health- and education-related human capital of c...

by Daniel LaFave | On 17 Nov 2014

Measures, Spatial Profile and Determinants of Dietary Diversity: Evidence from India

Food security policies in developing countries generally focus on calorie intake, which is not sufficient to tackle the triple burden of malnutrition: undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies and...

by Mousumi Das | On 14 Nov 2014

Neighborhood and Agricultural Clusters across States of India

In this study how number and members of income clusters have changed in Indian agriculture over the last four and a half decades are traced. Two features which stand out in our results are that not a...

by Tirtha Chaterjee | On 14 Nov 2014

What are the Headwaters of Formal Savings? Experimental Evidence from Sri Lanka

When households increase their deposits in formal bank savings accounts, what is the source of the money? High-frequency surveys are combined with an experiment in which a Sri Lankan bank used mobil...

by Michael Callen | On 13 Nov 2014

Prioritizing Demand-Driven Agricultural Research for Development in India

India has shown an impressive economic growth of about 8 percent per year in the last decade. But the coexistence of impressive growth with widespread poverty and hunger is a real worry and a seri...

by Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions | On 12 Nov 2014

Socio-Economic Status of the Notified Minority Communities

The report provides a detailed quantitative account of the four notified minority communities – Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Parsis using all available information. The study takes into account th...

by Institute Human Development | On 11 Nov 2014

Social Exclusion and (RSBY) Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana in Maharashtra

Out-of-pocket payments make up a large proportion of total health expenditure leading to inequity amongst the poorer sections. Recently government of India has instigated various demand side financing...

by Harshad Thakur | On 11 Nov 2014

Too Little, Too Late: Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana in Maharashtra

While the union government announced its plan to extend the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to the unorganised working class poor. The Government of Maharashtra has decided to scrap RSBY and replace it...

by Sujata Gothoskar | On 11 Nov 2014

Linkages between Maternal Education and Childhood Immunization in India

While correlations between maternal education and child health have been observed in diverse parts of the world, the causal pathways explaining how maternal education improves child health remain far...

by Kriti Vikram | On 30 Oct 2014

Governance Issues and Challenges in Implementation Of National Food Security Act 2013

India is a developing country having 2nd highest population in the world. Even after 66 years of its independence, County is facing a serious issue of poverty and malnutrition. The Government of I...

by Hitesh S. Gujarati | On 29 Oct 2014

Employment for Youth – A Growing Challenge for the Global Community

Social and economic challenges facing young people today must be understood in terms of the complex interaction between unique demographic trends and specific economic contexts. There has been an...

by Ragui Assaad | On 27 Oct 2014

The Evolution of Institutions in India and its Relationship with Economic Growth

The tepid-to-torrid transformation in India’s economic growth since the early 1980s is one of the big stories of recent times. Whereas “Midnight’s children” saw their standard of living double ove...

by Arvind Subramanian | On 22 Oct 2014

Currency Undervaluation and Sovereign Wealth Funds: A New Role for the World Trade Organization

Two aspects of global imbalances - undervalued exchange rates and sovereign wealth funds - require a multilateral response. This paper proposes new rules in the World Trade Organization to discipline...

by Prachi Mishra | On 22 Oct 2014

Institutions Rule: The Primacy of Institutions over Geography and Integration in Economic Development

The authors estimate the respective contributions of institutions, geography, and trade in determining income levels around the world, using recently developed instrumental variables for institutions...

by Arvind Subramanian | On 21 Oct 2014

Four Facts on India’s Growth in the 2000's

This paper marks the first attempt at examining the growth performance across Indian states for the 2000s, a period also marked by the global financial crisis. Four key finding emerge from the paper...

by Arvind Subramanian | On 21 Oct 2014

The Soya Project: Farm Evangelists

In 2008, two earnest young men set out to boost soya bean yields in the semi-arid region of Bundi in Rajasthan. Rainfall there is meagre and the soil lacks nutrients. But there are ready buyers for so...

by Civil Society | On 20 Oct 2014

Public Distribution System of Essential Commodities as a Social Safety Net: A Study of the District of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh

The study concentrates on PDS as a social safety net.

by Bhaskar Majumder | On 17 Oct 2014

Youth in Transition: The Challenges of Transitional Change in Asia

This book originates from a conference of the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils and contains writings and research reports on Youth in Transition in the Asia and Pacific region. Th...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 16 Oct 2014

Fighting Child Malnutrition

India has the dubious distinction of having the highest burden of malnutrition in the world – higher than Sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly 50 per cent of our children are underweight and stunted and 70...

by National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India | On 16 Oct 2014

Revealed Preference for Open Defecation: Evidence from a New Survey in Rural North India

Despite economic growth, government latrine construction, and increasing recognition among policymakers that open defecation constitutes a health and human capital crisis, it remains stubbornly widesp...

by Diane Coffey | On 07 Oct 2014

Human Development Progress in South Asia: Achievements and Challenges

Rapid human development progress in India, Bangladesh and other South Asian nations is helping drive a historic shift in global dynamics, with hundreds of millions of people rising from poverty and bi...

by Rameshwar Jat | On 26 Sep 2014

Deforestation in the Himalayas: Myths and Reality

Deforestation in developing and middle income countries is an urgent global problem, affecting climate change, soil erosion, major river basins, and livelihoods of poor households living near the fore...

by Jean Marie Baland | On 24 Sep 2014

Food Security and Nutrition: Vision 2020

The concept of food security has undergone considerable changes in recent years. Food availability and stability were considered good measures of food security till the seventies and the achievement o...

by K. Venkata Reddy | On 18 Sep 2014

SEWA: Supporting Village-Level Organizations to Improve Rural Livelihoods

In spite of the rapid growth of the Indian economy, the fraction of the rural population living in poverty has declined only modestly. Increasing indebtedness, rises in input prices, and rapid commerc...

by Raj M. Desai | On 17 Sep 2014

Scaling up Agricultural Supply Chains in the Private Sector

This brief is one of series on scaling up in agriculture, rural development, and nutrition. PepsiCo is a global business operating in more than 200 countries and territories and rooted in creating and...

by Beth Sauerhaft | On 17 Sep 2014

Production, Procurement and Inflation: A Market Model for Food Grains

Rapid rise in the price of food grains and their continued upsurge is a matter of concern for not only the government and policy makers but also for all concerned with social welfare. This is particul...

by Gopakumar K.U. | On 15 Sep 2014

Protecting the Girl Child: Using the Law to End Child, Early & Forced Marriage & Related Human Rights Violations

Cultural traditions and a lack of legal protections are driving tens of millions of girls around the world into early marriage, subjecting them to violence, poverty and mistreatment. Equality Now, in...

by Equality Now | On 12 Sep 2014

Rural-Urban Migration and Urban Informal Sector in India

Migration is a process that gets intensified with the process of economic development. Population mobility from rural to urban areas is a common feature in India. Interestingly, this rural-urban migra...

by Debasis Chakraborty | On 11 Sep 2014

Scaling up Rural Sanitation in India

The WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for Water and Sanitation, which tracks progress towards the water and sanitation targets of the Millennium Development Goals, estimates that 36% of the wo...

by Clarissa Brocklehurst | On 10 Sep 2014

Informal Sector and Conditions of Employment in India

Keeping in mind the significant number of labour engaged in informal sector of the economy, the report has probed into the characteristic of the informal labour force and the enterprises in which they...

by National Sample Survey Office NSSO | On 09 Sep 2014

Spatial Convergence and Growth in Indian Agriculture: 1967-2010

Inter-state diversity has been a perennial feature of Indian agriculture. The study probes if per capita income in Indian agriculture has converged across states in the last four and a half decades. I...

by Tirtha Chaterjee | On 06 Sep 2014

India: Death Penalty Has No Deterrence

Two people are sentenced to death every day in India, but it has not proved to be a deterrent to crime, says the latest report by NGO Asian Centre for Human Rights. Analysing government data for 12 ye...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 02 Sep 2014

Food Stamps: A Model for India

About 4.5 lakh fair price shops in India sell 10-20 lakh tons of rice and wheat at the subsidized rate per month. Majority of the ration shops are in urban areas, they are hardly ever open and only a...

by Parth Shah | On 27 Aug 2014

Unemployment Burden and its Distribution: Theory and Evidence from India

To develop a measure of unemployment that takes into account both the level and intensity of unemployment and that satisfies several desirable properties, including distribution sensitivity (dealing w...

by Sripad Motiram | On 25 Aug 2014

Human Development Report 2014 - Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience

The 2014 Report highlights the need for both promoting people's choices and protecting human development achievements. It takes the view that vulnerability threatens human development, and unless it i...

by United Nations Development Programme UNDP | On 20 Aug 2014

Finance and Opportunity in India

One of the greatest dangers to the growth of developing countries is the middle income trap, where crony capitalism creates oligarchies that slow down growth. If the debate during the elections is any...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 13 Aug 2014

Examining the Impact of Climate Change on Migration through the Agricultural Channel: Evidence from District Level Panel Data from Bangladesh

This paper studies how changes in climatic variables such as temperature and rainfall impact migration through agriculture. Bangladesh is recognized as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate...

by Paritosh Roy | On 31 Jul 2014

India Science Report - Science Education, Human Resources and Public Attitude towards Science and Technology

The present report focuses on science education, human resources in science & technology and public understanding of science. A custom-designed survey, the India Science Survey 2004, funded by INSA, w...

by Rajesh Shukla | On 28 Jul 2014

Yes to Justice, No to Death

PUDR’s opposition to the penalty of death is three decades old. Like everything else our opposition on capital punishment is evolving and is a ‘work in progress’. Starting with serious objections to t...

by PUDR Peoples Union for Democratic Rights | On 25 Jul 2014

Power and Resistance: Silence and Secrecy in Avatar - The Last Airbender

In the American animated television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA), a visually Asian-influenced world of humans, animals and spirits plays out a history of violence, trauma and resistance....

by Gayatri Viswanath | On 24 Jul 2014

Improving Educational Outcomes in Developing Countries: Lessons from Rigorous Evaluations

This paper describes four lessons derived from 115 rigorous impact evaluations of educational initiatives in 33 low- and middle-income countries. First, reducing the costs of going to school and provi...

by Richard Murnane | On 17 Jul 2014

Railway Budget 2014-15: Analysis

The Minister of Railways, D V Sadananda Gowda, presented the Railways Budget 2014 to Parliament on July 8, 2014. In his address, he assessed the performance of Railways in 2013-14 and laid out his...

by Prachee Mishra | On 16 Jul 2014

Budgetary Process in Parliament

The bulletin shows what are the process in presenting budget and the terms used in the budget.

by Lok Sabha Secretariat | On 10 Jul 2014

India's Public Distribution System: A National and International Perspective

This study examines the impact of India's Public Distribution System (PDS) on poor households in terms of income gains, reductions in the incidence and severity of poverty, as well as nutritional impr...

by R. Radhakrishna | On 07 Jul 2014

Determinants for the Demand and Supply of Texile Exports of Pakistan

This study analyses the demand and supply side determinants of textile and garments’ exports of Pakistan using time series data for the period 1972– 2010. Eight trading partners (US, UK, Canada, It...

by Rabia Latif | On 01 Jul 2014

Three Decades of Human Development across Indian States: Inclusive Growth or Perpetual Disparity?

The importance of strengthening the human development (HD) achievements in a country to augment its growth potential is well known in development literature. Several initiatives to enhance the HD leve...

by Sacchidananda Mukherjee | On 24 Jun 2014

Trafficking Women and Children for Sexual Exploitation

Irrefutable is the fact that trafficking of women and children is a grave violation of Human Rights and one of the most serious organized crimes of the day, transcending cultures, geography and time....

by P.M Nair | On 18 Jun 2014

Unfree Mobility: Adivasi Women's Migration

Tribal community practices and cultures, particularly the lack of traditional restrictions on women’s work and labour, have indeed been a significant factor in bringing larger proportions of tribal w...

by Indrani Mazumdar | On 02 Jun 2014

Urbanization and Spatial Patterns of Internal Migration in India

With an urbanization level of 31.16 percent in 2011, India is the least urbanized country among the top 10 economies of the world. In addition, unlike other countries, the transition of workforce out...

by Ajay Sharma | On 26 May 2014

Contractual Solutions for Migrant Labourers: The Case of Domestic Workers in the Middle East

This article discusses domestic and international responses to the issue of abuse of female domestic workers in the Middle East, and concludes that a standard working contract, such as that in use in...

by Gwenann S. Manseau | On 26 May 2014

Growth and Structure of Workforce in India : An Analysis of Census 2011 Data

Census 2011 brings new dimension to ongoing debate on the decline in the growth of employment from the last two decade. The census 2011 result gives better picture when compared with NSSO estimation o...

by Suresh Veslawatha | On 23 May 2014

Medical Negligence and Compensation in India: How Much is Just and Effective?

This paper examines the issues related to just, adequate and effective compensation in cases of medical negligence and provides certain suggestions. [IIMA W.P. No.2014-03-27].

by Anurag K Agarwal | On 22 May 2014

Growth of the Urban Shadow, Spatial Distribution of Economic Activities and Commuting by Workers in Rural and Urban India

Unlike migration, scant attention has been paid to the phenomenon of commuting by workers in developing countries. This paper fills this gap by using a nationally representative data set from India t...

by Ajay Sharma | On 20 May 2014

Position Paper on Education Post-2015

This position paper identifies that there is a strong need for a new and forward-looking education agenda that completes unfinished business while going beyond the current goals in terms of depth and...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 16 May 2014

Globalization Comes Home: Protecting Migrant Domestic Workers’ Rights

In the hopes of earning money for a better life, and with few other alternatives, millions migrate to big cities or across borders to work as live-in nannies, caretakers for the elderly, and house-cle...

by Nisha Varia | On 08 May 2014

The Real Wealth of Nations:Pathways to Human Development

This Report surveys critical aspects of human development, from political freedoms and empowerment to sustainability and human security, and outlines a broader agenda for research and policies to resp...

by Jeni Klugman | On 06 May 2014

Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All

The Human Development Report 2011 explores the integral links between environmental sustainability and equity and shows that these are critical to expanding human freedoms for people today and in gene...

by Jeni Klugman | On 06 May 2014

The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World

The 2013 Human Development Report, The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World looks at the evolving geopolitics of our times, examining emerging issues and trends and also the new actors...

by Khalid Malik | On 06 May 2014

Annual Report 2010-11 Department Of Food and Public Distribution

The primary Policy objective of the Department of Food& Public Distribution is to ensure food security for the country through timely and efficient procurement and distribution of foodgrains. This inv...

by MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DIST GOI | On 05 May 2014

The Food Security Policy Context in South Africa

The analysis in this report leads to an overall conclusion that the IFSS is an excellent strategy on paper and a relevant framework for different stakeholders, but in reality it lacks implementing pow...

by Josee Koch | On 29 Apr 2014

Humanity Divided: Confronting Inequality in Developing Countries

This report demonstrates that inequality in society is an old and fatal phenomenon. If left unchecked, it can undermine the very foundations of development and social and domestic peace. This Report r...

by United Nations Development Programme UNDP | On 18 Apr 2014

Human Development in India: Challenges for a Society in Transition

This report highlights the way in which poverty and a?uence intersect with age-old divisions of regional inequalities, gender, caste, and religion that have long structured human development in India....

by Sonalde Desai | On 17 Apr 2014

(En) Gendering a Rights Revolution

The article highlights of the SC judgment on Transgender Rights and why it will go down in history as one of the most rights enhancing decisions in the Court’s history.

by Siddharth Narrain | On 16 Apr 2014

Too many missed opportunities: Human rights in Afghanistan under the Karzai administration

This report presents an assessment of the human rights record of President Hamid Karzai’s administration, following the ousting of the Taliban. Amnesty International has evaluated overall trends of pr...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 11 Apr 2014

Politics and Public Policies: Politics of Human Development in Uttar Pradesh, India

In India, public policies for human development are politically contested for many reasons like diverse political interests, commitment to specific social bases by political regimes etc. They have r...

by Shyam Singh | On 10 Apr 2014

Aggregate Fertility and Household Savings: A General Equilibrium Analysis using Micro Data

This study uses micro data and an OLG model to show that general equi- librium forces are critical for understanding the relationship between aggregate fertility and household savings. [BREAD WP No....

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 03 Apr 2014

Lok Sabha Elections, 2014: Fascism, Democracy’s Challenges and Role of Citizens

PUCL through this statement, wishes to bring to the attention of the people of India, the serious threat to democracy itself and the human rights challenges posed by the electoral alliances and cal...

by People's Union of Civil Liberties PUCL | On 03 Apr 2014

Revival of Rural PDS: Expansion and Outreach

Using the recent rounds of NSS data, this paper evaluates the performance and outreach of India's public distribution system (PDS) in the rural areas. The results suggest a significant improvement in...

by Andaleeb Rahman | On 02 Apr 2014

Price Transmission and Market Power in Modern Agricultural Value Chains

Price transmission is theoretically examined and how exogenous consumer price shocks (triggered for instance by income changes, global shocks, or by changes in consumer preferences) are transmitted to...

by Johan F.M. Swinnen | On 20 Mar 2014

Is Self-Employment the Answer to Caste Discrimination? Decomposing the Earnings Gap in Indian Household Nonfarm Businesses

Using the India Human Development Survey data for 2004-05, two methodologies are used to estimate the earnings structure of household nonfarm businesses owned by Scheduled Castes and Tribes (SCSTs)...

by Ashwini Deshpande | On 20 Mar 2014

Does Income Inequality Cause Health And Social Problems?

This report provides an independent review of the evidence about the impact of inequality. The report examines whether or not there is a link between income inequality and health and social problems;...

by Karen Rowlingson | On 14 Mar 2014

Problems and Prospects of Small-Scale Industries in India

The decade of the 1990s was marked by considerable deregulation of the industrial economy through delicensing and dereservations. The problem of sickness in small-scale industries is due to under-uti...

by Reddy . Koti | On 11 Mar 2014

Liberalization, Informal Sector and Formal-Informal Sectors’ Relationship: A Study of India

This paper shows how India initiated the process to integrate its domestic economy with the world economy from early 1990s due to severe balance of payments crisis, high fiscal deficit and high inflat...

by Indrajit Bairagya | On 10 Mar 2014

Global Value Chains And Development

Global trade in goods and services, which today amounts to more than $20 trillion, includes a significant amount of double counting. Raw material extracted in one country may be exported first to a se...

by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development | On 10 Mar 2014

Debating Poverty

The first of a series of eSSays dossiers on issues of public concern. Guest editor: M.H. Suryanarayana. Contents: Poverty Line: Pursuit of an Elusive Minimum by M.H. Suryanarayana Fixing Poverty...

by eSocialSciences eSS | On 08 Mar 2014

Equity and Health Sector Reforms: Can Low-Income Countries Escape the Medical Poverty Trap?

The paper discusses two of the trends in market-oriented health-sector reforms pushed forward from the international institutions, namely: the introduction of user fees for public services and the gro...

by Margaret Whitehead | On 04 Mar 2014

Determinants of Social Mobility in India

The role of caste and community in class mobility and the impact of modernisation on such processes has long been a subject of local ethnographic research. This study, by using sample data from 1996 N...

by Anthony Heath | On 04 Mar 2014

What Does it Take to Become a Software Professional?

Rather than place of origin (rural vs urban) or economic background, two educated parents most commonly characterise newly recruited software professionals in Bangalore. A survey of three software fir...

by Anirudh Krishna | On 04 Mar 2014

Making it in India: Examining Social Mobility in Three Walks of Life

Inequality is rising in India alongside rapid economic growth, reinforcing the need to investigate social mobility. Are children from less well-off sections also able to rise to higher-paying position...

by Anirudh Krishna | On 04 Mar 2014

Examining the Structure of Opportunity and Social Mobility in India: Who Becomes an Engineering Student?

Rising inequality alongside rapid economic growth reinforces the need to examine patterns of social mobility in India. Are children from less well-off sections also able to rise to higher-paying posit...

by Anirudh Krishna | On 04 Mar 2014

Economic Growth, Health and Poverty: An Exploratory Study for India

This article analyses the possible links between economic growth, poverty and health, using panel data for the Indian states. The findings indicate that, though growth tends to reduce poverty, signifi...

by Indrani Gupta | On 04 Mar 2014

Neo-Liberal Policy and Food Security in India: Impact on the Public Distribution System

This paper studies the problem of chronic hunger and malnutrition in India. The government of India introduced the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in 1997 replacing the Universal Public Dis...

by Madhura Swaminathan | On 03 Mar 2014

Breaking the Caste Barrier: Intergenerational Mobility in India

The report studies the extent and evolution of this lack of mobility by contrasting the inter-generational mobility rates of the historically disadvantaged scheduled castes and tribes in India with th...

by Viktoria Hnatkovska | On 28 Feb 2014

Social Mobility of Caste and Tribes in India

Explains how the social difference between the caste system and different tribes was contained even through the caste system was officially abolished. Presents a general model of social mobility based...

by Panizza Philipp | On 28 Feb 2014

Human Development, Poverty, Health & Nutrition Situation in India

This study was undertaken to assess the trends in HDI, human poverty index (HPI) and incidence of poverty among Indian states, the socio-economic, health, and diet and nutritional indicators which det...

by G.M. Antony | On 28 Feb 2014

Banks Competition, Managerial Efficiency and the Interest Rate Pass-through in India.

If banks solve an inter-temporal problem under adverse selection and moral hazard, then bank specific factors, regulatory and supervisory features, market structure, and macroeconomic factors affect ...

by Jugnu Ansari | On 21 Feb 2014

Social, Economic and Educational Status of the Muslim Community of India

In 2006 Sachar Committee prepared a report on the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India. The Indian Constitution is committed to the equality of citizens and the res...

by Ministry of Human Resource Development, GOI | On 20 Feb 2014

Middle-Income Trap: Economic Myth, Political Reality

While Asia continues to set pace as the world’s fastest growing region, some Asian middle-income countries (MICs) are showing signs of economic slowdown and face stiff competition from lower-cost econ...

by ASIA FOUNDATION | On 10 Feb 2014

Sold to the Sea: Human Trafficking in Thailand's fishing industry

Thailand’s economy is heavily reliant on labour-intensive industries. However, growing economic prosperity since the late 1980s has seen a decline in the available Thai workforce needed to meet the la...

by Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) | On 24 Jan 2014

National Food Security Bill Challenges and Options

Despite ensuring ample availability of food, existence of food insecurity at the micro-level in the country has remained a formidable challenge for India. The recently introduced National Food Securit...

by Ashok Gulati | On 23 Jan 2014

India’s Role For Promotion of Human Rights in Third Countries Through Universal Periodic Review

This report analyses India’s Role For Promotion of Human Rights in Third Countries Through Universal Periodic Review. Under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, the United Nations Human Righ...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 23 Jan 2014

The Price of Steel-Human Rights and forced evictions in the POSCO-India Steel Project

The POSCO project in India is a story all too familiar. This is a story about attempts to forcibly evict thousands of families from their homes, their fields, and their forests to make way for a massi...

by Smita Narula | On 22 Jan 2014

India, Bangladesh and Nepal: Learning Lessons, Facing Challenges.

In many ways, India is kindred with its two neighbors, Bangladesh and Nepal. Whether it is in geography I or demographics, infrastructure or economic issues, or poverty and human development, these th...

by Jayshree Sengupta | On 21 Jan 2014

Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Operational Plan, 2013–2020

Gender equity is one of the five drivers of change in the Asian Development Bank(ADB) Strategy 2020. ADB recognizes that without harnessing the talents, human capital and economics potential of women,...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 20 Jan 2014

Health in the Post-2015 Development Agenda for Asia and the Pacific

The paper discusses the key health challenges in the post 2015 development agenda for Asia and the Pacific, a highly populated, diverse region of countries with different health needs and priorities....

by Yanzhong Huang | On 20 Jan 2014

Growth and Redistribution: Is there 'Trickle Down' Effect in the Philippines?

The aim of this research is to explore the determinants of household income and expenditure growth, and assess whether the poor are benefitting from economic development. Using regression analysis,...

by Danileen Kristel C Parel | On 17 Jan 2014

Gender Equality and the Labour Market: Cambodia, Kazakhstan and Philippines

Increasing job opportunities and decent work for women are essential for inclusive growth, and they are vital for advancing economic and social development in a country. This approach to attaining eco...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 16 Jan 2014

Functioning of the Public Distribution System: An Analytical Report

During September 2013, Parliament passed the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. The NFSA seeks to make the right to food a legal entitlement by providing subsidised food grains to nearly two-th...

by Sakshi Balani | On 07 Jan 2014

Manual for Integrated District Planning: Report of the Task Force of the Planning Commission

This manual is a step by step guide to district planning which will assist planners at the local, district and State levels. District planning, by taking into account resources locally available, in...

by Planning Commission | On 07 Jan 2014

Editors’ Wishes for an Illuminated Season and an Open New Year

There are great opportunities for Open Access publications to advance human health, provided the medical research and publishing communities can rise to the challenges that come with them. There are m...

by Plos medicine Editors | On 06 Jan 2014

Editors’ Wishes for an Illuminated Season and an Open New Year

There are great opportunities for Open Access publications to advance human health, provided the medical research and publishing communities can rise to the challenges that come with them. There a...

by Plos medicine Editors | On 02 Jan 2014

Providing Income Security for the Elderly

Despite high and long-lasting economic growth, inequalities are widening in most countries in Asia and the Pacific. Currently over 1.6 billion people in the region live on less than $2 per day, of whi...

by United Nations Economic and Social Commission (UNESCAP) | On 23 Dec 2013

Attitudes Towards Risk of Forest Dependent Communities Evidence from Andhra Pradesh

This study is an attempt to generate empirical evidence on attitude towards risk of forest dependent communities (FDCs). The FDCs covered in the study include two different geographical regions from...

by B. Sundar | On 05 Dec 2013

The World Trade Organization and the Post-Global Food Crisis Agenda

This policy note offers a preliminary assessment of the compatibility between the WTO and efforts to protect the human right to adequate food as part of the post-crisis food security agenda. Existing...

by Olivier Schutter | On 02 Dec 2013

Child Work and Schooling in Rural North India: What do Time Use Data Say about Tradeoffs and Drivers of Human Capital Investment?

This study examines time use data for 1244 children in the age-group 6-12 years in 274 villages in eight states in rural north India to understand the tradeoffs between time spent in school, time sp...

by Sudha Narayanan | On 02 Dec 2013

Remoteness and Unbalanced Growth: Understanding Divergence Across Indian Districts

The existing literature on Indian growth finds no evidence of convergence across states. This represents a puzzle given the relatively free flows of capital, labor and commodities across state borde...

by Samarjit Das | On 27 Nov 2013

Migrant Workers’ Rights to Social Protection in ASEAN: Case Studies of Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand

The UN estimates that there are 214 million migrants globally (IOM, 2010), making up 3% of the world’s total population. Increasing rapidly, the number of migrants globally could exceed 400 million by...

by FREDRICH STIFTUNG | On 15 Nov 2013

Nepal’s Constituent Assembly Elections: A Lesson For The Convicted Politicians?

As Nepal prepares to hold the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections on 19th November 2013, there already seems to be one positive lesson: those “convicted of a criminal offence involving moral turpitu...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 11 Nov 2013

Economic Conditions of the In-Migrant Workers in Kerala: A Case Study in the Trivandrum District

The major objective of the paper is to examine the economic conditions of the in-migrant workers in Kerala. This has been done by analysing their savings, income and consumption pattern and nature o...

by Dilip Saikia | On 11 Nov 2013

Remittance Needs and Opportunities in India

This report synthesises a national study on domestic migration and remittance flows, four migration corridor studies, and an analysis of the Indian payment system with respect to small money transfe...

by Y S P Thorat | On 22 Oct 2013

Global Slavery Index

Modern slavery includes slavery, slavery-like practices (such as debt bondage, forced marriage, and sale or exploitation of children), human trafficking and forced labour. This is the first year of...

by Walk Free Foundation | On 18 Oct 2013

Ostracised and Abandoned: Widows in India

Widows from West Bengal, the northeastern states and Bangladesh still make their way to the ashrams of Vrindavan, Mathura and Varanasi, in the hope that in the holy cities, god will not allow anyone t...

by Hutokshi Doctor | On 15 Oct 2013

Human Development in India: Cost of Inequality

The article shows how it is possible to achieve economic growth and equitable income distribution using human development approach through empirical evidence from the state of Kerala.

by Ankush Agrawal | On 14 Oct 2013

Financial Literacy among Working Young in Urban India

The paper reports investigation of a study on the influence of various socio-demographic factors on different dimensions of financial literacy among the working young in urban India. While the influe...

by Sobhesh Kumar Agarwalla | On 14 Oct 2013

Hunger in India

The first step toward change is awareness. Do take out some time to know what's happening in the country we live in. This video has been designed to spread awareness about food insecurity in India,...

by The Hunger Project Project | On 11 Oct 2013

Incentive Effects of Capital Gains and Inheritance Taxes on Interstate Migration: The Holt and Shelton Analysis Revisited

The present study attempts to analyse the effect of capital gains and inheritance taxes on individual decisions to migrate. [NIPFP WP no. 81].

by Martin David | On 11 Oct 2013

Far(M)ore = Farm (grow) + More (income-livelihood)

The project aims to grow fruits and vegetables on roof tops of community houses. This will be income generating for the community. [DRP].

by } Design Research Publication Cell DRP | On 10 Oct 2013

Missing Labour Force or ‘De-Feminization’ of Labour Force in India ?

The gendered division of household labour, stigma attached to paid labour and status production has precipitated withdrawal from paid work as a strategy to reduce the double burden of women. Upward s...

by Vinoj Abraham | On 09 Oct 2013

The Human Capital Report

The Human Capital Index explores the contributors and inhibitors to the development and deployment of a healthy, educated and productive labour force, and has generated the information contained in...

by World Economic Forum WEF | On 04 Oct 2013

Learning and Earning: Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in India

This paper estimates the short-and-medium-run effects of participating in a sub- sidized vocational training program aimed at improving labor market outcomes of women residing in low-income househol...

by Pushkar Maitra | On 30 Sep 2013

Rural Poverty and the Public Distribution System

Presented are estimates of the impact of India’s Public Distribution System on rural poverty, using National Sample Survey data for 2009-10 and official poverty lines. At the all India level, the PD...

by Jean Dreze | On 27 Sep 2013

A Social Accounting Matrix for India 2007-08

The present study attempts to build a SAM for India for 2007–08. This SAM consists of 78 sectors and nine categories of households which are based on occupation and location (i.e. rural and urban)....

by Basanta K. Pradhan | On 26 Sep 2013

The National Food Security Act, 2013

Our public distribution system has been severely criticized for its gaping lacunae. To fill in these gaps, a new Act was originally conceived by the National Advisory Council headed by Congress Presid...

by Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs GOI | On 17 Sep 2013

How will India Facilitate a Credible and Independent Investigation in Sri Lanka?

At the UN Human Rights Council’s (HRC) 22nd session in Geneva India quietly registered its dismay at the lack of progress made by Sri Lanka since its commitments at the Council in 2009. While urging...

by Raghu Menon | On 14 Sep 2013

Climate Variability and Internal Migration: A Test on Indian Inter-State Migration

Migration data is matched from the Indian census with climate data to test the hypothesis of climate variability as a push factor for internal migration. The main contribution of the analysis is to...

by Ingrid Dallmann | On 06 Sep 2013

Preliminary Evidence on Internal Migration, Remittances, and Teen Schooling in India

Migration can serve as an outlet for employment, higher earnings, and reduced income risk for households in developing countries. The 2004–2005 Human Development Profile of India survey is used to exa...

by Valerie Mueller | On 06 Sep 2013

Migration and Poverty in India: A Multi-Patterned and Complex Reality

The paper reviews the existing evidence on migration-poverty interface in the light of the macro and micro level studies in India. It also discusses the extent, patterns, and correlates of short term...

by Amita Shah | On 03 Sep 2013

Unilateral Facilitation Does Not Raise International Labor Migration from the Philippines

A large-scale randomized experiment was conducted in the Philippines testing the impact of unilaterally facilitating international labor migration. [BREAD Working Paper No. 396].

by Emily Beam | On 03 Sep 2013

A Tale of Two Farms: Agricultural support in India and Thailand

For agricultural subsidies to be efficient in improving farmers’ incomes and eradicating hunger, holistic policy intervention is required. Complementary policies such as increased access to credit and...

by Maria C.S. Morales | On 30 Aug 2013

India Shadow Report

The gains made since ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) are plenty, but the reality of children’s situation is disturbing on many counts calling for urgent and serious att...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 26 Aug 2013

Anti-Superstition Legislation

After a long and gruelling campaign by ANS for the past eight years to enact a Law against Superstition which harm the citizens, the Maharashtra State Government under the leadership of the new Chie...

by Maharashtra Andhshraddha Nirmoolan Samiti MANS | On 22 Aug 2013

Food Prices, Wages, and Welfare in Rural India

This paper considers the welfare and distributional consequences of higher relative food prices in rural India through the lens of a specific-factors, general equilibrium, trade model applied at the...

by Hanan G Jacoby | On 22 Aug 2013

The Companies Bill, 2012

A bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to companies. [Ministry of Corporate Affairs]. URL:[http://www.mca.gov.in/Ministry/pdf/The_Companies_Bill_2012.pdf].

by Ministry of Corporate Affairs GOI | On 09 Aug 2013

The Effect of Breastfeeding on Educational Attainment: Evidence from Sibling Data

Using data on sibling pairs drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we estimate the effect of having been breastfed on high school graduation, high school grades, and coll...

by Denizhan Duran | On 08 Aug 2013

The Changing Pattern of Internal Migration in India: Issues and Challenges

This paper is an attempt to understand the emerging migration patterns in India and issues underlying it. With globalisation, urbanisation and accompanying changes in socio-economic conditions, migran...

by Sandhya Rani Mahapatro | On 07 Aug 2013

Basic Household Amenities in India: A Progress Report

The present paper makes an attempt to analyse the progress of India in three important ‘basic human needs’ essential for a human life. These are access to latrine facility, safe drinking water and ele...

by Udaya S. Mishra | On 01 Aug 2013

Patterns of Migration, Water Scarcity and Caste in Rural Northern Gujarat

Patterns of rural-urban migration and employment shifts in a region that is facing ongoing depletion of groundwater resources in Northern Gujarat, India is discussed. Given that migration typically d...

by Ram Fishman | On 30 Jul 2013

Perils of the Drug Trade: Implications and Challenges of Central Asia’s “Northern Route”

The international trade in Afghan drugs is one of the most significant transnational threats emanating from Central Asia. Exacerbated by weak border management, corruption, and lack of income-generat...

by Lars-Erik Lundin | On 26 Jul 2013

Why Is Mobility in India So Low? Social Insurance, Inequality, and Growth

This paper examines the hypothesis that the persistence of low spatial and marital mobility in rural India, despite increased growth rates and rising inequality in recent years, is due to the existenc...

by Kaivan Munshi | On 22 Jul 2013

Nutritional status of school going adolescents in a rural block of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

Background: Poor nutritional status during adolescence is an important determinant of health outcome. The adolescents have different needs and have diverse problems. This study was conducted to asses...

by Dey I | On 15 Jul 2013

An Economic Investigation of Corruption and Electricity Theft

Theft and corruption are common in electricity distribution systems worldwide. Electricity theft is analysed in the framework of an individual’s choice under uncertainty and through a three-layered pr...

by Faisal Jamil | On 10 Jul 2013

Agrarian Distress and Rural Livelihoods: A Study in Upputhara Panchayat, Idukki District, Kerala

This study examines the impact of agrarian distress on the different socio-economic groups, the strategies of livelihood adopted by households and the local institution in shaping these strategies. Th...

by K.N. Nair | On 28 Jun 2013

Recession and Child Labour: A Theoritical Analysis

This paper provides a theoretical model of the impact of recession (income shock) on household's child labor (CL) decision. Parental altruism is endogenized; as their choice of substituting child lab...

by Sahana Roy Chowdhury | On 25 Jun 2013

Federal Budget in Brief 2013-14: Pakistan

Budget brief Pakistan 2013-14. [Government of Pakistan]. URL:[http://www.finance.gov.pk/budget/Budget_in_Brief_2013_14.pdf].

by Minister of Finance Pakistan | On 14 Jun 2013

Does Political Competition Influence Human Development? Evidence from the Indian States

Recently, it has been argued that political competition may have similar effects on economic performance as market competition. This study empirically examines this proposition by linking political co...

by Bharatee Bhushan Dash | On 05 Jun 2013

An Observer

An Observer portrays the plight of inter state migrants in India. Dreams are limns of reality that sometimes remain shattered, which also signifies the fact that life is a beautiful 'bitter fruit'. ...

by Raghu Raman | On 04 Jun 2013

Revisiting the Growth-Inflation Nexus: A Wavelet Analysis

Motivated by the concern that the recent surge in inflation could retard growth, the paper revisits the nexus between inflation and growth from the perspective of an emerging economy, India. Examining...

by Saumitra N Bhaduri | On 23 May 2013

Understanding the Dynamics of Socio-Economic Mobility: Tales from Two Indian Villages

The study takes a comparative approach by examining household livelihood mobility within two very different villages, in the same district administration of Madhya Pradesh (MP), India. [ODI Working Pa...

by Caroline Wilson | On 26 Apr 2013

Circular Migration in India

This brief explores circular migration in India and the policy response, and impact of this policy response, on the welfare of migrants and more broadly, on regional inequality. [ODI Policy Brief No....

by Kate Bird | On 24 Apr 2013

Push and Pull Factors of Migration: A Case Study of Brick Kiln Migrant Workers in Punjab

The present study is concerned with the migrant who has changed his/her place of residence from a state other than Punjab and is working in brick-kiln industry as worker. [Repec]. URL:[http://mpra.ub...

by Gursharan Singh Kainth | On 15 Apr 2013

Submission of 1392 National Budget, Afghanistan

H.E Finance Minister’s Speech for Mishrano Jirga. [Ministry of Finance, Afghanistan]. URL:[http://mof.gov.af/Content/files/HE%20Minister%20Speech%20to%20Mishranow%20Jirga-%20English%20after%20review....

by Ministry of Finance Afghanistan | On 10 Apr 2013

The 2013 Empowerment Budget: Philippines

The national budget is truly a potent tool for the economy to journey towards inclusive growth that would empower Filipinos through deliverance from backbreaking poverty. [Senate of the Philippines]....

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 08 Apr 2013

Economic Survey 2012-13: A Comedy of Errors?

There is lack of clarity and concepts in the Economic Survey. The Survey has not covered many topics which it was expected to cover.

by Suryanarayana M H | On 02 Mar 2013

Target the Beneficiaries in the 2013-14 Budget

In spite of several programmes in the country to reduce undernutrition, India continues to have a large number malnourished women and children. In the coming Budget the government has to make some eff...

by Rudra Narayan Mishra | On 26 Feb 2013

An Investigation into Changes in Nagaland's Population between 1971 and 2011

Nagaland’s population decreased during 2001–11 after growing at abnormally high rates during the past few decades. This is the first time since independence that a state in India has witnessed an ab...

by Ankush Agrawal | On 21 Feb 2013

Identification for Development: The Biometrics Revolution

This paper surveys 160 cases where biometric identification has been used for economic, political, and social purposes in developing countries. About half of these cases have been supported by donors...

by Alan Gelb | On 15 Feb 2013

Standing Committee on Finance on Companies Bill

The Companies Bill, 2009 was introduced on August 3rd 2009. The Standing Committee presented its report on August 31st 2010. The central government withdrew this Bill in the winter session of 2011. I...

by Parliamentary Research Service PRS | On 11 Feb 2013

The Companies Bill, 2011

A bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to companies. [PRS]. URL:[http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Company/companies%20bill%202011.pdf].

by Parliamentary Research Service PRS | On 11 Feb 2013

BMC Budget Speech-Education, 2013-14

estimates of receipts and expenditure for the financial year 2013-14 with respect to the primary education. [BMC]. URL:[http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/go/km/docs/documents/MCGM%20Department%20List/Chief%...

by Municipal Commissioner BMC | On 11 Feb 2013

BMC Budget Speech, 2013-14

The estimates of receipt and income and expenditure pertaining to the Budgets ‘A’ (Fund code 11, 12, 60, 70), ‘B’ (Fund Code 21, 22, 23) and ‘E’ (Fund Code 40) for the financial year 2013-14 in pursua...

by Municipal Commissioner BMC | On 11 Feb 2013

Property Tax System in India: Problems and Prospects of Reform

This paper analyses the property tax system in India, examines the reasons for its low revenue productivity, reviews the recent reform initiatives and identifies further reform areas. [NIPFP Working P...

by M. Govinda Rao | On 06 Feb 2013

New Frontiers, New Struggles: Press Freedom in South Asia 2011-12

Journalism in South Asia is facing many challenges with physical security being a major issue in most of the region. Several countries may have improved relatively due to decisions to reduce the risks...

by International Federation of Journalists IFJ | On 04 Feb 2013

Firewood Collections and Economic Growth in Rural Nepal 1995-2010: Evidence from a Household Panel

A longitudinal household survey from World Bank Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS) was used for the study. A relatively small (but representative) sample of households residing in the mountain...

by Jean-Marie Baland | On 28 Jan 2013

Building a Knowledge Base on Population Ageing in India: Report on the Status of Elderly in Select States of India, 2011

To understand the ageing in India, a primary survey was carried out in seven states – Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal – having a higher percentage of...

by United Nations Population Fund UNFPA | On 08 Jan 2013

PUDR's Submission of Suggestions to Verma Commission for Changes in Law and Procedure Regarding Violence Against Women

Legal mechanisms to achieve justice should factor in the challenges and roadblocks of its implementation, structural or otherwise, right from the stage of planning and framing the law. Law can be expe...

by D Manjit | On 08 Jan 2013

The Real Exchange Rate and Export Growth: Are Services Different?

The determinants of exports of services, distinguishing between modern and traditional services are considered. The growth of export volumes and so-called export surges – periods of rapid sustained...

by Barry Eichengreen | On 02 Jan 2013

Vital Stats: Parliament in Winter Session 2012

The first half of the Winter Session of Parliament, 2012 was dominated by disruptions over and discussion on the government's notification to allow 51% FDI in the retail sector. The issue was finally...

by Devika Malik | On 21 Dec 2012

An Assessment of Livelihood and Educational Status of Sanitation Workers in Ahmedabad, Gujarat

This study was conducted in 25 neighborhoods and 5 zones of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). A total of 50 sanitation workers were interviewed and through them the condition of their famil...

by Ashish Mishra | On 05 Dec 2012

Provide Human Security through Human Development

Review of the book 'Peace is Everybody's Business: Strategy for Conflict Prevention' by Arjun Ray. Number of pages: 264, Price Rs. 495/-.

by Irfan Engineer | On 03 Dec 2012

Foreign Investment in Farmland No Low-hanging Fruit

A key driver of foreign investment in land, food security is a challenge mankind has been confronted with in various times and places. Wherever human societies have developed, growing needs have led t...

by Claire Schaffnit Chatterjee | On 15 Nov 2012

The Buoyant Billions: How “Middle Class” Are the New Middle Classes in Developing Countries? (And Why Does It Matter?)

Middle-income countries (MICs) are now home to most of the world’s extreme poor—the billion people living on less than $1.25 a day and a further billion people living on between $1.25 and $2. At the s...

by Andy Sumner | On 05 Nov 2012

Demographics, Labor Mobility, and Productivity

This paper considers two major issues that need to be treated as matters of urgency. First, internal (within country) migrations in the Asian (ACI) region are mostly undocumented and large. It is show...

by E J Wilson | On 05 Nov 2012

Tackling Urban and Rural Food Wastage in Southeast Asia: Issues and Interventions

Food wastage is prevalent in Southeast Asia and has significant implications for the region’s food, environmental and economic security. It is likely that the region wastes approximately 33 per cent o...

by Paul S Teng | On 08 Oct 2012

The Gender Gap in Mathematics: Evidence from Low-and-Middle Income Countries

Is there a gender gap in mathematics across many low- and middle-income countries? A detailed, comparable test score data is used to analyze this. Micro level data on school performance linked to h...

by Prashant Bharadwaj | On 04 Oct 2012

The Sexual Harrasment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2012

The Lok Sabha (the Lower House of the Parliament) has, on 3 September 2012, passed the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2012. The Bill now remains...

by Ministry of Labour and Employment MoL&E | On 01 Oct 2012

Poverty, Human Development and Health Financing in India

This study aims at analyzing the differentials across rich and poor states and across rich and poorer strata and rural urban segments of 19 major Indian states. The study indicates that besides ind...

by Brijesh C Purohit | On 28 Sep 2012

Bihar: What went wrong? And what changed?

A historical narrative of Bihar is provided context to much of its current state, Focus is given on its contemporary economy in the past three decades to better understand the moribund state of its ec...

by Arnab Mukherji | On 28 Sep 2012

On the Internal Mobility of Indians: Knowledge Gaps and Emerging Concerns

This paper identifies key knowledge gaps on the issue of migration and commuting workers in India. [WP-2012-023]. URL:[http://www.igidr.ac.in/pdf/publication/WP-2012-023.pdf].

by S. Chandrasekhar | On 27 Sep 2012

What Do Teachers Do? Teacher Quality Vis-a-vis Teacher Quantity in a Model of Public Education and Growth

This paper analyses the contribution of teachers in a public education system and its implication for growth. Focus is given exclusively on two teacher-specfi?c inputs (teacher quality and teacher q...

by Mausumi Das | On 21 Sep 2012

Food Subsidy in India: Trends, Causes and Policy Reform Options

This paper analyses the trends in volume of food subsidy in the post-reforms period (1991-92 to 2012-13) and then examines various components of food subsidy, which are under the control of FCI and th...

by Vijay Paul Sharma | On 20 Sep 2012

Energy Savings Potential and Policy for Energy Conservation in Selected Indian Manufacturing Industries

This paper focuses on the assessment of energy savings potential in seven highly energy consuming industries. The paper estimates the energy savings potential for each of these industries using unit l...

by Manish Gupta | On 17 Sep 2012

NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY 2003

The earlier National Youth Policy was formulated in 1988. The socio-economic conditions in the country have since undergone a significant change and have been shaped by wide-ranging technological adva...

by Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs YAS | On 12 Sep 2012

Costly Posturing: Relative Status, Ceremonies, and Early Child Development in China

A primary census-type panel household survey is show that in 18 villages in rural China, child health status has barely improved in the past decades despite more than double digit of annual per capita...

by Xi Chen | On 07 Sep 2012

Contribution of the Unorganized Sector to GDP Report of the Sub Committee of a NCEUS Task Force

The task of the Sub-committee was to review the existing methodologies for estimating the contribution of unorganized/informal sector to GDP and suggest measures to facilitate direct estimation. The G...

by NCEUS NCEUS | On 06 Sep 2012

Economic and Financial Developments in Uttarakhand

A brief outline of the economic and financial structure of the State and the various financial inclusion initiatives taken by the Reserve Bank is highlighted. But there are some policy challenges in s...

by Deepak Mohanty | On 03 Sep 2012

Health Policy Processes in Gujarat: A Case Study of the Policy for Independent Nurse Practitioners in Midwifery

The policy processes of the policy on ‘Nurse practitioners in midwifery’ (NPM) are described. The policy aims to educate and create a new cadre of competent midwives in the government hospitals as an...

by Sharma Bharati | On 03 Sep 2012

Creating a Vibrant Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in India: Report of the Committee on Angel Investment and Early Stage Venture Capital

Even though the economic and social benefits of thriving entrepreneurship and innovation are evident, it is critical to recognize that these benefits will only accrue if the key gaps in the ecosystem...

by Planning Commission | On 31 Aug 2012

The Economic Consequences of Excess Men: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Taiwan

As sex ratio imbalances have become a problem in an increasing number of countries, it is important to understand their consequences. With the defeat of the Kuomintang Party in China, more than one mi...

by Simon Chang | On 28 Aug 2012

Coordinating Healthcare and Pension Policies: An Exploratory Study

Rapid ageing of the population globally represents an unprecedented historical trend. As pension and healthcare costs are positively correlated with rising incomes, ageing, urbanization, and a shift f...

by Azad Singh Bali | On 20 Aug 2012

Community Mobilization in Mumbai Slums to Improve Perinatal Care and Outcomes: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Improving maternal and newborn health in low-income settings requires both health service and community action. Previous community initiatives have been predominantly rural, but India is urbanizing....

by Neena Shah More | On 17 Aug 2012

Issues in Development Studies in the 21st Century

Review of the book Challenges for Development in 21st Century by Ruby Ojha, B.R. Publications, 2011.

by Vibhuti Patel | On 14 Aug 2012

Capitalism as a System of Contingent Expectations: Toward a Sociological Microfoundation of Political Economy

Political economy and economic sociology have developed in relative isolation from each other. While political economy focuses largely on macrophenomena, economic sociology focuses on the level of soc...

by Jens Beckert | On 07 Aug 2012

Consequences of Gestational Diabetes in an Urban Hospital in Viet Nam: A Prospective Cohort Study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing and is a risk for type 2 diabetes. Evidence supporting screening comes mostly from high-income countries. Prevalence and outcomes in urban Viet Nam ar...

by Jane E Hirst | On 03 Aug 2012

Examination of Intense Climate-Related Disasters in Asia-Pacific

The frequency of intense floods and storms is increasing globally, particularly in Asia-Pacific, amid the specter of climate change. Associated with these natural disasters are more variable and ext...

by Vinod Thomas | On 26 Jul 2012

Obituary: Mrinal Gore (1928-2012)

Obituary: Mrinal Gore (1928-2012)

by Vibhuti Patel | On 23 Jul 2012

National Strategy for Financial Education

India is having large population, a fast growing economy with national focus on inclusive growth and an urgent need to develop a vibrant and stable financial system, it is all the more necessary to...

by Pranab Mukherjee | On 20 Jul 2012

Child Malnutrition in Pakistan: Trends and Determinants

The major objective of this paper to examine the determinants of child malnutrition, based on the Pakistan Panel Household Survey (PPHS-2010). The study has focused on individual (child), household an...

by G M Arif | On 16 Jul 2012

How Close Does the Apple Fall to the Tree? Some Evidence on Intergenerational Occupational Mobility from India

Using data from the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) 2005, intergenerational occupational mobility in India is examined, an issue on which very few systematic and rigorous studies exist. Individ...

by Sripad Motiram | On 12 Jul 2012

India’s 2012 UPR Examination: No Commitment on Enhancing Human Rights but a Mountain to Climb

On 24th May 2012, the United Nations Human Right Council reviewed India’s human rights record during the 13th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland. This was India’s...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 12 Jul 2012

Recommendations on the Proposed Disability Rights Legislation

Estimates of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in India vary greatly depending on the source. The 2001 census found 21.91 million disabled persons (2.13 % of the population), but there are serious cons...

by National Advisory Council NAC | On 11 Jul 2012

Does Access to Secondary Education Affect Primary Schooling? Evidence from India

This paper investigates if better access to secondary education increases enrolment in primary schools among children in the 6–10 age group. A household-level longitudinal survey is also done coveri...

by Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay | On 10 Jul 2012

Priority-Setting in Health: Building Institutions for Smarter Public Spending

Creating and developing fair and evidence-based national and global systems to more rationally set priorities for public spending on health. An interim secretariat should be there to incubate a global...

by Amanda Glassman | On 10 Jul 2012

Intra- and Inter-national University-Industry Linkage and Innovation in Emerging Economies: Evidence from China

The different role of intra- and inter-national university-industry collaboration in industrial innovation in emerging economies are investigated. Based on a national firm-level survey database from...

by Xiaolan Fu | On 09 Jul 2012

Small Farmers in India: Challenges and Opportunities

This paper examines the roles and challenges of small holding agriculture in India. It covers trends in agricultural growth, cultivation patterns, participation of small holding agriculture, productiv...

by S. Mahendra Dev | On 06 Jul 2012

Homo Biometricus: Biometric Recognition Systems and Mobile Internet Services

Biometric procedures are already accepted by millions of people every day on a variety of (social) internet platforms. Biometric identification procedures and their potential applications in everyday...

by Thomas F Dapp | On 05 Jul 2012

National Budget of Bhutan: Financial Year 2012-13

Budget of Bhutan 2012-13. URL:[http://www.mof.gov.bt/downloads/BudgetReport2012.pdf].

by Minister of Finance Bhutan | On 04 Jul 2012

Income Related Inequality in Financial Inclusion and Role of Banks: Evidence on Financial Exclusion in India

This paper analyzes income related inequality in financial inclusion in India using a representative household level survey data, linked to State-level factors. This paper also provides estimates of...

by Rama Pal | On 27 Jun 2012

Responsibility to Protect in Southeast Asia: Enlarging Space for Civil Society

The concept of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is relatively new to many Southeast Asians, who have traditionally relied on the state for security and therefore faced a sense of hopelessness when such...

by Pavin Chachavalpongpun | On 27 Jun 2012

Inclusive National Accounts: Introduction

An outline of what would be ideally needed for a comprehensive set of national accounts is given. National governments and international agencies ought ideally to go even beyond green national accoun...

by Partha Dasgupta | On 22 Jun 2012

What Should Regulation do in the Field of Micro-finance?

Recent events in India have brought a fresh focus on the appropriate regulatory stance towards micro-finance. In this paper, facts and recent experience about Indian microfinance is reviewed. The puz...

by Renuka Sane | On 19 Jun 2012

Capitalism, Religion, and the Idea of the Demonic

Following the debate on the relationship between capitalism and religion, this paper discusses the role of religion in present-day capitalism. It argues that neither the secularization thesis nor the...

by Christoph Deutschmann | On 11 Jun 2012

Price Support, Domestic Procurement Programme and Public Stock Management

This Policy Brief discusses the policy options for improving effectiveness of price support, domestic procurement programme and public stock management in Bangladesh. It has been funded by th...

by Quazi Shahabuddin | On 01 Jun 2012

Human Capital, Economic Growth, and Inequality in China

The paper examines the Chinese Economy on the basis of four factors namely, human development, education, growth and inequality. [IZA DP No. 6550] URL: [http://ftp.iza.org/dp6550.pdf]

by James J Heckman | On 01 Jun 2012

Philippine Productivity Dynamics in the Last Five Decades and Determinants of Total Factor Productivity

The paper reviews the economic growth and productivity dynamics of Philippine economy in the past fifty years. The paper also provides an estimation of determinants of total factor productivity and la...

by Gilberto M Llanto | On 29 May 2012

Climate Change Vulnerability of Mountain Ecosystems in the Eastern Himalayas

The ecosystem of the Eastern Himalayas are vulnerable to climate change as a result of their ecological fragility and economic marginality. The conservation policies at national and regional levels ar...

by Karma Tse-ring | On 28 May 2012

Like Father, Like Son? Intergenerational Education Mobility in India

This paper employs a novel strategy to create a unique father-son matched data that is representative of the entire adult male population in India. Using this father-son matched data, the paper stu...

by Mehtabul Azam | On 28 May 2012

The Impact of 1998 and 2008 Financial Crises on Profitability of Islamic Banks

The paper investigates the profitability of 78 Islamic banks in 25 countries for the period of 1992-2009. The Fixed Effect Model (FEM) used to analyse profitability shows that profit efficiency is pos...

by NOR HAYATI BT AHMAD | On 24 May 2012

Agricultural Growth and Rural Incomes: Rural Performance Indicators and Consumption Patterns

The present paper is part of a larger study on agricultural growth and rural incomes in the Philippines. This study examines the farm-nonfarm linkages of agricultural growth and the mechanisms by w...

by Arsenio M. Balisacan | On 24 May 2012

Trafficking in Persons: Singapore's Evolving Responses

For a long time, sending countries have been the focus of efforts to combat trafficking in persons (TIP). However, in recent years, destination countries such as Singapore have also stepped up their e...

by Pau Khan Khup Hangzo | On 23 May 2012

Black Money

The objective of this paper is to place in the public domain various facets and dimensions of black money and its complex relationship with the policy and administrative regime in the country. The pa...

by Ministry of Finance | On 22 May 2012

Group Norms and the BRAC Village Organization – Enhancing Social Capital Baseline

This study used social capital as an organizing framework to capture VO members’ group behaviour, and their current status along programme activities. The study compared the status of intervention...

by Nayma Qayum | On 22 May 2012

One Planet to Share: Sustaining Human Progress in a Changing Climate

In the run-up to Rio+20, this Asia-Pacific Human Development Report takes a bold look at climate change and what can be done about it. Tackling head-on the issue of poverty reduction and human deve...

by United Nations Development Programme UNDP | On 21 May 2012

Hate Crimes in India: An Economic Analysis of Violence and Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Crimes against the historically marginalized Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) by the upper castes in India represent an extreme form of prejudice and discrimination. In this paper, the ef...

by Smriti Sharma | On 16 May 2012

Adolescent Fertility in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Effects and Solutions

Adolescent fertility in low- and middle-income countries presents a severe impediment to development and can lead to school dropout, lost productivity, and the intergenerational transmission of pover...

by Kate McQueston | On 15 May 2012

Role of Communication in Stigma and Discrimination

The objective of the study was to review media coverage (print ) related to HIV/AIDS in three states (Gujarat, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh) in order to determine the gaps in reporting. [CCMG Working Pa...

by Biswajit Das | On 10 May 2012

Environmental Migrants: A Myth?

This brief reviews recent evidence, examines main research challenges in identifying migration–climate links and discusses the policy options for formalizing migration as an adaptation mechanism to cl...

by Jean-François Maystadt | On 09 May 2012

Dispute Settlement in the WTO, Developing Countries and India

The paper undertakes an examination of the experience of developing countries with dispute settlement vis-à-vis developed countries during the 17 years since the entry into force of the WTO Agreement....

by Anwarul Hoda | On 08 May 2012

Up in Smoke: The Influence of Household Behavior on the Long-Run Impact of Improved Cooking Stoves

It is conventional wisdom that it is possible to reduce exposure to indoor air pollution, improve health outcomes, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions in the rural areas of developing countries thro...

by Rema Hanna | On 03 May 2012

Developing Asia’s Pension Systems and Old-Age Income Support

A broad overview of the current state of pension systems in the People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam is provided. An anal...

by Donghyun Park | On 30 Apr 2012

Liberalisation of Technical Education in Kerala: Has a Significant Increase in Enrolment Translated Into Increase in Supply of Engineers?

Enrolments in engineering in Kerala increased from about 2800 in 1991 to about 28,000 in 2008. The study analyses whether this increase in potential supply of engineers has resulted in actual supply o...

by Sunil Mani | On 25 Apr 2012

Regional Implications of National Reconciliation in Myanmar

The paper examines the implications of Myanmar's reforms for its neighbours- China, India, Thailand and Bangladesh. Issues of major concern to the four countries include energy, humanitarian consequen...

by Lina Gong | On 20 Apr 2012

Modeling Optimal Time-Differential Pricing of Electricity Under Uncertainty: Revisiting the Welfare Foundations

Modeling of the seasonal time-of-day pricing is done of electricity for two types of power systems – pure hydro and hydro-thermal under four structural welfare assumptions – first-best, second-best,...

by N. Vijayamohanan Pillai | On 20 Apr 2012

Draft National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy

The National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy reaffirms the commitment of the Government of India to provide integrated services for holistic development of all children, along the con...

by Government of India Ministry of Women and Child Development | On 20 Apr 2012

Rural Labor and Rural Nonagricultural Activities in the Philippines

The study examines the different aspects of labor in the rural household economy. It identifies the factors that significantly determine the rural households' labor allocation decisions. Moreover, i...

by Maria Teresa C Sanchez | On 18 Apr 2012

Innovative Approaches to Managing Longevity Risk in Asia: Lessons from the West

This paper discusses what is longevity risk, why it is important, approaches used by the West to manage longevity risk and what lessons can be learnt by Asian countries from the experiences of the Wes...

by Amlan Roy | On 18 Apr 2012

Brides for Sale: Cross-Border Marriages and Female Immigration

Every year, a large number of women immigrate as brides from developing countries to developed countries in East Asia. This phenomenon virtually did not exist in the early 1990s, but foreign brides...

by Daiji Kawaguchi | On 16 Apr 2012

What is the Role of Social Pensions in Asia?

The main objective of this paper is to explore the potential role of social pensions and other noncontributory schemes in Asia, informed by insights from theory and international experience. The paper...

by Armando Barrientos | On 13 Apr 2012

Tenth Malaysia Plan: 2011-2015

SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER DATO’ SRI MOHD. NAJIB BIN TUN ABDUL RAZAK INTRODUCING THE MOTION TO TABLE THE TENTH MALAYSIA PLAN. [Prime Minister's office Malaysia]. URL:[http://www.pmo.gov.my/?menu=...

by Prime Minister Malaysia | On 11 Apr 2012

The Iban Population of Sarawak: 1947-2000

The paper gives an analysis and description of the quantity and quality of the Iban population of Sarawak. The information about the pattern and trends of change of the population over time is also sh...

by Lam Chee Kheung | On 09 Apr 2012

Do Middle Classes Bring Institutional Reforms?

The link between poverty, the middle class and institutional outcomes are analyzed using a newly developed cross-country panel dataset containing detailed information on the distribution of income a...

by Norman Loayza | On 09 Apr 2012

The State of Juvenile Justice in Karnataka

The situation of juveniles in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection across India is precarious. Nothing underlines this more than the situation in Karnataka. While the State Hu...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 05 Apr 2012

Highlights of Madhya Pradesh Budget 2012-13

The salient features of the budget estimates of 2012-13 of Madhya Pradesh. [Ministry of Finance Madhya Pradesh]. URL:[http://www.mp.gov.in/finance/index.htm].

by Madhya Pradesh Government | On 04 Apr 2012

Approaches to the Development of Renewable and Clean Energy in Brazil, China, Egypt, India and South Africa: Lessons of Emerging Countries

The populous, fast growing emerging economies of Brazil, China, Egypt, India and South Africa face daunting challenges on the energy, environment and climate change fronts. These five countries accoun...

by Kirit Parikh | On 02 Apr 2012

Patterns of Labour Market Insecurity in Rural India: A Multidimensional and Multivariate Analysis

Labour market insecurity, recognised as pervasive in rural India, is multi-faceted. This study attempts to fill a gap in the research on key dimensions of labour market insecurity by using the Natio...

by Padmini Desikachar | On 02 Apr 2012

Price and Income Elasticity of Imports: The Case of Pakistan

The paper estimates the elasticity of Imports with respect to relative prices and income for Pakistan from 1971 to 2009. What distinguishes this paper from the earlier studies is the use of robust est...

by Khurram Ashfaq Baluch | On 30 Mar 2012

Budget Speech 2012-13: Mizoram

Budget Speech of PU H.LIANSAILOVA HON’BLE FINANCE MINISTER. [Government of Mizoram]. URL:[http://mizoram.nic.in/budget/Interim%20Budget%20Speech%2012-13.pdf].

by Finance Minister Mizoram | On 29 Mar 2012

Care Seeking for Neonatal Illness in Low- and Middle- Income Countries: A Systematic Review

Despite recent achievements to reduce child mortality, neonatal deaths continue to remain high, accounting for 41% of all deaths in children under five years of age worldwide, of which over 90% occur...

by Hadley K Herbert | On 29 Mar 2012

Myanmar’s Ethnic Insurgents: UWSA, KNU and KIO

Since the elections of 2010, Myanmar’s political landscape has changed significantly; the old military junta has officially been dissolved and a new civilian government, led by President Thein Sein,...

by Christopher O’Hara | On 27 Mar 2012

Parliamentary chutzpah

The poverty line deviates from the reality. The government's redefinition is a good thing, but the danger is it won't go far enough. [BS Weekend ruminations]. URL:[http://www.business-standard.com/ind...

by T.N. Ninan | On 27 Mar 2012

Maharashtra Budget Speech 2012-13: Part I

Budget for the year 2012-13. [Government of Maharashtra]. URL:[http://maharashtra.gov.in/pdf/english_speech_part_I.pdf].

by Maharashtra Government | On 27 Mar 2012

The Conclusion of a Korean Peace Treaty and the U.S. Strategy in the Asia Pacific Region

The current century has witnessed every country locked in a hot race to increase its national power through peaceful development, which made Koreans ever more desirous of peace. But why has the Kore...

by Ho Hak Rim | On 20 Mar 2012

NRHM, GOI, 2012-13

Using government data, this brief reports on NRHM expenditures along the following parameters: a) Overall trends in fund allocation and expenditure: GOI and States, b) Allocation and expenditure...

by Accountability Initiative | On 19 Mar 2012

Prevalence, Distribution, and Impact of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Latin America, China, and India: A 10/66 Population-Based Study

Rapid demographic ageing is a growing public health issue in many low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs). Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a construct frequently used to define groups of people...

by Ana Luisa Sosa | On 19 Mar 2012

Ethics of Public Health Interventions: A View from the Frontline

Rural people are deprived even of the basic facilities of medical care. Is this ethical? [6th K R Memorial lecture].

by Yogesh Jain | On 16 Mar 2012

Railway Budget 2012

The Minister of Railways, Dinesh Trivedi, presented the Railways Budget 2012 to Parliament on 14th March. In his address, he commented on the performance of Railways in 2011-12 and laid out his bud...

by Rohit Kumar | On 16 Mar 2012

The Second Fundamental Theorem of Positive Economics

Welfare Economics is fortunate that there are two Fundamental Theorems of Welfare Economics. Positive Economics on the other hand is seemingly endowed with none. One of the fundamental results of Posi...

by Anjan Mukherji | On 15 Mar 2012

Report of the Expert Group for Modernizaion of Indian Railways

There is in urgent need for modernization and generational Change need to be done in the Indian railways to assure safety, improve productivity, take advantage of advanced technology, respond to ever...

by Ministry of Railways | On 14 Mar 2012

The Union Budget: A Primer

This week, the finance minister presents a statement to Parliament of how much money the central government expects to raise in the next financial year, and how it will spend that money. The budget sp...

by Avinash Celestine | On 12 Mar 2012

Federal Budget of Pakistan-2011-12

BUDGET SPEECH 2011-2012 by DR. ABDUL HAFEEZ SHAIKH, Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Planning & Development.

by Minister of Finance Pakistan | On 12 Mar 2012

Services as a New Engine of Growth for ASEAN, the People’s Republic of China, and India

The purpose of this report is twofold. First, a compendium of relevant data is presented on the state of the services sector in the ACI (ASEAN, PRC and India) countries, focusing on its contribution t...

by Ben Shepherd | On 12 Mar 2012

How has the Indian Corporate Sector Responded to Two Decades of Economic Reforms in India? An Exploration of Patterns and Trends

In the context of various policy initiatives made during the last two decades to reform the Indian economy in general and corporate sector in particular, the present paper attempts to assess how the...

by Rakesh Basant | On 07 Mar 2012

Under trial Prisoners: Quicker Trial and Human Rights

Discussion on the human rights violation of under trial prisoners.

by Ranesh Chandra Majumdar | On 06 Mar 2012

Socioeconomic Factors and All Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality among Older People in Latin America, India, and China: A Population-Based Cohort Study

The vital status of 12,373 people aged 65 years and over was determined 3–5 years after baseline survey in sites in Latin America, India, and China. Crude and standardised mortality rates are reporte...

by Cleusa P Ferri | On 05 Mar 2012

What is the (New) Deal with Fragile States?

Poor governance and lack of state capabilities in around 45 countries pose a threat to global security and development. The involvement of the international community is required to help these st...

by Wim Naudé | On 02 Mar 2012

Why Does Mental Health Not Get the Attention It Deserves? An Application of the Shiffman and Smith Framework

More than 13% of the global burden of disease for mental disorders is due to neuro psychiatric disorders, and over 70% of this burden lies in low- and middleincome countries. Suicide is one of the...

by Mark Tomlinson | On 01 Mar 2012

Capital Accumulation and Convergence in a Small Open Economy

Outward-oriented economies seem to grow faster than inward-looking ones. Does the literature on convergence have anything to say on this? In the dynamic Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson model, with factor-pr...

by Partha Sen | On 28 Feb 2012

Indian Islam in the Age of Industry

Review of Bombay Islam: The Religious Economy of the West Indian Ocean, 1840-1915. by Nile Green. Cambridge University Press, New York 2011. xvi + 327 pp. $90.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-521-76924-2.

by Fahad A. Bishara | On 26 Feb 2012

More Money or More Development: What Have the MDGs Achieved?

What have the MDGs achieved? And what might their achievements mean for any second generation of MDGs or MDGs 2.0? We argue that the MDGs may have played a role in increasing aid and that developmen...

by Charles Kenny | On 24 Feb 2012

Sri Lanka Budget Speech 2012

Budget speech 2012.

by Mahinda Rajapaksa | On 24 Feb 2012

Climate Change and Migration in Southeast Asia: Responding to a New Human Security Challenge

The paper aims at understanding the reasons which influence migration and mobility choices, ways by which vulnerabilities can be managed and the role that local, national and regional policy responses...

by Lorraine Elliot | On 24 Feb 2012

Electoral Rules, Forms of Government and Redistributive Policy: Evidence from Agriculture and Food Policies

The effect of electoral rules and forms of government on public policy outcomes using a new dataset on agriculture and food policies from 74 countries over the 1960-2005 period is investigated. Using...

by Alessandro Olper | On 22 Feb 2012

Towards a Model for Analyzing the Impact of Macroeconomic Adjustment Policies on Households: A Review of Empirical Household Models in the Philippines

The paper has two objectives, namely: (a) determine and assess how existing empirical household models are able to capture the effects of changes in the macroeconomic variables on the welfare of the...

by Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr. | On 17 Feb 2012

Cultural Diversity, Geographical Isolation, and the Origin of the Wealth of Nations

This research argues that variations in the interplay between cultural assimilation and cultural diffusion have played a significant role in giving rise to differential patterns of economic developm...

by Quamrul Ashraf | On 16 Feb 2012

Violent Conflict and Human Capital Accumulation

This paper reviews and discusses available empirical research on the impact of violent conflict on the level and access to education of civilian and combatant populations affected by violence. Three ...

by Patricia Justino | On 15 Feb 2012

Whither Human Capital? The Woeful Tale of Transition to Tertiary Education in India

In this paper the issue of high dropout rates in India is examined which has adverse implications for human capital formation, and hence for the country’s long term growth potential. Using the 2004-0...

by Manisha Chakrabarty | On 14 Feb 2012

Are Saving and Investment Cointegrated? A Cross Country Analysis

Saving is an important part of the economic process that gives rise to investment and economic growth. In this paper an attempt is made to explore the relationship between saving and investment in t...

by Sanjib Bordoloi | On 14 Feb 2012

Economic Growth, Comparative Advantage, and Gender Differences in Schooling Outcomes: Evidence from the Birthweight Differences of Chinese Twins

Data from two surveys of twins in China are used to contribute to an improved understanding of the role of economic development in affecting gender differences in the trends in, levels of, and retur...

by Mark Rosenzweig | On 13 Feb 2012

The Financial Structure and Performance of Philippine Credit Cooperatives

This study is an attempt to assess the importance and potential impact of any further development of the credit cooperative sector; identify development interventions that will result in a strong Fil...

by Gilberto M Llanto | On 13 Feb 2012

Business and Growth Rate Cycles in India

This paper describes business and growth rate cycles with special reference to the Indian economy. It uses the classical NBER approach to determine the timing of recessions and expansions in the India...

by Pami Dua | On 10 Feb 2012

Causal Relationship between Saving, Investment and Economic Growth for India – What does the Relation Imply?

This study investigates the relationship between saving, investment and economic growth for India over the period 1950-51 to 2007-08. The literature on the role of saving in promoting economic growt...

by Ramesh Jangili | On 09 Feb 2012

Aiding Conflict: The Impact of U.S. Food Aid on Civil War

This paper examines the effect of U.S. food aid on conflict in recipient countries (these include Asian countries like Afghanistan, Sri Lanka). To establish a causal relationship, time variation in fo...

by Nathan Nunn | On 08 Feb 2012

Agriculture-Nutrition Linkages and Policies in India

This paper looks at some key entry points for agriculture to influence nutrition and suggests policies for nutrition-sensitive agricultural development, within the current policy framework. In additi...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 07 Feb 2012

Human Rights in Malaysia: Challenges and Constraints in the Malaysian Context

The paper discusses some of the main human rights areas of concern within Malaysia, over the years. [Working Paper Series No. 12]. URL:[http://www.ieas.unimas.my/images/stories/hirmanritom.pdf].

by Mohammad Hirman Ritom Abdullah | On 07 Feb 2012

Foreign R&D Centres in India: An Analysis of their Size, Structure and Implications

The study measures the contribution of MNCs to the generation of innovations from India. The focus is on innovations that are carried out in foreign R&D Centres. After having mapped out the size of...

by Rakesh Basant | On 06 Feb 2012

Structural and Functional Loss in Restored Wetland Ecosystems

Wetlands, which include tropical mangroves and boreal peatlands, are among the most valuable ecosystems in the world because they provide critical ecosystem goods and services, such as carbon stora...

by David Moreno Mateos | On 01 Feb 2012

Girls Take Over: Long-term Impacts of an Early Stage Education Intervention in the Philippines

This paper examines the long-term impacts of improved school quality at the elementary school stage on subsequent schooling investments and labor market outcomes using unique data from a recent survey...

by Futoshi Yamauchi | On 31 Jan 2012

The Complexity of Immigrant Generations: Implications for Assessing the Socioeconomic Integration of Hispanics and Asians

Much of the socioeconomic mobility achieved by U.S. immigrant families takes place across rather than within generations. When assessing the long-term integration of immigrants, it is therefore impo...

by Brian Duncan | On 31 Jan 2012

Global Health and the New Bottom Billion: How Funders Should Respond to Shifts in Global Poverty and Disease Burden

After a decade of rapid economic growth, many developing countries have attained middle-income status. But poverty reduction in these countries has not kept pace with economic growth. As a result, mos...

by Amanda Glassman | On 31 Jan 2012

A Study on Emigration Attitudes of Young Singaporeans (2010)

The study examines the intention to work abroad based on a representative sample of young Singaporeans residing in the city-state. Two thousand and thirteen Singaporeans between the age of 19 to 30 ye...

by Leong Chan Hoong | On 27 Jan 2012

Total Sanitation Campaign - Progress and Issues: Situational Analysis of Andhra Pradesh with reference to Total Sanitation Campaign

This paper has tried to address some key research questions like will India and Andhra Pradesh achieve the Millennium Development Goal of Sanitation ? Are the TSC targets realistic? What is coverage...

by M Snehalatha | On 25 Jan 2012

Faith in Exile: The Lessons of Tibet

For the last half-century, the Tibetan people have endured the brunt of some of the Chinese governments most brutal policies. In the 1990's, an international activist movement, which attracted a small...

by Anthony Lappe | On 25 Jan 2012

To Bt or Not to Bt? Risk and Uncertainty Considerations in Technology Assessment

Production costs and crop incomes in drought years are analyzed to test a simplistic theory of risk based on first principles. A mixed-methods framework is employed to draw inferences by combining da...

by Sarthak Gaurav | On 24 Jan 2012

India’s Draft Universal Periodic Report-II: A Case of Forced Marriage?

The paper has the objective of viewing the condition of women in terms of freedom of choice, freedom and expression and right of privacy. Also it views violence against women.

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 20 Jan 2012

Second Universal Periodic Review of India-Draft

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a process of the Human Rights Council which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The reviews are cond...

by Ministry of External Affairs, GoI MEA | On 19 Jan 2012

Energy in the Development Strategy of Indian Households-The Missing Half

The present paper explores the nexus between gender-energy-poverty, highlights areas of gender concern, and suggests actions. It is analyzed how women from rural areas and low income households are...

by B. Sudhakara Reddy | On 19 Jan 2012

Does Budget Transparency Lead to Stronger Human Development Outcomes and Commitments to Economic and Social Rights?

The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between the quality of the budget process and human development outcomes. It looks in particular at at the relationship between the OBI and human d...

by Sakiko Fukuda-Parr | On 17 Jan 2012

Can Lease Hold Forestry in Nepal Benefit People and the Environment?

In Nepal an innovative form of forestry management, known as the Leasehold Forestry (LHF) Programme, is being introduced to protect forest land and help it regenerate. A new SANDEE study analyzes th...

by South Asian Network for Development SANDEE | On 10 Jan 2012

Power, Profits and Inflation: A Study of Inflation and Influence in Pakistan

The analysis seeks to look at inflation as a political economic phenomenon, based on a framework devised by Jonathan Nitzan and christened differential accumulation. The theory of differential accumul...

by Syed Ozair Ali | On 05 Jan 2012

The Five-Phases of Economic Development and Institutional Evolution in China and Japan

Based on the variable rate of gross domestic product per capita growth and its sources, this paper first identifies five phases of economic development that are common to China, Japan, and Korea: M...

by Masahiko Aoki | On 04 Jan 2012

Turning the Tide: Improving Water Resource Management in the Philippines

Water is arguably the most important natural resource and because it is scarce, its optimal usage and proper management must be ensured. Water governance in the Philippines, however, has becom...

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 03 Jan 2012

Vital Stats: Parliament in 2011

The year in Parliament was characterised by frequent disruptions and protests over a host of issues. The issue of the establishment of a Lokpal prompted both disruption as well as intense debate. A...

by Rohit Kumar | On 02 Jan 2012

Right to Food Security Bill: Challenges and Opportunities

The financial implications of the food security bill can be questioned. But the Bill proposes to protect the citizens from hunger and improve the nutritional intake of women and children.

by Rudra Narayan Mishra | On 30 Dec 2011

The National Food Security Bill, 2011-as introduced in Lok Sabha

A bill to provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity...

by Lok Sabha | On 30 Dec 2011

Comparison of the Lok Pal Bill, 2011 and Lok Pal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011

Major differences between the Lok Pal Bill 2011 and the Lok Pal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011.URL: [http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Lok%20Pal%20Bill%202011/Major%20differences%20between%20the%20Lok%...

by Parliamentary Research Service PRS | On 28 Dec 2011

Consultation Report on Strengthening the Role of Agriculture for a Nutrition Secure India

The Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), New Delhi organized a workshop ‘Strengthening the Role of Agriculture...

by Srijit Mishra | On 27 Dec 2011

The Evolving Dynamics of Global Economic Power in the Post-crisis World: Revelations from a New Index of Government Economic Power

This paper develops an index for measuring the economic power of governments viewed as entities in themselves. The basic idea is to encapsulate the economic representative power of a nation’s governme...

by Kaushik Basu | On 27 Dec 2011

Insights into Workers and ‘Political’ Union

Review of the book Workers, Unions and Global Capitalism: Lessons from India, Rohini Hensman, Tulika Books, New Delhi, 2011, pp. xix + 415

by Sharit Bhowmik | On 27 Dec 2011

Economic and Financial Developments in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The Reserve Bank has stepped up its efforts in recent years to enhance the penetration of the formal financial sector and promote financial inclusion with a view to improving the well-being of our soc...

by Deepak Mohanty | On 26 Dec 2011

How Awareness Changes the Relative Weights of Evidence During Human Decision-Making

Human decisions are based on accumulating evidence over time for different options. Here a simple question is asked: How is the accumulation of evidence affected by the level of awareness of the infor...

by Floris P de Lange | On 23 Dec 2011

Seasonal Migration and Risk Aversion

Pre-harvest lean seasons are widespread in the agrarian areas of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Every year, these seasonal famines force millions of people to succumb to poverty and hunger. An incentive...

by Gharad Bryan | On 20 Dec 2011

The Welfare Impacts of Leasehold Forestry in Nepal

The study analyzes the role of the leasehold forestry (LHF) program in improving household welfare in Nepal. Both the time saved in biomass collection and the addition to income through increases in b...

by Bishnu Prasad Sharma | On 15 Dec 2011

Union Power November 2011

The three year journey of the G-20 Heads of Government Summit from Washington in 2008 to Paris this November is signified by two markers of the depth of the global capitalist crisis. First, that the c...

by Louise Ross | On 14 Dec 2011

The Effect of Foreign Remittances on Schooling: Evidence from Pakistan

The underlying study intends to show the impact of foreign remittances on the educational performance of children in the households receiving these remittances. Much of the literature in this area c...

by Muhammad Nasir | On 13 Dec 2011

Consumption Taxes: Their Ramifications for Income Distribution

The distribution effects or incidence of consumption taxes such as the Value Added Tax (VAT), Goods and Services Tax (GST) remains a contentious issue. Three aspects have to be distinguished. First is...

by Parthasarathi Shome | On 13 Dec 2011

Where Socrates Fears to Tread……

Review of the book 'Social Income and Insecurity: A Study in Gujarat' by Guy Standing, Jeemol Unni, Renana Jhabvala, and Uma Rani Routledge India, 2010 216 pages.

by N. Vijayamohanan Pillai | On 12 Dec 2011

A Regulatory Approach to Financial Product Advice and Distribution

Financial distribution, where the distributor is the agent of both the product provider and the customer, has been found to inherently work against the interests of customers, in the form of high ser...

by M Sahoo | On 08 Dec 2011

Monetary and Fiscal Policy in the Presence of Informal Labour Markets

How does informality in emerging economies affect the conduct of monetary and fiscal policy? To answer this question two-sector, formal-informal new Keynesian closed-economy is constructed. The inf...

by Nicoletta Batini | On 02 Dec 2011

Legislative Brief: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, Minister for Finance on March 24, 2011. The Bill was referred to the St...

by M. R. Madhavan | On 01 Dec 2011

Impact of the Retail FDI Policy on Indian Consumers and the Way Forward

This paper analyses the impact of the retail FDI policy on Indian consumers and make policy recommendations for the Indian government. Based on a primary survey of Indian consumers, the paper examines...

by Arpita Mukherjee | On 28 Nov 2011

Social Security and Labor Migration in ASEAN

This policy brief takes a preliminary look at portability of social security in ASEAN, particularly old-age, retirement, and survivor benefits. The next section discusses the growth of intra-ASEAN...

by Gloria O. Pasadilla | On 28 Nov 2011

The Challenge of Food Inflation

The trends in food inflation over the past 60 years are given. Having thus set the context, the factors driving structural food inflation, which should give us a perspective of the underlying dynam...

by Duvvuri Subbarao | On 24 Nov 2011

How Prudent are Rural Households in Developing Transition Economies: Evidence from Zhejiang, China

Rural households in developing economies frequently use precautionary saving to cope with income risk. Such prudent behavior can be strengthened in transition economies where more risks are typically...

by Ling Jin | On 23 Nov 2011

Policies for Increasing Non-Farm Employment for Farm Households in India

The present paper adopts a diagnostic approach; problems of non-farm employment in rural sector are identified by studying pattern and process of rural employment using data from the NSS quinquennia...

by Brajesh Jha | On 22 Nov 2011

Torture in India 2011

Torture in India series have been instrumental for bringing national and international spotlight on torture in india. The Government of India regrettably has been reluctant to address torture. It draf...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 21 Nov 2011

Development and Health in Poor Countries: Role of Interntional Organizations and Switzerland

The study tries to better understand three fields which seems to be essential with respect to the problem of a facilitated access to medicines : 1. the ambiguous position of intellectual property...

by Bastein Briand | On 17 Nov 2011

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011

A bill to provide for the establishment of an Authority to promote old age income security by establishing, developing and regulating pension funds, to protect the interests of subscribers to sche...

by Parliamentary Research Service PRS | On 17 Nov 2011

Juveniles of Jammu and Kashmir: Unequal Before the Law and Denied Justice in Custody

While the arrests of dozens of juveniles during the mass uprising in the Kashmir valley from June to September 2010 brought the abuse of the Public Safety Act against the children in conflict with the...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 16 Nov 2011

Where is the Virtue in the Middle Class?

It is widely agreed by economists and political scientists that the middle class is vital to progress because of its many virtues. But it is difficult to define a middle class by income in a manner t...

by Charles Kenny | On 16 Nov 2011

The Impossible Trinity and Capital Flows in East Asia

The Impossible Trinity doctrine still holds a powerful sway over policymakers, advisors (particularly the International Monetary Fund [IMF]) and academia. In East Asia over the past decade, however,...

by Stephen Grenville | On 15 Nov 2011

Equity in the Time of Recession: Mumbai Youth Struggle to Bridge Yawning Opportunity Gap

Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra, a large highly industrialised, progressive state that until a decade ago, reported remarkable progress on social and economic indices. Today, it is still a leadi...

by eSocialSciences eSS | On 11 Nov 2011

Consumption and Social Identity: Evidence from India

Spending on consumption items is examined which have signaling value in social interactions across groups with distinctive social identities in India, where social identities are defined by caste an...

by Melanie Khamis | On 10 Nov 2011

Brand India: No Equity for Children

India has embarked upon an economic model driven by the free market incorporating processes of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. Our children today live, in what some describe as “Brand...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 10 Nov 2011

Economic and Financial Developments in Goa

Goa is celebrating the Golden Jubilee Year of its Liberation. The recent economic achievements of the state are highlighted. The economic and financial structure of the state as well as the various fi...

by Deepak Mohanty | On 04 Nov 2011

Teaching How to Bridge Neuroscience, Society, and Culture

In most universities, sharp disciplinary and departmental divisions continue to this day and have regrettably translated into the life sciences being taught with scarce attention to their historical a...

by Giovanni Frazzetto | On 31 Oct 2011

Transactions Matter but They Hardly Cost: Irrigation Management in the Kathmandu Valley

This study estimates the transaction costs entailed in maintaining Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems (FMIS) in Nepal based on a case study of 60 irrigation systems in the Kathmandu valley. It analyz...

by Ram Chandra Bhattarai | On 18 Oct 2011

Global Economic Crisis: Impact and Restructuring of the Services Sector in India

The Indian economy has shown considerable resilience to the global economic crisis by maintaining one of the highest growth rates in the world. The services sector accounted for around 88 per cent of...

by Abhijit Das | On 13 Oct 2011

Gender Dimensions: Employment Trends in India, 1993-94 to 2009-10

This paper examines some of the explicit as well as not so explicit trends in relation to women’s employment in India from 1993-94 till 2009-10 and argues that they indicate a grave and continuing...

by Indrani Mazumdar | On 10 Oct 2011

Competition for Foreign Capital: Endogenous Objective, Public Investment and Tax

In this paper the objective functions of the regions as well as their decision to provide public investment are endogenized in a model of competition for foreign owned mobile capital. It is demonstra...

by Rupayan Pal | On 04 Oct 2011

User-based Financing of Marine Protection in the Maldives

This paper provides an economic valuation of the recreational uses of atoll-based marine resources in the Republic of the Maldives. A travel demand model to estimate the benefits of atoll-based marin...

by Mahadev G Bhat | On 30 Sep 2011

Position Paper: National Focus Group on Education of Children with Special Needs

The paper discusses the issues relating to the provisions, practices and curricular concerns for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Though SEN may result from a number of factors, in thi...

by National Council of Educational Research &Training NCERT | On 29 Sep 2011

Openness, Economic Growth and Labour Migration in times of Global Downturn: with Special Reference to Asian Examples

This paper starts by examining some of the variables that have been considered important determinants of openness and how views of these have changed over the last twenty years. It then considers th...

by Kenneth E Jackson | On 29 Sep 2011

Monetary Policy Dilemmas: Some RBI Perspectives

Over the last decade, the profile of central banks has gone up. First, we had the Great Moderation - a period of extraordinary benign macroeconomic environment globally, characterized by steady growth...

by Duvvuri Subbarao | On 27 Sep 2011

Estimating Urban and Rural Incomes in Gujarat: 1993-94 to 2004-05

Income originating within geographical boundaries of urban and rural areas of Gujarat is estimated for three benchmark years – 1993-94, 1999-00 and 2004-05 - at current prices following the broad me...

by Ravindra H Dholakia | On 26 Sep 2011

Mitigating Climate Change Through Agriculture

Among the major challenges currently faced by humanity are food security and climate change. Agriculture plays a significant role in both. Adapting to climate change is expected to be an increasing ...

by Claire Schaffnit Chatterjee | On 26 Sep 2011

Gender Inclusion in Climate Change Adaptation

A review of the various issues related to gender and poverty and examine the relationships between gender and various indices, including the human development index (HDI), the gender inequality index...

by Midori Aoyagi | On 22 Sep 2011

Why Worry about How Many Species and Their Loss?

We are astonishingly ignorant about how many species are alive on earth today, and even more ignorant about how many we can lose yet still maintain ecosystem services that humanity ultimately depen...

by Robert M May | On 19 Sep 2011

Iraq’s Last Window: Diffusing the Risks of a Petro-State

This paper, examines the possibility of adopting Oil- to- Cash scheme in Iraq. Here, a new opportunity is identified which aims for direct distribution of Iraqi oil rents in the planned production exp...

by Johnny West | On 19 Sep 2011

The National Food Security Bill, 2011

A Bill to provide for food and nutritional security, in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices, for people to live a life with dign...

by Department of Food and Public Distribution Fcamin | On 14 Sep 2011

Fertility Regulation in an Economic Crisis

Substantial international aid is spent reducing the cost of contraception in developing countries, as part of a larger effort to reduce global fertility and increase investment per child worldwide....

by Christopher McKelvey | On 09 Sep 2011

Returns to Education in India: Some Recent Evidence

This paper estimates returns to education in India using a nationally representative survey. The standard Mincerian wage equation separately for rural and urban sectors is estimated. To account for th...

by Tushar Agrawal | On 06 Sep 2011

Agricultural Economy of India and Macro-Economic Effects: Some Empirical Results and a Research Agenda based on the Literature

This paper focuses on macroeconomic linkages with agriculture. From an extensive literature review the question that emerges is: is there a structural constraint in Indian agriculture or does Indian...

by Munish Alagh | On 02 Sep 2011

Infrastructure Investment and Regional Economic Growth: A Case Study of Maharashtra

The study initially reviews the infrastructure facilities for the 33 districts of Maharashtra for one year i.e.1999-2000. Using this, the extent of disparities between these regions is found. Further...

by A M Swaminathan | On 29 Aug 2011

Drivers of Agricultural Diversification in India, Haryana and the Greenbelt Farms of India

The present study discusses factors responsible for agricultural diversification at different levels: country (India), state (Haryana) and farms of Kurukshetra district in Haryana. The study regress...

by Brajesh Jha | On 29 Aug 2011

Institutional Innovations and Models in the Development of Agro-Food Industries in India: Strengths, Weaknesses and Lessons

Agro-industries are given high priority in India particularly because of their great potential for contributing to development. The emphasis on village-based agro-industries was introduced almost a...

by Vasant P Gandhi | On 29 Aug 2011

Policy Dilemmas in India: The Impact of Changes in Agricultural Prices on Rural and Urban Poverty

Trade policy reforms which lead to changes in world prices of agricultural commodities or domestic policies aimed at affecting agricultural prices are often seen as causing a policy dilemma: a fall...

by Sandra Polaski | On 26 Aug 2011

Indian Social Democracy: The Resource Perspective

This paper examines the strategy for obtaining adequate resources for the Indian State, where the goals of the State comprise the provision of public goods (which, by de nition, bene t everyone) and...

by P.V. Srinivasan | On 24 Aug 2011

Tax Devolution and Grant Distribution to States in India Analysis and Roadmap for Alternatives, December 2009

The paper attempts to analyse the impact of devolution of taxes and distribution grants by the Centre to the States in India by taking fourteen major States for the time period 1980-81 to 2006-07. T...

by R. Mohan | On 24 Aug 2011

Trade in Services and Human Development: A First Look at the Links

Some services directly produce outputs that are important for human development, such as basic human services. Many other services are important inputs into the production and distribution of goods th...

by Ben Shepherd | On 24 Aug 2011

Poverty and Food Insecurity in India: A Disaggregated Regional Profile

This study provides a profile of deprivation with respect to consumer expenditure, cereal consumption and energy intake across demographic and agro-climatic regions as defined by the National Sample...

by Suryanarayana M H | On 23 Aug 2011

Risks, Farmers’ Suicides and Agrarian Crisis in India: Is There A Way Out?

Poor returns to cultivation and absence of non-farm opportunities are indicative of the larger socio-economic malaise in rural India. This is accentuated by the multiple risks that the farmer faces...

by Srijit Mishra | On 23 Aug 2011

From Economic Meltdown to Social Crunch – Impact of the Global Economic Recession on Social Capital Building in Developing Countries and What We still Don't Know!

This paper draws on the experiences of the Far East Economic Crisis in 1998 and argues that: (1) the poor depended heavily on bonding social capital during the Crisis, but the crunch-point beyond wh...

by Sam Wong | On 22 Aug 2011

National Policy for Farmers

There is a need to focus more on the economic well-being of the farmers, rather than just on production. Socio-economic well-being must be a prime consideration of agricultural policy, besides pr...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 19 Aug 2011

Does Land Reform Matter? An Empirical Analysis of Indian States

This article looks into the role of land reform in comparison to concentric ef fort to augment agricultural GDP. Redistribut ive land reform policy aims to improve land endowments of poor, though va...

by Debdatta Pal | On 18 Aug 2011

Climate Change, Rural Livelihoods and Agriculture (focus on Food Security) in Asia-Pacific Region

The objective of this paper is to identify climate change related threats and vulnerabilities associated with agriculture as a sector and agriculture as people’s livelihoods (exposure, sensitivity, a...

by S. Mahendra Dev | On 17 Aug 2011

Foreign Direct Investment and Technology Spillover: An Evaluation Across Different Clusters in India

The paper attempts to explore the technology spillover effects of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Indian manufacturing industries across different selected clusters in India. To measure the spillov...

by Pami Dua | On 12 Aug 2011

Multidimensional Indices of Achievements and Poverty: What Do We Gain and What and What Do We Lose?

Poverty and well-being are multidimensional. Nobody questions that deprivations and achievements go beyond income. There is, however, sharp disagreement on whether the various dimensions of poverty...

by Nora Lustig | On 11 Aug 2011

Darwin in Mind: New Opportunities for Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary Psychology (EP) views the human mind as organized into many modules, each underpinned by psychological adaptations designed to solve problems faced by our Pleistocene ancestors. It...

by Johan J Bolhuis | On 09 Aug 2011

Treatment of Valuables as Capital Formation in India: Some Issues and Perspectives

As per UNSNA recommendations, valuables as a separate item had been introduced in the expenditure side of GDP. Since India is one of largest importer and user of gold for various purposes, this trea...

by Rakesh Kumar | On 04 Aug 2011

Food Quality in Domestic Markets of Developing Economies: A Comparative Study of two Countries

Food quality has become an important determinant of success in global food trade and growers for international markets have to continuously adjust to buyers’ requirements. It is however not clear to w...

by Anneleen Vandeplas | On 03 Aug 2011

Demand for Fertiliser in India: Determinants and Outlook for 2020

The paper begins with an overview of fertiliser consumption trends and then identifies important determinants of fertiliser demand and develops projects demand scenarios for fertilisers in India in 20...

by Vijay Paul Sharma | On 29 Jul 2011

Government Mediated Program on Intensifying Industry-Academia Linkages for Human Resource Development; Experinces of an Innovative Model from TIFAC

The importance of academia- industry linkages for development of an economy is well recognized. With a view to make the higher technical education relevant, by forging and catalyzing functional link...

by Jancy Ayyaswamy | On 26 Jul 2011

Fair Shares: Crediting Poor Countries for Carbon Mitigation

Focusing on the power sector, Wheeler estimates energy growth and incremental costs for six low-carbon energy technologies (biomass, solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and nuclear) in 174 countries from...

by David Wheeler | On 25 Jul 2011

Bentham from the Crypt Once More: Politicians in Pursuit of Happiness

There is a burgeoning academic literature on happiness polls that has used a range of different measures and approaches across countries rich and poor alike to answer the question, “what makes peopl...

by Charles Kenny | On 21 Jul 2011

Beer Drinking Nations: The Determinants of Global Beer Consumption

In this paper the evolution of beer consumption is analyzed between countries and over time. Historically, there have been major changes in beer consumption in the world. In recent times, per capita...

by Liesbeth Colen | On 18 Jul 2011

Shocks, Economic Growth and the Indian Economy

This paper analyses the impact of domestic and external shocks on the Indian economy. A macro-modelling framework is developed that evaluates the impact of two domestic shocks (rainfall shortfall an...

by B B Bhattacharya | On 15 Jul 2011

Deprivation and Vulnerability Among Elderly in India

A documentation of different aspects of human deprivation in the old age other than the measurement of income poverty is done. Aspects of economic, health and social aspects of deprivation and how i...

by Syam Prasad | On 14 Jul 2011

The Don Sahong Dam: Potential Impacts on Regional Fish Migrations, Livelihoods and Human Health

This paper focuses on the Don Sahong Dam (DSD’s) potential impacts on fish and fisheries, and particularly the project’s regional implications in relation to fisheries, including its possible impact...

by Ian Bird | On 08 Jul 2011

A Framework for Developing a Research Agenda for Diseases Disproportionately Affecting the Poor:The Cases of Malaria, Diabetes, Rotavirus

In this paper three diseases- malaria,diabetes and rotavirus- selected because of their contrast. The paper examines the severity of their presence in developing countries and suggests viable solution...

by Alyna C Smith | On 07 Jul 2011

Detection and Forecasting of Islamic Calendar Effects in Time Series Data: Revisited

This paper is an attempt to revisit the pioneering work of Riazuddin and Khan (2002). A complete business cycle has been elapsed (2002-2010) since their study, so there is need to review the results ...

by Syed Kalim Hyder Bukhari | On 05 Jul 2011

Human Trafficking: The Shameful Face of Migration

A new framework for understanding migration as a series of phases, defining categories of people affected by migration and suggesting estimates of the likely size and importance of each group is g...

by PLoS Medicine Editors | On 04 Jul 2011

Fisher’s Equation: Some Methodological Doubts

The Fisher's equation has become a foundation stone of modern macroeconomic, monetary and financial theories. Here it is shown that despite the estabilished status of Fisher's equation, it stands on...

by Rajas Parchure | On 04 Jul 2011

Understanding Foreign Direct Investment in East Asia

The authors recount East Asia's experience with foreign direct investment (FDI). They document that, contrary to the Rybczynski theorem, capital flows in the region cause the host country's labor-inte...

by Willem Thorbecke | On 04 Jul 2011

India’s Experience in Navigating the Trilemma: Do Capital Controls Help?

Managing capital flows is the key policy challenge for emerging economies like India in the aftermath of the crisis. In contrast to other emerging markets who are levying capital controls, India‘s mac...

by R. Kohli | On 04 Jul 2011

Commons And Community: Evidence From Southwestern Tribal Belt Of Madhya Pradesh

Sah and Shah (2003) have shown that the incidence of poverty in the South-Western tribal belt of Madhya Pradesh is alarmingly high. About three fifths of the households in this tribal belt were catego...

by D.C. Sah | On 04 Jul 2011

Population Size, Per Capita Income, and the Risk of Civil War

A common finding in the empirical civil war literature is that population size and per capita income are highly significant predictors of civil war incidence and onset. This paper shows that the com...

by Markus Brückner | On 27 Jun 2011

On Graham’s Theory of Multicountry Multicommodity Trade

Mathematical formulations of Frank D. Graham’s theory of multicountry multicommodity trade have not provided numerical methods for finding the world trade equilibrium. Graham was in possession of su...

by Rajas Parchure | On 27 Jun 2011

Socio-economic Dimensions of Globalization in India

After Independence, the managers of the Indian economy took very cautious steps. They found the world sharply divided into two blocs: the one led by the capitalist economies (the US in particular) a...

by S.K. Mishra | On 24 Jun 2011

Challenges and Opportunities in a Trillion Dollar Economy

The Indian economy reached the trillion US dollar GDP milestone in 2007 and joined other countries of the trillion dollar club, namely, the US, UK, Japan, Germany, China, France, Italy, Spain, Canada,...

by Chakrabarty K C | On 21 Jun 2011

Diversification in Rural Livelihood Strategies: A Macro-Level Evidence from Jammu and Kashmir

The paper attempts to understand broadly the dynamics of rural livelihood diversification in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This paper also throws up some issues, which one can delineate at micro-lev...

by Rajeev Sharma | On 20 Jun 2011

Satoyama–Satoumi Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Assessing Trends to Rethink a Sustainable Future

The Japan Satoyama Satoumi Assessment (JSSA) is a study of the interaction between humans and terrestrial–aquatic ecosystems (satoyama) and marine– coastal ecosystems (satoumi) in Japan. The stud...

by Anantha Kumar Duraiappah | On 17 Jun 2011

Tank Degradation and Poverty Reduction-The Importance of Common Property Resources in Sustaining the Rural Poor

This study reveals the importance of tank irrigation in the lives of poor households and suggests that the poor may bear the bulk of burden from tank deterioration. Tank-based agricultural income make...

by R. Balasubramaniam | On 16 Jun 2011

The Legacy of the Jubilee Debt Relief Movement: Agreements, Lessons, and Remaining Challenges

Over the last 25 years, the international community has pursued a series of measures to address unsustainable debt burdens in low-income countries. Early actions focused on debt relief for official bi...

by Ben Leo | On 15 Jun 2011

Poverty, International Migration and Asylum

This WIDER Policy Brief examins issues such as liberalizing migration policies; protecting refugees in regions of origin; addressing the root causes of migration and refugee flows; influencing percept...

by Christina Boswell | On 14 Jun 2011

WRR: Special Focus on Restoring the Flow

The June issue of World Rivers Review is overflowing with ideas on on how to maintain healthy flows in rivers, for their health and our own. If a river's flow is its heartbeat, then we humans have bec...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 13 Jun 2011

A Human Development Approach to the Status of Development in North East India

The development and growth of a nation greatly depends upon proper utilization of its human resources. To utilize these resources, there is a need to convert human beings into human resources. Since...

by P. Nayak | On 13 Jun 2011

Demand or Supply for Schooling in Rural India?

Is the poor human capital investment by rural Indian families primarily a supply side or a demand side issue? This paper examines school attendance and total human capital investment time (time in sc...

by Sripad Motiram | On 13 Jun 2011

Access to Land and Land Policy Reforms

The objective of this research and policy brief is to analyse different mechanisms of access to land for the rural poor in an era when redistribution through expropriative land reform is largely incon...

by Alain de Janvry | On 10 Jun 2011

Inequality, Growth and Poverty in the Era of Liberalization and Globalization

This policy brief reports the main findings of the study on changes in within-country income inequality over the last two decades and on the links between poverty, inequality, and growth. It focuses o...

by Giovanni Andrea Cornia | On 08 Jun 2011

Trends in Poverty and Social Indicators: An Update

This paper provides an update of the changes that Bangladesh has undergone in terms of its poverty and social indicators over the last one and a half decades. Several key social and human developmen...

by Zulfiqar Ali | On 07 Jun 2011

Global Capitalism Theory and the Emergence of Transnational Elites

The class and social structure of developing nations has undergone profound transformation in recent decades as each nation has incorporated into an increasingly integrated global production and fin...

by William I. Robinson | On 03 Jun 2011

The Best Things in Life are (Nearly) Free: Technology, Knowledge, and Global Health

In this paper the authors argue that two major factors underlie improved global health outcomes: first, the discovery of cheap technologies that can dramatically improve outcomes; second, the adoptio...

by Ursula Casabonne | On 03 Jun 2011

Demand or Supply for Schooling in Rural India?

Is the poor human capital investment by rural Indian families primarily a supply side or a demand side issue? School attendance and total human capital investment time (time in school plus travel ti...

by Sripad Motiram | On 01 Jun 2011

Closure for the Sraffa System: A Theory of Value, Distribution and Growth

The purpose of this paper is to pursue the implications of closing, in the sense of rendering determinate, the Sraffa equations of production, prices and distribution [Sraffa (1960)] by adding to th...

by Rajas Parchure | On 01 Jun 2011

Social Assistance and the ‘Dependency Syndrome'

This policy brief discusses the fact that social assistance is critical to counter the insecurity and vulnerability experienced by chronically poor people. Evidence shows that as well as preventing pe...

by Andrew Shepherd | On 30 May 2011

Healthcare in China

During the initial phases of the opening-up of the Chinese economy, the overriding objective was to raise output and incomes. Economic restructuring undermined the health care system, which became...

by Dhruv Mankad | On 26 May 2011

On Harnessing Natural Resources for Sustainable Development

The mainstream economics has characteristically been myopic in visualizing the relationship between human beings and the ecosphere, the surrounding in which they live, work and prosper. Man though...

by SK Mishra | On 23 May 2011

Club-Convergence and Polarisation of States A Nonparametric Analysis of Post-Reform India

The objective of this paper is to study the dynamics of the distribution of regional per capita income of Indian states in the post reform period, in order to identify trends towards convergence-c...

by Sabyasachi Kar | On 20 May 2011

Women and the Right to Livelihood

This report provides an overview of the Women and Livelihoods events held by PWESCR in collaboration with organisations involved in the Gender Equality Coalition of the Human Dignity and Human Rights...

by PCESC R | On 20 May 2011

Tank Degradation and Poverty Reduction-The Importance of Common Property Resources in Sustaining the Rural Poor

This study reveals the importance of tank irrigation in the lives of poor households and suggests that the poor may bear the bulk of the burden from tank deterioration. Tank-based agricultural income...

by South Asian Network for Development and Environmen Economics | On 19 May 2011

Moving to Goods and Services Tax in India: Impact on India’s Growth and International Trade

The broad objectives of this study refer to analysing the impact of introducing comprehensive goods and services tax (GST) on economic growth and international trade; changes in rewards to the fac...

by National Council of Applied Economic Research | On 19 May 2011

Spatial Heterogeneity and Population Mobility in India

Mobility is one of the important aspects of human nature, which is often guided by socio-economic, political as well as environmental factors. The nature, pattern and direction of population mobili...

by Jajati Keshari Parida | On 16 May 2011

Towards Open and Equitable Access to Research and Knowledge for Development

Unequal access to and distribution of public knowledge is governed by Northern standards and is increasingly inappropriate in the age of the networked “Invisible College”. Academic journals remain the...

by Leslie Chan | On 14 May 2011

Impact and Sustainability of SHG Bank Linkage Programme

Microfinance programmes are known for their potential to generate income and employment and alleviate poverty in developing countries. They are considered for an important approach to poverty alleviat...

by National Council of Applied Economic Research | On 13 May 2011

The Consolidated Medium-Term Income and Expenditure Framework: Prepared by the Finance Department and the Office of Budget and Planning

This paper updates the Fund’s consolidated income and expenditure outlook from the projections in January 2011. The paper incorporates and extends the income and budget projections in the companion...

by International Monetary Fund | On 13 May 2011

Migrant Nightclub/Escort Workers in Hong Kong: An Analysis of Possible Human Rights Abuses

The paper is part of a broader study of the human rights of women who migrate or are trafficked to Hong Kong for the purposes of working in the commercial sex industry. The study is being conduct...

by Robyn Emerton | On 12 May 2011

India's Financial Globalisation

India embarked on reintegration with the world economy in the early 1990s. At first, a certain limited opening took place emphasizing equity flows by certain kinds of foreign investors. This openin...

by Ajay Shah | On 10 May 2011

Budget Speech 2010-2011 (Nepal)

This paper contains the public statement on income and expenditure of Fiscal Year 2010‐11. URL: [http://www.mof.gov.np/publication/speech/2010_1/pdf/budgetspeech_english.pdf]

by Ministry of Finance, Government of Nepal | On 10 May 2011

Children and Human Rights

Essay on the subject. In Gujarati [Gyansadhana 2009-10]

by Falguni B. Vahanwala | On 09 May 2011

South Asians for Human Rights' Minority Right Reports (India 2009)

This paper presents the condition of minority in India in the year 2009. URL: [http://www.southasianrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Minority-Right-Situation-in-India.pdf]

by South Asians for Human Rights | On 09 May 2011

A Note on Human Development Indices with Income Equalities

In this study the DAPCHDI with the data given by Sarker et al. in their paper is re-computed to compare the composite index with theirs. The HDR-2005 or the HDR-2006 adds little to the HDR-2004 da...

by S.K. Mishra | On 06 May 2011

Nepal and the Pax Indianus

In May 2009, the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) warned of growing threats to sustainable peace in Nepal. Since that time, Nepal’s politics have continued to polarize. Nepal still has two ar...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights | On 04 May 2011

National Budget Making: Bottom Up Approach and Inclusiveness

National Budget of the country is the annual program of the Government's expenditure and income for a fiscal year. In a developing economy like Bangladesh, the national annual budgets reflect the gove...

by Atiur Rahman | On 03 May 2011

Toward Results-Based Social Policy Design and Implementation

This paper analyzes some of the elements that cause the apparent perception in the realm of social policy, and in particular in the case of poverty alleviation and education policies in developing ...

by Miguel Székely | On 02 May 2011

The Quality of Medical Care in Low-Income Countries: From Providers to Markets

The excellent systematic review in this week’s PLoS Medicine by Paul Garner and colleagues focuses discussion on this critical issue. Their finding of poor quality in both the public and private s...

by Jishnu Das | On 29 Apr 2011

Guidelines for Human-Leopard Conflict Management

After careful consideration of the inputs received from a variety of stakeholders, the following framework guidelines are suggested for managing the humanleopard conflict situations in areas where l...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 22 Apr 2011

Find Me the Money: Financing Climate and Other Global Public Goods

In this paper, four categories of existing resource-mobilization options are examined, including (1) transportation levies; (2) currency and financial transaction taxes; (3) capitalization of IMF S...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 21 Apr 2011

Did the Indian Capital Controls Work as a Tool of Macroeconomic Policy?

In 2010 and 2011, there has been a fresh wave of interest in cap- ital controls. India is one of the few large countries with a complex system of capital controls, and hence others an opportunity to...

by Ila Patnaik | On 21 Apr 2011

Characteristics and Patterns of Intergenerational Poverty Traps and Escapes in Rural North India

The paper examines the poverty status of 4,198 households resident in 18 villages of Rajasthan, India, at four points of time between 1977 to 2010 using retrospective methodology known as Stages of Pr...

by Anirudh Krishna | On 20 Apr 2011

Targeting and Distribution of Post-Tsunami Aid in Sri Lanka : A Critical Appraisal

In this study, two types of aid transfers - boats and houses are examined- that were made to rehabilitate tsunami-affected fishery households in Sri Lanka. The goal is to investigate the distributio...

by Asha Gunawardena | On 20 Apr 2011

Maharashtra Budget 2011-2012 Part I

Part I of the Budget speech by Finance Minister

by Maharashtra Government | On 18 Apr 2011

Financial Transactions Taxes

This paper attempts to address both theoretical and practical considerations for a tax such as financial transactions taxes (FTT). It includes examples of FTT in the wider context, for example, on sto...

by Parthasarathi Shome | On 18 Apr 2011

A Policy Reponse to the Indian Micro-finance Crisis

Recent events in India have brought a fresh focus upon the problem of regulation in the field of micro-finance. This paper delineates the three distinct aspects where government needs to play a role...

by Renuka Sane | On 13 Apr 2011

Financial Regulatory Harmonization in East Asia: Balancing Domestic and International Pressures for Corporate Governance Reforms

Focusing on corporate governance, which many see as a critical part of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and which is also seen as unresponsive to calls for change, this paper argues that such harmoniz...

by Richard W Carney | On 12 Apr 2011

How to Read the Budget

This note is intended as a brief guide on how the budget papers are organised, and how to find the exact information that a reader wants (expenditure on a particular scheme of interest, or total budge...

by Avinash Celestine | On 12 Apr 2011

Declining Child Sex Ratio: Addressing the Imperatives

A discussion about the declining sex ratio in India is given. The various reasons for declining sex ratio are outlined.

by Anwesha Sen | On 09 Apr 2011

Financing Pattern of Indian Corporate Sector Under Libaralisation: With Focus on Acquiring Firms Abroad

An attempt has been made in this paper to analyse the financing pattern of Indian corporate sector during 1990-2009. This paper further seeks to identify the pattern of resource mobilisation of Ind...

by P L Beena | On 08 Apr 2011

Budget 2011-12, Delhi

Budget speech by finance minister. URL: [http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/21d1f280463783518436871b84a2a7b0/CM+Speech+-+PRINT.pdf?MOD=AJPERES].

by Government of Delhi | On 30 Mar 2011

Status of the Reservation to the Right to Vote in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong government continues to invoke the 1976 reservation to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) entered by the United Kingdom government in relation to Hong Kong....

by Seren S.T. Tang | On 29 Mar 2011

Globalization and the Women’s Movement in India

From the early 1990s, the principal economic, social and political problems experienced by the mass of Indian women have, in one way or another, become inextricably linked with the processes and pol...

by Centre for Women's Development Studies | On 28 Mar 2011

Hot Topics for the Future of PRC and Hong Kong, China

At the end of 2004, the macroeconomic balance in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) raises some interesting options. The external sector enjoys a huge surplus, with significant increases in the cu...

by Toshiki Kanamori | On 25 Mar 2011

Policy Responses to the Spatial Dimensions of Poverty

This paper discusses policy responses to the spatial dimensions of poverty. [CPRC Working Paper 168] URL: [http://www.chronicpoverty.org/uploads/publication_files/WP168%20Higgins-Bird-Harris.pdf]

by Kate Higgins | On 24 Mar 2011

Banking Laws Amendment Bill

The government introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that seeks to align voting rights in private banks with shareholding, enhance the central bank’s regulatory powers over banks and give grea...

by Economic Times ET | On 23 Mar 2011

Economic Survey, 2010-11, Maharashtra

State income, public finances, agriculture and animal husbandry, education, health, population etc are given importance in the economic survey. URL: [http://mahades.maharashtra.gov.in/files/publicatio...

by Maharashtra Government | On 23 Mar 2011

‘Spatial Poverty Traps: What Are They and What Can Be Done About Them?'

This paper demonstrates how urban spatial poverty traps exist in developing countries and makes the case for including an urban focus to spatial poverty analysis and policy responses. It frames this w...

by Ursula Grant | On 23 Mar 2011

Social and Economic Policies to Prevent Complex Humanitarian Emergencies Lessons from Experience

In simple language and with numerous concrete examples, this policy brief analyses the impact - among others - of key ex-ante factors such as acute 'horizontal inequality' between social groups in the...

by Jeni Klugman | On 22 Mar 2011

A ‘Lawless Law’: Detentions under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act

Hundreds of people are locked up on spurious grounds under the Public Safety Act in Jammu and Kashmir every year. This report exposes a catalogue of human rights violations associated with the use of...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 21 Mar 2011

Trends in Diversion of PDS Grain

This article estimates the proportion of grain "diverted" from the Public Distribution System (PDS) to the open market, using the well-established method of matching state offtake figures published by...

by Reetika Khera | On 21 Mar 2011

The New Bottom Billion: What If Most of the World’s Poor Live in Middle-Income Countries?

Most of the world’s poor no longer live in low-income countries. An estimated 960 million poor people—a new bottom billion—live in middle-income countries, a result of the graduation of several populo...

by Andy Sumner | On 21 Mar 2011

Trade in Services and Human Development: A First Look at the Links.

Some services directly produce outputs that are important for human development, such as basic human services. Many other services are important inputs into the production and distribution of goods th...

by Ben Shepherd | On 21 Mar 2011

Banking and Beyond: New Challenges before Indian Financial System

A very basic and core issue for the Indian banking system and that is the challenge of achieving Financial Inclusion. Without being inclusive, financial and economic stability cannot be sustainable. F...

by Chakrabarty K C | On 17 Mar 2011

Where are Food Prices Heading?

This paper aims to review the main considerations around food price movements. It includes a discussion on the impact of speculation. URL:[https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/DBR_INTERNET_EN-PROD/PROD00...

by Claire Schaffnit Chatterjee | On 16 Mar 2011

A Green Venture Fund to Finance Clean Technology for Developing Countries

A structure for the green venture fund (GVF) and explain the design rationale, operating principles and key parameters for two funds of funds for technology innovation and deployment is proposed. Some...

by Darius Nassiry | On 16 Mar 2011

Budget 2011-12, Punjab

Budget speech by Finance minister. URL:[http://punjabgovt.nic.in/departments/Budget/budget/budget.htm].

by Government of Punjab | On 16 Mar 2011

Can We Eradicate Hunger?

World hunger is prevalent yet receives relatively less attention compared to poverty. The MDGs have taken a step to address this with the resolution of halving the number of starving people in the wor...

by Basudeb Guha Khasnobis | On 16 Mar 2011

Environment, Human Development and Economic Growth after Liberalisation: An Analysis of Indian States

Economic growth does not necessarily ensure environmental sustainability for a country. The relationship between the two is far more complicated for developing countries like India, given the depend...

by Sacchidananda Mukherjee | On 16 Mar 2011

The State of the World’s Children 2011 Adolescence – An Age of Opportunity

The State of the World's Children 2011 examines the global state of adolescents; outlines the challenges they face in health, education, protection and participation; and explores the risks and vulner...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 14 Mar 2011

Fuel Demand Elasticities for Energy and Environmental Policies Indian Sample Survey Evidence

India has been running large-scale interventions in the energy sector over the last decades. Still, there is a dearth of reliable and readily available price and income elasticities of demand to bas...

by Haripriya Gundimeda | On 14 Mar 2011

Investment and Capital Market Imperfections: Some Evidence from a Developing Economy, India

The paper presents a switching regression model of investment decision, where the probability of a firm facing financial constraint is endogenously determined. The approach, therefore, obviates the...

by Saumitra N Bhaduri | On 11 Mar 2011

Health and Human Rights in Chin State, Western Burma: A Population-Based Assessment Using Multistaged Household Cluster Sampling

The Chin State of Burma (also known as Myanmar) is an isolated ethnic minority area with poor health outcomes and reports of food insecurity and human rights violations. A report on a population-base...

by Richard Sollom | On 09 Mar 2011

Budget Impact on Various Sectors

Budget reactions from various sectors

by Leena Chandan | On 09 Mar 2011

The (mis)allocation of Capital

Is capital allocated so that its marginal product is equated to the market interest rate? Is the marginal product of capital equalized across its alternative uses. This paper attempts to answer both...

by Abhijit V. Banerjee | On 08 Mar 2011

Draft of The Animal Welfare Act, 2011

Comments can be sent to animalwelfareact2011@gmail.com by March 20, 2011.

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 07 Mar 2011

Draft Food Security Bill, 2010

While the Government of India has several schemes for augmenting agricultural production and ensuring adequate availability of food for different segments, a Bill to provide a statutory framework to e...

by Government of India GOI | On 04 Mar 2011

Feedback received until 28th February, 2011 on the Framework note on NFSB

Based on the recommendations the National Advisory Council had already communicated to the Government, as a first step towards preparing the draft National Food Security Bill, a detailed Framework Not...

by National Advisory Council NAC | On 04 Mar 2011

Draft National Food Security Bill: Explanatory Note

This Explanatory Note highlights the rationale and major considerations that form the basis of the NAC proposals on food security. It supplements (i) the NAC recommendations on food security relea...

by National Advisory Council NAC | On 04 Mar 2011

Note on the Draft National Food Security Bill

As agreed by the NAC at its meeting on July 14th, 2010, a Working Group of Members of the NAC was constituted on the National Food Security Bill. After due deliberations and wide ranging consultations...

by Harsh Mander | On 04 Mar 2011

Failed States, Vicious Cycles, and a Proposal

The problems of failed states, including the repeated return to power of former warlords are examined. It is argued that this causes institutions to become weaker and people to get poorer. It is argue...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 04 Mar 2011

Modeling the Private Sector in the PRC

The development of private enterprises in the PRC has its own specific background. During the 1950s, the old Chinese capitalist economy essentially died out with the establishment of the PRC and the...

by Toshiki Kanamori | On 04 Mar 2011

BMC Budget 2011-12

Budget presented to Municipal Commissioner

by Municipal Commissioner BMC | On 01 Mar 2011

Post-Tsunami Recovery: Lessons from Case Study 1. Sri Lanka

The tsunami of December 26, 2004 left Sri Lanka with over 30,000 people dead, almost a million displaced and an estimated 150,000 people lost their primary source of livelihood. There was massive d...

by Sisira Jayasuriya | On 28 Feb 2011

Managing Capital Flows in Asia: Policy Issues and Challenges

Capital inflows provide emerging market economies with invaluable benefits in pursuing economic development and growth by enabling them to finance investment, smooth consumption, diversify risks, a...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 25 Feb 2011

Budget Expectations

Budget expectations from various sectors are given. URL:[ http://www.myiris.com/newsCentre/storyShow.php?fileR=20110217120638043&secID=fromnewsroom&secTitle=From the News Room&dir=2011/02/17].

by IRIS India IRIS | On 21 Feb 2011

Emerging Issues for Regional Cooperation in Asia-Pacific

Dynamic human resources are one of the dominant factors for developing countries (DMCs) to achieve sustainable economic growth. Donors, including the ADB, are eager to help teach DMC policymakers ho...

by Toshiki Kanamori | On 21 Feb 2011

Family Suicide in Kerala : An Explorative Study into Pattern , Determinants and Consequences

The paper is a study of the family suicide cases in Kerala. The aim of the study is to gather information about demographic details, method adopted and causes of suicides that happened in Kerala durin...

by K Praveenlal | On 16 Feb 2011

Punishing the Poor? A Look at Evidence and Action Regarding User Fees in Health Care

This policy brief aims to summarise evidence and discuss various concerns about charging user fees from a low-income perspective.

by ... CEHAT | On 16 Feb 2011

Some Aspects of Inter District Disparities in Tamil Nadu

The study analyzes the inter-district variations in levels of income and human development in Tamal Nadu in recent years. It also tries to analyze the causes of the relatively low levels of income of...

by R. J. Chelliah | On 15 Feb 2011

Towards Universal, Comprehensive and Equitable National Health Systems: The 22 Years Brazilian Experience in its Context

The presentation outlines the 22 years of Brazilian experience in of evolving a comprehensive health care strategy

by Armando De Negri Filho | On 10 Feb 2011

Capitalizing on the Demographic Transition: Tackling Noncommunicable Diseases in South Asia

Increasing life expectancy in South Asia is resulting in a demographic transition that can, under the right circumstances, yield dividends through more favorable dependency ratios for a time. With ag...

by Michael Maurice Engelgau | On 10 Feb 2011

Understanding the Kole Lands in Kerala as A Multiple Use Wetland Ecosystem

Wetlands which face several anthropogenic and other threats are complex ecosystems providing substantial benefits to human society. This paper is an attempt to understand the ecological and economic...

by Jeena T Srinivasan | On 09 Feb 2011

Privstization in a Small Open Economy with Imperfect Competition

Privatization is analysed in a general equilibrium model of a small, tariff-distorted, open economy. There is a differentiated good produced by both private and public sector enterprises. A reductio...

by Arghya Ghosh | On 04 Feb 2011

Reforming the Indian Financial System

The key features of Indian finance is summarised. With a growing savings rate and a growing share of private corporate capital forma- tion, and with a high growth rate of GDP, Indian finance is rapi...

by Ajay Shah | On 03 Feb 2011

Resource Booklet CFPR-II Evaluation

Bangladesh is making consistent progress in poverty reduction since early 1990s. According to Household Income-Expenditure Surveys, poverty rate has declined from more than 60% in 1990- 91 to just a...

by Munshi Sulaiman | On 01 Feb 2011

Conceptualising Social Security And Income Redistribution

This paper offers a conceptualisation of social security and income redistribution schemes which highlights the strong overlaps between the two. Indeed, it is virtually impossible to disentangle the t...

by Ravi Kanbur | On 27 Jan 2011

Small Scale Old Age and Widow Allowance for the Poor in Rural Bangladesh: An Evaluation

This study was done to explore the process of targeting, selection and benefits distribution and the use of the allowances, satisfaction, and the association of old age and widow allowances with var...

by . BRAC | On 25 Jan 2011

Rethinking the Policy Objectives of Development Aid: From Economic Growth to Conflict Prevention

The current consensus objective of development aid in the international community is to reduce poverty in general and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in particular. In addition,...

by Sakiko Fukuda- Parr | On 21 Jan 2011

Remittances and Financial Inclusion in Development

In this paper they focus on the relationship between remittance inflows and financial inclusion in developing countries. They present single equation estimates on remittances and financial inclusi...

by Helen S. Toxopeus | On 21 Jan 2011

Monitoring and Evaluation Reform under Changing Aid Modalities: Seeking the Middle Ground in Aid-Dependent Low-Income Countries

This paper grew out of our bewilderment with the insouciance with which some in the donor community seem ready to abandon accounting for the use of aid. If one listens to the rhetoric surrounding...

by Nathalie Holvoet | On 20 Jan 2011

Income-based Measures of Average Well-being

International comparisons of average national incomes omit important information about leisure, home production, health, etc. They are also bedevilled by index number problems. This paper suggests...

by Steve Dowrick | On 17 Jan 2011

Evolution of India’s Exchange Rate Regime

The paper analyzes the changing INR trends over the reform period, in the context of fundamental determinants of exchange rates. [WP-2010-024].

by Ashima Goyal | On 13 Jan 2011

Poverty Measures and Anti-Poverty Policy with an Egalitarian Constraint

Bourguignon and Fields (‘Poverty Measures and Anti-Poverty Policy’) and Gangopadhyay and Subramanian (‘Optimal Budgetary Intervention in Poverty Alleviation Schemes’) have derived optimal budgeta...

by S. Subramanian | On 07 Jan 2011

An Inventory of the Development Programmes by Government and Non-Government Organizations in Selected Unions of Matlab (Excluding BRAC & ICDDR,B)

Endemic poverty is the stark reality that one confronts immediately about rural Bangladesh. Almost 50% of the rural households are now bereft of any visible resources, which could enable them to eke ...

by Monirul Islam Khan | On 06 Jan 2011

Monetary Policy, Capital Flows, and the Exchange Rate

The use of monetary policy in India has been constrained by a loose fiscal policy and capital flows. Capital inflows have the potential to cause a Dutch Disease-type situation. The RBI has carried out...

by Partha Sen | On 06 Jan 2011

Dynamics of Urban Mobility: A Comparative Analysis of Megacities of India

This paper aims to analyse urban mobility patterns and consequent impacts on energy and environment in India. We investigate the quantity of energy use in 23 metropolitan regions for the period 1981–...

by B. Sudhakara Reddy | On 03 Jan 2011

An Approach to Communication and Social Change: How Communications Can Build Social Capital for the Ultra Poor

BRAC’s Advocacy and Human Rights Unit (BAHRU) has developed a social communications programme that goes beyond traditional approaches of marketing communications. The goal of the programme is long-t...

by Jeneviève Mann ell | On 03 Jan 2011

Does Women’s Status Matter for Food Security? Evidence from Bangladesh

Using data from a survey of Bangladeshi households, this paper investigates the link between female status and food security. Employing three different indicators of female status – husband’s an...

by Mohammad A. Razzaque | On 29 Dec 2010

Profitability of BRAC-financed Projects: A Study of Seven Microenterprises in Matlab

The basic objective of this study was to look at the profit rates made by VO members once they have made investments in projects financed through BRAC loans. BRAC’s twin objectives of employment and ...

by Hassan Zaman | On 28 Dec 2010

Domestic Violence Against Women: Its Determinants and Implications for Gender Resource Allocation

Using data from a survey of Bangladeshi households, this paper explores the determinants of domestic violence against women as well as its implications for the resources allocated to women. The fi...

by Mohammad Mokammel Karim Toufique | On 27 Dec 2010

Changes in the Distribution of Wealth in China, 1995-2002

This paper investigates some major changes in the wealth distribution in China using the data from two national household surveys conducted in 1995 and 2002. The surveys collected rich informatio...

by Shi Li | On 27 Dec 2010

Women’s Involvement in BRAC Development Activities and Child Nutrition

This study explores the effect of women’s involvement in BRAC’s income and health development activities on the nutritional status of their children aged 6-72 months. MUAC measurements of 1,518 chil...

by Masuma Khatun | On 23 Dec 2010

The Two Cultures Revisited: Some Reflections on the Environment-Development Debate in India

The speech is mainly about the "two cultures” (modern society—the cultures of the science and that of the humanities) syndrome—the apparent gap between those espousing the case for faster economic g...

by Jairam Ramesh | On 23 Dec 2010

The Withdrawal of OHCHR-Nepal: Agreeing an Alibi for Violation?

On 9th June 2010 the mandate of the UN human rights field mission to Nepal, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal), expires. The Prime Minister MK Nepal has said t...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 22 Dec 2010

A Technical Paper on “Inflation Indexed Bonds (IIBs)"

This technical paper sets out the benefits and downsides of issuing IIBs along with explaining its structure comprising of indexation (principal or interest), inflation index lag, issuance method, met...

by Reserve Bank of India | On 17 Dec 2010

Low birth weight in offspring of women with depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy: results from a population based study in Bangladesh

There is a high prevalence of antepartum depression and low birth weight (LBW) in Bangladesh. In high- and low-income countries, prior evidence linking maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms with i...

by Hashima E Nasreen | On 14 Dec 2010

Revisiting Group Dynamic and Legal Rights

BRAC Human Rights and Legal Services Programme (HRLS) has initiated to form ward-based Legal Rights Implementation Committee (LRIC) comprised of 19 members to ensure justice for the vulnerable women...

by Debasish Kumar Kundu | On 14 Dec 2010

The Future of Financial Liberalization in South Asia

The paper defines financial liberalization, distinguishing between liberalization of domestic financial markets and capital account convertibility. It then examines the stages and the strategy of Ind...

by Ashima Goyal | On 14 Dec 2010

More than Money: Impact Investing for Development

Much of development policy is geared toward increasing investment and creating the conditions that allow private capital flows to take the place of development assistance. The renowned development s...

by John Simon | On 10 Dec 2010

Growth, Income Distribution, and Poverty: A Review

This paper reviews recent research dealing with the relationships between economic growth, income distribution, and poverty. This generally fails to find any systematic pattern of change in income d...

by Arne Bigsten | On 09 Dec 2010

Some Speculation on Growth, Disparity and Capital Reorganisation in the Indian Economy

This paper is all about speculations on growth, disparity and Capital reorganisation in Indian Economy. [Working Paper No. 124]

by Sudipto Mundle | On 06 Dec 2010

Decomposing Spatial Differences in Poverty in India

Over the last decade, India has been one of the fastest growing economies, and has experienced considerable decline in overall income poverty. However, in a vast country like India, poverty levels v...

by Shatakshee Dhongde | On 03 Dec 2010

Composite Indices of Human Well-being: Past, Present, and Future

This paper surveys the various composite well-being indices that have been inter-country assessments over the last 40 or soy ears, including the well known Human Development Index (HDI). A number of...

by Mark McGillivray | On 03 Dec 2010

The Relationship between Income Inequality, Poverty, and Globalization

This paper introduces two composite indices of globalization. The first is based on the Kearney/Foreign Policy magazine and the second is obtained from principal component analysis. They indicate...

by Almas Heshmati | On 30 Nov 2010

Economic Agendas in Civil Wars: What We Know, What We Need to Know

The political economy of civil wars has acquired unprecedented scholarly and policy attention. Among others, the International Peace Academy’s programme on Economic Agendas in Civil Wars (EACW) ha...

by David M Malone | On 26 Nov 2010

Determinants of Trade Misinvoicing

Traditional explanations for trade misinvoicing -- high custom duties and weak domestic economies — are less persuasive in a world of high growth emerging markets who have low trade barriers. A 35- ...

by Ila Patnaik | On 22 Nov 2010

Convergence Club Empirics: Some Dynamics and Explanations of Unequal Growth across Indian States

This paper documents the convergence of incomes across Indian states over the period 1965 to 1998. It departs from traditional analyses of convergence by tracking the evolution of the entire income...

by Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay | On 22 Nov 2010

The Effect of IMF and World Bank Programmes on Poverty

Structural adjustment, as measured by the number of adjustment loans from the IMF and World Bank, reduces the growth elasticity of poverty reduction. Growth does reduce poverty, but the author find...

by William Easterly | On 19 Nov 2010

Food Balance Sheet of Kerela

This paper is a look at the food balance sheet of Kerela, the extent of undernutrition and malnutrition in Kerela. For ths purpose, 57 items of food normally available in the State were taken into acc...

by P.G.K. Panikar | On 19 Nov 2010

Foreign Shareholding: A Decomposition Analysis

A decomposition in the ownership of shares by foreigners is offered into three parts: the change in insider shareholding, the change in market capitalisation and the change in the fraction of outsi...

by Ajay Shah | On 16 Nov 2010

Dynamics of Land Distribution: An Alternative Approach and Analysis with Reference to Kerala

The present exercise is primarily exploratory in nature; it does not attempt to provide a comprehensive explanation of the dynamics of land distribution. The conclusions drawn are primary and tentativ...

by K.N. Nair | On 16 Nov 2010

Industrial Distribution of Working Force in Kerala

Economic development brings about, with rising national product and income per capita, certain broad changes in the structure of production and industrial distribution of the working force. It has lo...

by P.G.K. Panikar | On 10 Nov 2010

Editors, Publishers, Impact Factors, and Reprint Income

Many editors are likely to deny that thoughts of a rising Impact Factor (IF) might influence their acceptance rates.

by Harvey Marcovitch | On 05 Nov 2010

Human Capital, Labour Productivity and Employment

This paper analyses the importance of human capital in determining the inter-state differences in labour productivity and its growth in India. The paper also examines the impact of human capital d...

by Savita Bhat | On 01 Nov 2010

Macroeconomic Impacts of Foreign Exchange Reserve Accumulation: Theory and International Evidence

Recently, a dramatic accumulation in foreign exchange reserves has been widely observed in developing countries. This paper explores the possible long-run impacts of this trend on macroeconomic variab...

by Shin-ichi Fukuda | On 01 Nov 2010

Socioeconomic Impacts of Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure Development in South Asia

Although the overall economic performance of economies in South Asia in recent years has been impressive, there is concern that an aging and increasingly inadequate infrastructure may limit the potent...

by John Gilbert | On 01 Nov 2010

Human Capital and Development: A Tale of Two Cities--Software Sector in Hyderabad and Bangalore

This paper discusses the factors that promote clusters and the role of clusters in the generation and spread of human capital The analysis in the paper is based on a comparative study of software fir...

by V. N. Balasubramanyam | On 29 Oct 2010

Does Change in S & T Explain Dynamics in Human Capital? An enquiry into Emerging Trends in Nursing Labour Market

We examine why it is important to consider seemingly autonomous but more embedded socio-political-economic aspects in assessing the impact of changes in Science and Technology (S&T) on human capital...

by Bino Paul G.D | On 29 Oct 2010

Understanding NREGA: A Simple Theory and Some Facts

A developing economy like India is often characterised by a labour market with demand and supply of labour and a wage that even if competitively determined may not be adequate for the poor household t...

by Diganta Mukherjee | On 29 Oct 2010

Integration of India’s Financial Markets on the Domestic and International Fronts: An Emperical Analysis of the Post-Liberalisation Period. June 2010

Against the backdrop of financial liberalisation, this paper examines India’s financial integration, both on the domestic and international fronts. Preliminary analysis of the secondary data shows ...

by Gargi Sanati | On 29 Oct 2010

The International Mobility of Talent and its Impact on Global Development

Human talent is a key economic resource and a source of creative power in science, technology, business, arts and culture and other activities. Talent has a large economic value and its mobility...

by Andrés Solimano | On 21 Oct 2010

Drug Companies Should Be Held More Accountable for Their Human Rights Responsibilities

The PLoS Medicine Editors argue that drug companies should be held much more accountable for their human rights responsibilities

by PLoS Medicine | On 20 Oct 2010

Mekong Mainstream Dams: Threatening Southeast Asia's Food Security

The Mekong is under threat. The governments of Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand are considering plans to build eleven big hydropower dams on the Mekong River’s lower mainstream. If built, these dams wou...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 19 Oct 2010

Collective Values, Behavioural Norms and Rules Building Institutions for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction

Economic growth and poverty reduction require for a country to establish efficient rules for economic and political transactions. Poor countries suffer from inadequate, inefficient transaction rules...

by Ke-young Chu | On 12 Oct 2010

Transfers and the Terms of Trade in an Overlapping Generations Model

This paper explores the steady state welfare implications of permanent transfers in a two-country, two-sector overlapping generations model. At the golden rule and with Walrasian stability, we demonst...

by Emily T. Cremers | On 08 Oct 2010

Long Term Trends in the Growth and Structure of the Net State Domestic Product in Kerala

Kerala has been a model to other states for her achievements in social development. But in terms of economic growth her performance has for long been very poor and a matter of deep concern. In this...

by P. Mohanan Pillai | On 08 Oct 2010

Aid to Fragile States: Do Donors Help or Hinder?

The record of aid to fragile and poorly-performing states is the real test of aid effectiveness. Rich countries can justify aid to fragile states both through altruism and self-interest. But, wit...

by Stephen Browne | On 06 Oct 2010

The Syrian Christians of Kerala: Demographic and Socioeconomic Transition in the Twentieth Century

The twentieth century has witnessed a process of significant transition of the Syrian Christian community in Kerala in terms of its demographic and socio-economic status. In this paper, the transitio...

by K.C. Zachariah | On 05 Oct 2010

Nutrition in India: Facts and Interpretations

The Indian economy has recently grown at historically unprecedented rates and is now one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Real GDP per head grew at 3.95 percent a year from 1980 to 2...

by Angus Deaton | On 05 Oct 2010

Games the State Plays: A Follow–up Report on the Violations of Workers' Rights in CWG-related Construction Sites

For the last few years , a massive amount of construction work has been going on in various parts of Delhi for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) to be held in October this year. PUDR tried to conduct a fac...

by People's Union for Democratic Rights PUDR | On 01 Oct 2010

Government Intervention in Commercial Crop Development: Case of Flue Cured Virginia Tobacco

The role of the state in industrialisation is a much discussed topic these days. Specifically this role has witnessed itself in the form of direct intervention by the states through owning the means...

by Sunil Mani | On 01 Oct 2010

Commodity Taxation and Social Welfare : The Generalised Ramsey Rule

Commodity taxes have three distinct roles: (1) revenue collection, (2) interpersonal redistribution, and (3) resource allocation. The paper presents an integrated treatment of these three concerns...

by David Coady | On 01 Oct 2010

Macro-prudential Approach to Regulation - Scope and Issues

It is being acknowledged that a macro prudential perspective is critical in designing and pursuing micro prudential regulation of institutions and markets. Two distinct but highly inter-related constr...

by Shyamala Gopinath | On 28 Sep 2010

Debt Policy in a Competitive Two-Sector Overlapping Generations Model

In this paper debt policy in a two-period, two-sector overlapping generations model with Leontief technologies has been analysed. It has been found that debt, issued to transfer resources to the initi...

by Partha Sen | On 28 Sep 2010

The Returns to English-Language Skills in India

India's colonial legacy and linguistic diversity give English an important role in its economy, and this role has expanded due to globalization in recent decades. It is widely believed that there are...

by Mehtabul Azam | On 26 Sep 2010

Structural Estimates of the Intergenerational Education Correlation

Using a structural dynamic programming model, we investigate the relative importance of family background variables and individual specific abilities in explaining cross-sectional differences in...

by Christian Belzil | On 23 Sep 2010

Working Group on Development of Children for the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012): (Volume One)

Nineteen per cent of world’s children live in India. India is home to more than one billion people, of which 42 per cent are children, defined as persons under 18 years of age. In international co...

by Government of India Ministry of Women and Child Development | On 17 Sep 2010

Regulation in Health Care in Tamil Nadu (India): A study of the Implementation of Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) 1994, and Consumer Protection Act (CPA) 1986

The functioning of healthcare sector could be substantially influenced by the design and implementation of regulatory policies that govern the behaviour of various stakeholders. The empirical challe...

by Vangal R Muraleedharan | On 16 Sep 2010

Developing Economies and the Environment: The Role of Trade and Capital Flows

This paper reviews (critically and selectively) the literature on the link between economic development, the environment and international trade (and capital flows). In particular, how stricter...

by Partha Sen | On 16 Sep 2010

Dignity on Trial

The report discusses the problems posed by one of the most archaic forensic procedures still in use: the finger test. [CEHAT].

by Human Rights Watch | On 15 Sep 2010

The Transfer Paradox in a One-Sector Overlapping Generations Model

This paper examines the effects of international income transfers on welfare and capital accumulation in a one-sector overlapping generations model. It is shown that a strong form of the transfer para...

by Partha Sen | On 15 Sep 2010

Human Dilemma of Technological Progress: Women, Technology and Employment

Science and technology have continuously enlarged the frontiers of human knowledge, growth and development. The issue which keeps surfacing time and again and needs to be addressed while planning ou...

by Kumud Sharma | On 15 Sep 2010

Evasion at the top

The government gave out some interesting numbers on Monday. The revenue secretary told a news conference that nearly 96 per cent of the 32.5 million who pay income tax reported a taxable income of und...

by T.N. Ninan | On 14 Sep 2010

Seasonality and Wage-responsiveness in Nonclearing Labour Markets: Evidence from Indian Agriculture

Labour income is often a major source of income not only for landless rural households but also for the 'small' farmers in Asian agriculture. Fluctuations in labour income can be quite marked, owing t...

by Sunil Kanwar | On 10 Sep 2010

Intellectual Property Protection and the Licensing of Technology to Developing Countries

In this paper, the influence of stronger intellectual property protection on technology transfer into developing countries via licensing is analyzed. Using panel data for the post-TRIPs period 1995-20...

by Sunil Kanwar | On 09 Sep 2010

Understanding the ADR premium under market segmentation

Capital controls can induce large and persistent deviations from the Law of One Price for cross-listed stocks in international capital markets. A considerable literature has explored rm-speci c fac...

by Matthieu Stigler | On 09 Sep 2010

Disarticulation of Indegenous People: Can the Judiciary Saviour Them

The paper aims at bringing out and explaining the problems faced by tribals. The paper also analyzes various laws made for protecting the tribals and giving them justice.

by Ketan Mukhija | On 03 Sep 2010

Estimation of Poverty Transition Matrices with Noisy Data

This paper investigates potential measurement error biases in estimated poverty transition matrices. Transition matrices based on survey expenditure data has been compared to transition matrices bas...

by Nayoung Lee | On 30 Aug 2010

Indian Software Industry: Distortions and Consolidations of Gains

The Indian software industry is at the bottom of knowledge hierarchy, where the bottom is highly segmented. The political process that successfully thwarted the automation of Indian manufacturing sect...

by Pradosh Nath | On 20 Aug 2010

What Can Be Learned About the Economies of China and India from Purchasing Power Comparisons?

Comparisons of India and China have been made for over 50 years. This paper focuses on purchasing power estimates in China and India in the 2005 round of the UN International Comparison Programme (I...

by Alan Heston | On 20 Aug 2010

Book Review: Promoting Economic Cooperation in South Asia

Review of 'Promoting Economic Cooperation in South Asia'; S. Ahmed, S. Kalegama and E. Ghani (Editors). Published by Sage Publications, New Delhi, 2010

by Sandhya S . Iyer | On 17 Aug 2010

Betit: A Family that Nests Probit and Logit

This paper proposes a dichotomous choice model that is based on a transformed beta (or z”) distribution. This model, called betit, nests both logit and probit and allows for various skewed and peak...

by Wim P.M. Vijverberg | On 13 Aug 2010

The Economics of Human Cloning

In this paper, we analyze the extent to which market forces create an incentive for cloning human beings. We show that a market for cloning arises if a large enough fraction of the clone’s income ca...

by Gilles Saint Paul | On 13 Aug 2010

FDI and Human Capital Development

This paper explains importance of human capital skilling, the relation between the FDI and Human Capital development besides the experiences of these two in different regions of the world i.e., Asian...

by P. Srinivas Subbarao | On 04 Aug 2010

An Examination of the Relationship between Health and Economic Growth

This paper attempts to examine the relationship between health and economic growth. The rate of growth is measured using gross national income (GNI) and health status is measured using infant mortalit...

by Garima Malik | On 04 Aug 2010

'Cause I'm the taxman

This piece is a discussion of the pros and cons of incomes tax, and the people who administer it, initiated on the occasion of Income Tax Day.

by T.N. Ninan | On 03 Aug 2010

Eff ects of Trade liberalisation, Environmental and Labour Regulations on Employment in India's Organised Textile Sector

In recent years, employment has fallen in the organised textile sector despite an aggregate rise in output and capital. This paper analyses the role of various factors that influence employment usin...

by Badri Narayanan G. | On 30 Jul 2010

Survey Of State-Society Relations Social Indicators Research Project Executive Summary Report

The executive summary reports on major findings from a survey conducted among a random sample of 1,054 Singaporeans and Permanent Residents aged 18 to 65. Focus is on views of public policies in thr...

by Ooi Giok Ling | On 29 Jul 2010

Social Protection Package for the Retrenched Workers of State-owned Enterprises: A quick Assessment

BRAC designed and implemented a project namely Kallyan project aiming to improve the quality of life of the retrenched workers of state-owned enterprises of Bangladesh. This study aimed to map the p...

by Narayan Chandra Das | On 28 Jul 2010

Sand in the Wheels of International Finance: Revisiting the Debate in Light of the East Asian Mayhem

The turmoil that has characterised the global financial markets since the 1990s, and particularly the crisis in East Asia, has generated a great deal of support for proposals to add some frictions t...

by Ramkishen Rajan | On 21 Jul 2010

State Capacity, Conflict and Development

This paper is a report on an on-going project, which asks a number of questions relevant to the study of state capacity. What are the main economic and political determinants of the state’s capacity...

by Timothy Besley | On 15 Jul 2010

Privacy, time consistent optimal labor income taxation and education policy

Incomplete information is a commitment device for time consistency problems. In the context of time consistent labour income taxation privacy can lead to a Pareto superior outcome and increases the ef...

by Kai A. Konrad | On 09 Jul 2010

Why is Dead DEDA Still Alive?

The paper discuses and analyzes the present state of affairs of the Delhi Energy Development Agency (DEDA).

by Arjun Bhattacharya | On 30 Jun 2010

Alcohol Marketing in the Digital Age

This paper talks about alcohol marketing in digital age.

by Jeff Chester | On 30 Jun 2010

A Decomposition of Poverty Tre across Regions: The Role of Variation in the Income and Inequality Elasticities of Poverty

The impact of globalization on global and local inequality is hotly debated in the recent literature. This study considers the separate issue of the impact of globalization on poverty through quan...

by Adriaan Kalwij | On 28 Jun 2010

Municipal Finance of Urban Infrastructure: Knowns and Unknowns

Various trends, including an increasing emphasis on fiscal decentralization; political democratization in many areas; globalization and the financial liberalization that often accompanies it; growing...

by James Alm | On 18 Jun 2010

Understanding Vietnam: A Look Beyond Facts and Figures

Vietnam's (re) discovery in recent years by the international investor community gives the country a second chance to become and Asia tiger. The article looks into the economic, social, political, per...

by Tamara Trinh | On 16 Jun 2010

Not Just Mad Englishmen and a Dog: The Colonial Tuning of 'Music on Record', 1900-1908

The paper excavates how the advent of commercial audiography, through 'Recording Expeditions' between 1902 and 1907, shaped configurations of the nascent business in, and culture around, 'music on rec...

by Vibodh Parthasarathi | On 16 Jun 2010

Impact Assessment of CFPR/TUP: A Descriptive Analysis Based on 2002-2005 Panel Data

This paper looks at the overall performance of the CFPR/TUP programme using the 2002 baseline survey and 2005 repeat survey. All the topics covered in this study could be analysed more deeply, but tha...

by Mehnaz Rabbani | On 15 Jun 2010

Capital Adequacy Regime in India: An Overview

In this paper an analytical review of the capital adequacy regime and the present state of capital to risk-weighted asset ratio (CRAR) of the banking sector in India has been presented. In the curre...

by Mandira Sarma | On 14 Jun 2010

Restraints On Capital Flows: What Are They?

Though there has been much general debate recently about the pros and cons of capital controls, there remains substantial confusion and uncertainty about what exactly is entailed by the term ‘restra...

by Ramkishen Rajan | On 11 Jun 2010

Improving the Quality of Life of the Presbyopic Patients: The Reading Glass Project of BRAC

This study aimed to explore the current state of awareness and knowledge among the community people about presbyopia and its treatment, barriers to detection of presbyopia and its correction by using...

by Syed Masud Ahmed | On 10 Jun 2010

Social Capital and State-Civil Society Relations in Singapore

This paper shows that the realization of Singapore’s vision of “active citizenship” and “state-society partnership”, to a significant extent, depends on how social capital is being created and renew...

by Tan Tay Keong | On 09 Jun 2010

Affordability to Finance Poverty Reduction Programmes

This paper addresses the question of affordability to finance poverty reduction programs in a dynamic context. In doing so, it stresses the need for approaching the problem from a human rights perspec...

by Omar Haider Chowdhury | On 04 Jun 2010

Gender Development Indicators: Issues, Debates and Ranking of Districts

The present study emphasizes on independent variable analysis in assessing gender development at the disaggregated district level to account for problems such as the major contradiction facing this c...

by Preet Rustagi | On 03 Jun 2010

The Economics of Adaptation to Extreme Weather Events in Developing Countries

Without a better understanding of the interactions between international players, households and public sector, it will be difficult for climate negotiators and donor institutions to determine the...

by Brian Blankespoor | On 01 Jun 2010

End of Union Raj

This article talks about the rampant trade unionism which is on the verge of fading with reference to the recent short lived strike by Air India employees and many such cases.

by T.N. Ninan | On 31 May 2010

Civil Conflict and Human Capital Accumulation: The Long Term Effects of Political Violence in Perú

This paper provides empirical evidence of the long- and short-term effects of political violence exposure on human capital accumulation. Using a novel data set that registers all the violent acts an...

by Gianmarco Leon | On 27 May 2010

Debt Policy and Economic Growth in a Small Open Economy Model with Productive Government Spending

In this paper, the effects of introducing constraints on government borrowing have been examined by using a continuous-time overlapping generations model of a small open economy. Government placing co...

by Koichi Futagami | On 27 May 2010

The EU-India FTA in Services and Possible Gender Impact in India: Concern Areas

This paper studies the impact of services trade liberalization under the currently negotiated EU-India FTA on women’s lives in India and tries to delineate the concern areas. Relevant sectors of int...

by Ranja Sengupta | On 25 May 2010

Cultures of Transport: Representation, Practice and Technology

It is argue that the so-called cultural‘ (and spatial‘) turn that has remodelled so many other areas of the humanities and social sciences over the last two decades might help answer Armstrong‘s plea...

by Colin Divall | On 21 May 2010

Can Social Security Boost Domestic Consumption in the People’s Republic of China?

This paper reviews the development of the social security system and trends in the urban labor market in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Despite its remarkable economic achievement, the PRC face...

by Wang Dewen | On 20 May 2010

Which Asia?

Is Asia a cohesive analytical unit in any practical sense?

by T.N. Ninan | On 17 May 2010

Improving Newborn Survival in Low-Income Countries: Community-Based Approaches and Lessons from South Asia

Obstacles to improving survival include: many newborn infants are invisible to health services; care-seeking for maternal and newborn ailments is limited; health workers are often not skilled and co...

by Nirmala Nair | On 03 May 2010

Private Sector Industrialization in China: Evidence from Wenzhou

The purpose of this study to help shed light on the entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs and enterprise growth in Wenzhou. The study is done by relying on a probabilistic firm survey that we carried out i...

by John Strauss | On 08 Apr 2010

Preventing Road Deaths—Time for Data

The editors stress the impact of inadequate road safety on global health, in both developed and low- and middle-income countries. "Research into the risk factors for injury from road traffic crashes,...

by PLoS Medicine | On 08 Apr 2010

Planning for Human Settlements in India-Spatial Perspective

This paper examines the basis upon which rural and urban areas are classified as such. It looks into various criteria for the above all over the world and re-iterates the Indian definition of an ‘urba...

by V.K. Dhar | On 22 Mar 2010

Determinants of the Choice of Migration Destination

This paper examines migrants choice of destination conditional on migration. To this end, an empirical strategy is designed which remedies both migration selection and unobserved heterogeneity probl...

by Marcel Fafchamps | On 18 Mar 2010

Kerala Budget 2010-11

Budget speech by finance minister Dr. Thomas Issac

by Government of Kerala Govt | On 05 Mar 2010

Karnataka Budget 2010-11

Budget speech by finance minister of Karnataka

by Government of Karnataka GoK | On 05 Mar 2010

Globalisation Lived Locally: New Forms of Control, Conflict and Response Among Labour in Kerala, Examined Through a Labour Geography Lens

With the support of the labour geography framework, this study tries to analyse how the economic geography of capitalism is shaped by the spatial practices of labour. The model that is taken up is n...

by Neethi P | On 22 Feb 2010

Tax Devolution and Grant Distribution to States in India Analysis and Roadmap for Alternatives

The paper attempts to analyse the impact of devolution of taxes and distribution grants by the Centre to the States in India by taking fourteen major States for the time period 1980-81 to 2006-07. T...

by R Mohan | On 15 Feb 2010

Transport Infrastructure and Poverty Infrastructure

The main issues surrounding this concern and provides a range of policy, regulatory, and institutional measures that could help strengthen the impact of transport infrastructure on poverty reduction...

by Sununtar Setboonsarng | On 10 Feb 2010

Factor Employment, Sources and Sustainability of Output Growth: Analysis of Indian Manufacturing

The manufacturing sector in India is crucial for two main reasons: It has significant potential to provide modern employment to a growing labour force, especially that of less skilled type and second...

by Arvind Virmani | On 09 Feb 2010

Migration of Health Care Professionals from India: A Case Study of Nurses

The study attempts to examine why there is staff shortage of health care professionals especially the nurses in India and the impact of such migration on services like emergency preparedness, quality...

by Ann Issac | On 04 Feb 2010

Asia Confronts the Impossible Trinity

Capital account openness and exchange rate flexibility in 11 Asian countries are examined. Asia has made slow progress on de jure capital account openness, but has made much more progress on de facto...

by Ila Patnaik | On 04 Feb 2010

Human Resources for Health: Requirements and Availability in the Context of Scaling-Up Priority Interventions in Low-Income Countries

The purpose of this study was to explore the role and importance of human resources for the scaling up of health services in low income countries. In the case studies, the following have been analyze...

by Christoph Kurowski | On 28 Jan 2010

Snakes, Ladders and Traps: Changing Lives and Livelihoods in Rural Bangladesh (1994-2001)

This paper examines national-level explanations for poverty decline in Bangladesh in micro-level detail, in order to better understand the nature of the causalities at work and why some households h...

by Naila Kabeer | On 28 Jan 2010

The Dynamic Relationship between Price and Trading Volume: Evidence from Indian Stock Market

This study investigates the nature of relationship between price and trading volume for 50 Indian stocks. Firstly the contemporaneous and asymmetric relation between price and volume are examined. T...

by Brajesh Kumar | On 25 Jan 2010

Measures of Inflation in India: Issues and Perspectives

A review of the various primary measures of inflation with a particular reference to the divergence between WPI and CPI. Focus is also given on different secondary (derived) measures of inflation, par...

by Deepak Mohanty | On 21 Jan 2010

Mortality, Human Capital and Persistent Inequality

Available evidence suggests high intergenerational correlation of economic status, and persistent disparities in health status between the rich and the poor. This paper proposes a novel mechanism li...

by Shankha Chakraborty | On 19 Jan 2010

Why India Choked when Lehman Broke

India has an elaborate system of capital controls which impede cap- ital mobility and particularly short-term debt. Yet, when the global money market fell into turmoil after the bankruptcy of Lehman...

by Ila Patnaik | On 19 Jan 2010

Who Owns Children and Does It Matter?

In this paper a particular market failure that may lead to inefficiently low equilibrium fertility and therefore to a need for government intervention are analysed. The friction which is investigated...

by Alice Schoonbroodt | On 18 Jan 2010

The Nature of Rural Infrastructure: Problems and Prospects

This paper looks at rural infrastructure facilities in India, the lack of which is demonstrated to be an impediment to sustained economic development. It is argued that problems of rural infrastruct...

by Suman Bery | On 15 Jan 2010

Many Poverties

Discusses about the different poverty measuements.

by T.N. Ninan | On 22 Dec 2009

Key Copenhagen Messages

Climate change is one of the most important issues of the next decades and has the potential to severely impact societies, economies and human wellbeing.

by Caio Koch-Weser | On 16 Dec 2009

Poverty Dynamics in Rural Sindh, Pakistan

This paper focuses on poverty dynamics and their determinants, using panel survey data for rural Sindh, Pakistan. Households interviewed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) d...

by Hari Ram Lohano | On 10 Dec 2009

Public Private Partnership in Uttar Pradesh Health Care Delivery System- UPHSDP as an Initiative

The objective of the study is to find out the primary reason to encourage public private participation in health care delivery system in Uttar Pradesh and the study also aim to analyse UPHSDP -a Wor...

by Bibi Ishrat Jahan | On 07 Dec 2009

The Challenges of Conducting a Humanitarian Response: A Report on the Post-Floods Situation in Mahbubnagar District

Composite Report on the Pilot Visit to Severely Affected Areas of Mahbubnagar District of Andhra Pradesh

by Samrat Sinha | On 02 Dec 2009

Literacy Traps: Society-wide Education and Individual Skill Premia

Using a model of O-ring production function, the paper demonstrates how certain communities can get caught in a low-literacy trap in which each individual finds it not worthwhile investing in higher...

by Vidya Atal | On 01 Dec 2009

Flying with the Crane-Recapturing KMVS’s Ten-Year Journey

This document is at the behest of KMVS and is an effort to hold up a mirror to their journey. It is a documentation of their history, context, evolution, and experiences since its emergence in 1989. A...

by Vimala Ramachandran | On 01 Dec 2009

Statistical Trends in Pharmaceutical Research for Poor Countries

Introducing patent rights in developing country markets might stimulate greater R and D investment targeting their specific health needs – areas long neglected. This paper examines this argument using...

by Jean O Lanjouw | On 26 Nov 2009

Think the Future

The time may have come to stop thinking of five-year plans, and to focus instead on 10- and 20-year scenarios.

by T.N. Ninan | On 23 Nov 2009

Innovation through Long-distance Conversations? Lessons from Offshoring-based Software Clusters in Bangalore

This paper is aganist the popular assertion regarding the links between innovation and clustering and it is found that the main sources of knowledge transfer and innovation among key firms in Bangalor...

by Aya Okada | On 23 Nov 2009

Post-Conflict Recovery: Does the Global Economy Work for Peace?

This paper mainly addresses the economic dimensions, concentrating on the importance of international trade to state-building and the need for global public goods in a global market economy. The focu...

by Tony Addison | On 23 Nov 2009

Gender, Poverty And Development: Gender Sensitive Budgeting And Other 'Best Practices'

The dominance of the mainstream paradigm of growth is being increasingly superseded by the Sustainable Human Development approach. No Concept of development, however, can be complete unless and until...

by Ritu Dewan | On 20 Nov 2009

Low Income Shelter Financing in Slum Upgrading: India Urban Initiatives

This report summarises findings from the USAID-sponsored project on models of financing for slum upgrading in India, undertaken on behalf of SPARC,a Mumbai-based NGO involved in slum upgrading and th...

by Sally Merrill | On 19 Nov 2009

From Income to Urban Contest in Global Settings: Chronic Poverty in Bangalore

The paper is a research which studies the government policies and agendas that affect the poor in India. For the research 8 to 10 families, who had been intervened several years ago were re-interviewe...

by Solomon Benjamin | On 16 Nov 2009

Gendering Human Development Indices: Recasting the Gender Development Index and Gender Empowerment Measure of India

Gender-related Development Index (GDI) and Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) developed by UNDP need to be recast to realistically capture the gender gaps in development and empowerment in the Third Wo...

by Government of India Ministry of Women and Child Development | On 10 Nov 2009

The Deluge of Debt: Understanding the Financial Needs of Poor Households

This paper is about the financial lives of poor households. It examines the different sources of income and expenditure of the poor households residing in a coastal settlement in Kerala. The method...

by B. S. Suran | On 29 Oct 2009

Second Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2009 -10

The repo rate has been kept unchanged at 4.75%. The reverse repo rate left steady at 3.25%. The bank rate has been retained unchanged at 6.0%. The cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks has been...

by D Subbarao | On 27 Oct 2009

2 headaches, 1 solution

The government simply has to find a way to deliver the basics. That is what will defeat the Maoists and hold off China.

by T.N. Ninan | On 27 Oct 2009

Crash Boom Bang: Second Hand Car Imports in India

The paper analyzes and enumerates the various causes for accidents in Delhi and also suggests possible solution solution to counter the problem and bring down accident rates.

by Arjun Bhattacharya | On 21 Oct 2009

Emerging Market Concerns: An Indian Perspective

From the perspective of Emerging Market Economies (EMEs) and particularly for that of India, five concerns are expressed. These are: first, timing of exit from the accommodative monetary policy in the...

by D Subbarao | On 15 Oct 2009

How Sapient is Homo Economicus? The Evolutionary Origins of Trade, Ethics and Economic Rationality

The paper argues that economism and, in particular, the individual drive to maximize utility and amass profit are not enough to ensure the efficient functioning of an economy; and that even for elemen...

by Kaushik Basu | On 09 Oct 2009

The Place of Nature in Economic Development

Review of the most salient issues in ecological economics when the subject is applied to the field of economic development. The aim here has not been to be scholastic but to examine the lives of the...

by Partha Dasgupta | On 06 Oct 2009

Emerging Asia's Middle Class-A Force to be Reckoned With

The emergence of a large and dynamic middle class raises Asia’s profile as an attractive market destination for products ranging from consumer goods to financial services. There are even hopes that th...

by Steffen Dyck | On 06 Oct 2009

Assessing the Impact of Fiscal Policy on Poverty

Fiscal policy measures are a key means by which governments can influence distribution and poverty, but in fact the relationships between fiscal policy and poverty are not well understood. The most c...

by Andrew McKay | On 05 Oct 2009

Are Gender Differentials in Educational Capabilities Mediated through Institutions of Caste and Religion in India?

In this paper, with empirical data, the Capabilities Approach to identify 'conversion factors' that are not typically addressed in the utility approach is used. The two approaches are juxtaposed to...

by Jeemol Unni | On 01 Oct 2009

Rural Nonfarm Employment and Incomes in the Himalayas

This paper analyzes the determinants of participation in nonfarm activities and of nonfarm incomes across rural households. A unique data set collected in the Himalayan region of India allows us to...

by Maja Micevska | On 30 Sep 2009

Dual Practice by Public Health Providers in Shandong and Sichuan Provinces, China

Private practice in the health sector was re-introduced from 1980, when China began its economic reform from a planned economy to a market economy. But today the total number of private sector provide...

by Ying Bian | On 30 Sep 2009

Chronic Poverty and Development Policy in Sri Lanka: Overview Study

The present study attempts to capture chronic poverty in Sri Lanka by examining general information on poverty and drawing conclusions on those who are likely to be among the chronic poor. Certain p...

by Indra Tudawe | On 17 Sep 2009

Food Consumption and Nutritional Status in India: Emerging Trends and Perspectives

The paper reviews the trends over three decades in the consumption of cereals, calories and micronutrients and nutritional status based on anthropometric measures using the data sets of NSS, NNMB and...

by Radhakrishna R | On 15 Sep 2009

What Is the Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Banking System in East Asia?

This paper assesses the condition and outlook of the financial sectors—in particular, the banking sector—in the East Asia region in the aftermath of the current global financial crisis. The risks in t...

by Michael Pomerleano | On 07 Sep 2009

Definitional and Statistical Issues Relating to Workers in Informal Employment

This paper based on Indian and international documents assesses existing definition, criteria and methodologies for estimating employment and income generated in the informal economy in India. [NCEUS...

by Sheila Bhalla | On 02 Sep 2009

Do Remittances Impact the Economy? Some Empirical Evidences from A Developing Economy

The study attempts to examine the impact of remittances on macroeconomic activities (private consumption and investment) and its implications on economic growth in India for the period from 1966-67 to...

by Hrushikesh Mallick | On 01 Sep 2009

Can ‘Beautiful’ Be ‘Backward’? India’s Tribes in a Long-Term Demographic Perspective

The paper examines the present condition of tribals in India with a demographic perspective. Construction of a long-term demographic perspective on India’s tribal population rests on the premise...

by Arup Maharatna | On 28 Aug 2009

Developing The Indian Debt Capital Markets: Small Investor Perspectives

This paper argues that with the recent economic reforms, an efficient and active debt market, particularly in long-term private debt instruments, is essential for the country to realize the full bene...

by Pronab Sen | On 13 Aug 2009

Technology, Financial Inclusion and Role of Urban Cooperative Banks

The focus should be to simplify the technology which can operate on any platform. The technology solution to the business needs should be user-friendly without much third-party or IT vendor interventi...

by Chakrabarty K C | On 11 Aug 2009

Ethics Without Borders

The authors shows the problems that can arise when research is done in the context of humanitarian relief work and also notes that ethical oversight of such research needs to be rigorous, but also pra...

by Plos medicine Editors | On 06 Aug 2009

The Sraffa System for Continuous Industrial Production

This paper articulates a model of industrial production in which technologies are of continuous-input continuous output-type. It is shown that the model nevertheless has all the essential properties...

by Rajas Parchure | On 31 Jul 2009

Determinants of Fuelwood Use in Rural Orissa: Implications for Energy Transition

This study examines household behaviour related to fuelwood collection and use. The focus is on identifying the behavioral transition of fuelwood-using households from collection to purchase. The st...

by ARABINDA MISHRA | On 29 Jul 2009

Hong Kong's Banks During the Financial Crisis

Despite the negative impact of the current crisis and many remaining uncertainties about the actual economic recovery path, the medium-term outlook for Hong Kong’s banks remains favourable.

by Robert Mülhaupt | On 15 Jul 2009

The Employment Potential of Labor Intensive Industries in India's Organized Manufacturing

This paper attempts to identify and examine labor intensive industries in the organized manufacturing sector in India in order to understand their employment generation potential. Using the data from...

by Deb Kusum Das | On 13 Jul 2009

Migration and Chronic Poverty

This paper provides an overview of conceptual understandings of, and methodological research issues on, the relationship between chronic, or long-term, poverty and processes of migration. The paper...

by Uma Kothari | On 13 Jul 2009

Clean Water Should Be Recognized as a Human Right

Access to clean water should be declared a basic human right for three reasons. First, access to clean water can substantially reduce the global burden of disease caused by water-borne infections. Sec...

by PLoS Medicine | On 09 Jul 2009

Financialization of Capital - Deterioration of Working Conditions

This paper addresses the issue of establishing a regulatory regime along the production, supply and value chains of multinational corporations in terms of setting labor standards and protecting worker...

by Fichter Michael | On 08 Jul 2009

Human Development Index for Andhra Pradesh

The method used to measure Human Development are reviewed in order to measure Human Development Index for rural AP by considering indicators such as economic attainment, longevity and education. The e...

by Jatinder S Bedi | On 07 Jul 2009

Preliminary Note on Financial Crisis and Trade and Investment Treaties

North-South free trade agreements (FTAs), bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments often contain a number of provisions that can increase the likelihood of a...

by Third World Network | On 28 Jun 2009

Determinants of Income of the Shasthya Shebikas: Evidences from a Pilot MNCH Initiative in the Nilphamari District of Bangladesh

A large number of new Shasthya Shebikas were recruited under the maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) program besides the existing ones. This study attempts to explore whether and how the income...

by Mahjabeen Rahman | On 27 Jun 2009

Racial Inequality and Segregation Measures: Some Evidence from the 2000 Census

This paper examines the extent to which income differences across the racial groups can account for observed residential segregation. The authors adopt an approach to the decomposition of segregation...

by Rajiv Sethi | On 27 Jun 2009

Inflation in Bangladesh: Does the Changing Consumption Pattern Affect its Measurement ?

The paper analyzes the effects of changes in consumption factor on the calculation of inflation calculation in Bangladesh. This is important as there might exist some volatile and non-trend components...

by Md. Habibour Rahman | On 27 Jun 2009

Crises, Capital Controls, and Financial Integration

This paper analyzes the effects of capital controls and crises on financial integration, using stocks from emerging economies that trade in both domestic and international markets. The cross market p...

by Eduardo Yeyati | On 27 Jun 2009

Rise of the ‘Posthumanities’: Exit, the Human…Pursued by a Cyborg

The Humanities in the 21st century has to contend with both critique and context. It has to account as an anthropocentric, imperial discipline that not only privileged the human over other forms of...

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 25 Jun 2009

Impact of Imported Intermediate and Capital Goods on Economic Growth: A Cross Country Analysis

Knowledge accumulation in the richer countries provides them with comparative advantages in higher productivity products. The countries that import the higher productivity intermediate products and ca...

by C Veermani | On 23 Jun 2009

Subnational Taxes in Developing Countries: The Way Forward

It is critical to emphasize that intergovernmental fiscal relations must be thought of as a system and that all the pieces in the system must fit together if decentralization is to work properly. Vari...

by Richard.M. Bird | On 16 Jun 2009

An Alternative Approach to Measure HDI

The popularly known Human Development Index (HDI) is obtained through linear averaging (LA) of indices in three dimensions- health, education and standard of living. This paper questions the appropria...

by Hippu Salk Kristle Nathan | On 16 Jun 2009

Financing Long Term Investments in Bangladesh: Capital Market Development Issues

There has been an increase in the demand for infrastructure services and opening up of the infrastructure sector for private investment. As a result, a large number of financial intermediaries and pri...

by Mustafa. K. Mujeri | On 15 Jun 2009

Foreign Exchange Liberalization: Perceptions, Realities and Way Forward

The article focuses on understanding of the economics of the exchange control liberalisation in macroeconomic perspectives and, therefore, the article does not attempt to interpret or explore the lega...

by P Samarasiri | On 12 Jun 2009

The Elite Brain Drain

They collect data on the movement and productivity of elite scientists. Their mobility is remarkable: nearly half of the world’s most-cited physicists work outside their country of birth. They show th...

by Rosalind S Hunter | On 11 Jun 2009

A New Debt Crisis? Assessing the Impact of the Financial Crisis on Developing Countries

This report is intended as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks the developing world debt crisis has been resolved. In fact, it assesses fears of a new debt crisis, more serious than before, spreading...

by Sarah Edwards | On 11 Jun 2009

India’s Approach to Capital Account Liberalization

In this paper, the author analyzes India’s approach to capital account liberalization through the lens of the new literature on financial globalization. India’s authorities have taken a cautious and c...

by Eswar S. Prasad | On 09 Jun 2009

Mexican Swine Flu—A New Threat to Humanity

The article provides information pertaining to the recent outbreak of "swine flu", which has spread beyond Mexico and the US. The present study shows that the outbreak has lot to do with industrial fa...

by Shambhu Ghatak | On 09 Jun 2009

Initiatives of NGOs in Kutch Region

Many NGOs occupy a space between public and private sector organisations, and the papers in this special issue demonstrate that the mechanisms required for effective accountability by these NGOs are u...

by Kalpana C Satija | On 06 Jun 2009

The Impact of Education Policy Reforms on the School System:A Field Study of EGS and Other Primary Schools in Madhya Pradesh

This paper presents the results of fieldwork on rural primary schools of two districts of Madhya Pradesh, India, conducted from December 2001 to March 2002. Since the mid-1990’s, the government...

by Francois Leclercq | On 04 Jun 2009

Blunt Instruments: On Establishing the Causes of Economic Growth

Despite intense concern that many instrumental variables used in growth regressions may be invalid, or both, top journals studies of economic growth based on problematic instruments. doing so risks p...

by Samuel Bazzi | On 04 Jun 2009

Assessing the Regional and District capacity for Operationalizing Emergency Obstetric Care through First Referral Units in Gujarat

Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) is crucial for preventing maternal deaths for which the policy has been to establish First Referral Units (FRUs). Twenty seven facilities from 6 districts from each adm...

by Raman Parvathy | On 03 Jun 2009

Women’s Work in the Post Reform Period: An Exploration of Macro Data

An important aspect that is often highlighted in the context of economic reforms, is the translation of labour market changes into defining or redefining gender relations and empowerment of women. In...

by Neetha N | On 03 Jun 2009

Imputation Methods for Handling Item-Nonresponse in the Social Sciences: A Methodological Review

Missing data are often a problem in social science data. Imputation methods fill in the missing responses and lead, under certain conditions, to valid inference. This article reviews several imputatio...

by Gabriele Beissel Durrant | On 02 Jun 2009

A Primary Evaluation of Service Delivery under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM): Findings from a Study in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan

This paper seeks to evaluate quantity and quality of service delivery in rural public health facilities under NRHM. On appropriate and feasible measures, the former is assessed on the static and dynam...

by Kaveri Gill | On 02 Jun 2009

Do Social Clauses in Generalized Systems of Preferences Advance the Cause of Women?

While in the era of globalization, millions of women got paid employment in labour-intensive industries in developing countries, they still face precarious working conditions. Women rights violations...

by Franziska Humbert | On 01 Jun 2009

Contribution of the Unorganised sector to GDP Report of the Sub Committee of a NCEUS Task Force

The task of the Sub-committee was to review the existing methodologies for estimating the contribution of unorganised/informal sector to GDP and suggest measures to facilitate direct estimation. The G...

by NCEUS NCEUS | On 28 May 2009

Insecurities of the Old and Marginalized: Inflation, Oil Shocks, Financial Crisis and Social Security

The paper examines the impact of recent inflation and financial shocks on the vulnerable, and explores policy design to reduce both future shocks and vulnerability to shocks. Inflation affects the typ...

by Ashima Goyal | On 22 May 2009

Impact of Imported Intermediate and Capital Goods on Economic Growth: A Cross Country Analysis

Knowledge accumulation in the richer countries provides them with comparative advantages in higher productivity products. The countries that import the higher productivity intermed...

by C Veermani | On 21 May 2009

Himalayan Journal of Development and Democracy Vol 3:1, 2008

Papers and Proceedings of The Third Annual Himalayan Policy Research ConferenceSession Chairs and Discussants Session 1A: Conflict Resolution and Democratic Transitions Chair: Christopher Can...

by Vijaya R. Sharma | On 19 May 2009

An Arrested Virtuous Circle? Higher Education and High-Tech Industries in India

A brief but comprehensive overview of linkages between higher education and the high tech sector and study the major linkages in India is provided. It is found that the links outside of the labor ma...

by Rakesh Basant | On 08 May 2009

The Two Waves of Service-Sector Growth

This paper will hopefully provide an important methodological tool for all researchers who may be attempting to analyze and explain the growth of the service sector and its share in the Indian GDP o...

by Barry Eichengreen | On 08 May 2009

Gender and Innovation in South Asia

To understand how gender, women’s rights and citizenship intersect with innovation in SouthAsia, one must begin by considering some of the main features of life for South Asian women, about a half of...

by Sujata Byravan | On 06 May 2009

Reporting The Olympic Year

This paper discusses if the Olymipic Games presented a change- not change along the lines of South Koreas leap towards democracy after the Seol Olympics, but some small shift- and how the nature of it...

by Jane Macartney | On 05 May 2009

Poverty, Undernutrition and Vulnerability in Rural India: Public Works versus Food Subsidy

This paper analyses the effects of access to Rural Public Works (RPW) and the Public Distribution System (PDS), a public food subsidy programme, on consumption poverty, vulnerability and undernutrit...

by Raghbendra Jha | On 27 Apr 2009

India – 1947-79 Six Parliaments and Democratic Rights

Communal riots have become an annual feature of Indian life, although their number varies from year to year. A situation has come to pacs where maddening communal violence, arbitrary actions of exe...

by People's Union for Democratic Rights PUDR | On 16 Apr 2009

Andhra Pradesh Budget Speech 2009-10

Speech of Sri K. Rosaiah

by Government Andhra Pradesh | On 23 Feb 2009

Kerala Budget Speech 2009-10

Budget speech by finance minister Dr. Thomas Issac

by Government of Kerala Govt | On 23 Feb 2009

Key Features of Interim Budget 2009-10

Key features of Budget presented by Shri Pranab Mukherjee

by Ministry of Finance | On 16 Feb 2009

Moving Beyond the Privatisation Debate: Different Approaches to financing Water and Electricity in Developing Countries

In today’s developing world the vast majority of water and electricity services are provided by public utilities. Rather than asking “who should provide the services”, the authors adopt a financing po...

by Daniel Platz | On 09 Feb 2009

Beyond Industrialization New Approaches to Development Strategy Based on the Service Sector

This paper argues that it is becoming increasingly difficult for most developing countries to achieve rapid growth through industrialization, and especially through export oriented activities. But th...

by Peter Sheehan | On 03 Feb 2009

Does Organic Agriculture Lead to Better Health among Organic and Conventional Farmers in Thailand? An Investigation of Health Expenditure among Organic and Conventional Farmers in Thailand

The study attempts to empirically examine whether the adoption of organic farming practices leads to better health. As a proxy for health status, a comparison of the health expenditure patterns of or...

by Sunantar Setboonsarng | On 22 Jan 2009

Conflict in Cross Border Mergers: Effect of Firm and Market Size

This paper tries to analyze the interrelationship between possibilities of conflict in cross border mergers and acquisitions and firm and market characteristics in a two country three firm model. Th...

by Poonam Mehra | On 14 Jan 2009

Exploring the Relationship Between Military Spending and Human Rights Performance in South Asia

The relationship between military spending and human rights is one of the most prominent issues in political economy. Yet, the linkage between the two is empirically underdeveloped. Seeking to fulfi...

by Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati | On 08 Jan 2009

What Is the Future for Global Case Management Guidelines for Common Childhood Diseases?

A framework for national surveillance, monitoring, and research that could help inform guideline development in low-income settings. [Plos Medicine Policy Forum].

by Mike English | On 07 Jan 2009

Development of What? An Exposition of the Politics of Development Economics

The present paper aims at driving home a hitherto-neglected and perhaps often muted (but important) point, namely, that the confusions and identity crisis that had gripped development economics in th...

by Arup Maharatna | On 31 Dec 2008

Emerging through Technological Capability: An Overview of India’s Technological Trajectory

In this paper an overview of India’s technological trajectory with a view to understanding the nuances of India’s technological capability and the role it has played in the process of India’s econom...

by Amit Shovon Ray | On 26 Dec 2008

Child Labour in Kerala's Coir Industry-Study of Few Selected Villages

The objective of this study is to report on the extent and nature of involvement of children in the coir industry. For this purpose, it was decided to study only those operations of the industry in w...

by Leela Gulati | On 24 Dec 2008

Government Spending, Trade Openness and Economic Growth in India: A Time Series Analysis

The study examines the impact of aggregate government expenditure and its two broader components such as revenue expenditure and capital expenditure on the growth rate of output in the Indian contex...

by Hrushikesh Mallick | On 22 Dec 2008

Reducing Currency and Maturity Mismatch

The main objectives of this report are to identify and propose policies, factors and conditions that could mitigate or avoid double mismatches. policies here means any course of action pursued and ad...

by Khee-Giap Tan | On 19 Dec 2008

Inda's Pharmaceutical Industry on Course for Globalisation

The pharmaceutical industry is expanding worldwide. For some years now, it has been benefiting from the particular dynamics of the Asian economies as both purchasers and producers. It is not only the...

by Uwe Perlitz | On 12 Dec 2008

Negotiating Constitution for Political Unions

This paper provides a cradle-to-grave model for political union between two unequally endowed states. The main contribution of this paper is to highlight the role of technology gap and unequal distrib...

by Vikas Kumar | On 10 Dec 2008

The Impact of Terrorism and Conflicts on Growth in Asia, 1970–2004

This paper quantifies the impact of terrorism and conflicts on income per capita growth in Asia for 1970–2004. Transnational terrorist attacks had a significant growth-limiting effect. An additional t...

by Khusrav Gaibulloev | On 05 Dec 2008

Heterogeneity, Commons and Privatization: Agrarian Institutional Change in Goa

A case study in Goa is used to examine whether tenure security and asset re-distribution can lead to environmentally sustainable outcomes.

by Pranab Mukhopadhyay | On 28 Nov 2008

The Chinese Export Bundles: Patterns, Puzzles and Possible Explanations

Using product-level data on exports from different cities within China, this paper investigates the contributing factors to the rising export sophistication. [WP no. 226].

by Zhi Wang | On 26 Nov 2008

Values and Meanings of Citizenship

What does citizenship mean to poor and socially excluded people? How do their views help us understand and analyse what 'inclusive' citizenship means?

by Naila Kabeer | On 20 Nov 2008

Changes in Poverty Profile in China

This study presents a comprehensive picture of poverty chnages in China in the period of 1978-95. Using two micro data sets from Household Income Surverys of 1988 and 1995, the author examines poverty...

by Li Shi | On 18 Nov 2008

Gender-based Indicators in Human Development: Correcting for ‘Missing Women’

Gender Development Index and Gender Empowerment Measure are two gender-based indicators provided by the United Nations Development Program. Population share of the genders enter the formulation of t...

by Hippu Salk Kristle Nathan | On 18 Nov 2008

Strategies for Improved Servicing of the Customers: Case of Ghaziabad Goods Shed of the Indian Railways

The paper provides a comprehensive description of GZB (Ghaziabad) goods shed, including facilities, traffic flow, customer interface, processes, etc. In this context, the paper raises questions regard...

by G. Raghuram | On 12 Nov 2008

Untold Stories: The Human Face of Poverty Dynamics

The policy brief describes the life stories of five people, to show the face of human face of chronic poverty. It also suggests that such life history material can be an important source of data for p...

by Martin Prowse | On 11 Nov 2008

Sustaining Rural Livelihoods in Fragile Environments : Resource Endowments or Policy Interventions? (A Study in the Context of Participatory Watershed Development in AP)

This paper primarily assesses the status of rural livelihoods in fragile environments with diverse resource endowments and policy interventions. Livelihood assessment was carried out using the sustai...

by V Ratna Reddy | On 07 Nov 2008

Agflation and the PDS: Some Issues

In the context of the current public policy focus on rising food prices and their implications for food security, this paper examines two major issues raised: (i) Universalization of the public distri...

by Suryanarayana M H | On 04 Nov 2008

India’s Macroeconomic Performance

The paper reviews India’s macroeconomic performance and policies since 2000. The first section briefly summarizes key macroeconomic developments regarding economic growth, inflation, external bala...

by Shankar Acharya | On 02 Nov 2008

Developing a ‘Vertical’ Dimension to Chronic Poverty Research: Some Lessons from Global Value Chain Analysis

This paper aims at developing an explicit ‘vertical’ dimension to chronic poverty research that focuses on ‘adverse incorporation and social exclusion’ (AISE). an effort is made here to sensitise lite...

by Stefano Ponte | On 31 Oct 2008

India’s Macroeconomic Performance and Policies Since 2000

The paper reviews India’s macroeconomic performance and policies since 2000. The first section briefly summarizes key macroeconomic developments regarding economic growth, inflation, external balance...

by Shankar Acharya | On 29 Oct 2008

Affective Cosmopolitanism Ashis Nandy’s Utopia

Ashish Nandy’s utopia is based on a particular view of cosmopolitanism – one that acknowledges and acts upon suffering as a global feature irrespective of geographical and historical location. Nandy’s...

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 16 Oct 2008

Hobbes, Coase and Baliraja: Equity and Equality in Surface Water Distribution

It is attempted to understand the implications of equality in water distribution on social welfare with a simple abstract analysis using Leontief-type fixed production function.

by Sashi Sivramakrishna | On 16 Oct 2008

Inside Tarini Bhavan: Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s Padmarag and the Richness of South Asian Feminism in Furthering Unsectarian Gender-Just Human Development

The first section of this essay considers the personal narratives of suffering and growth of the Tarini Bhavan workers and inmates. The second section analyses the ideological contours of the reform...

by Bagchi B | On 16 Oct 2008

Heterodox Macroeconomics and the Design of Monetary Institutions

Two agendas of the heterodox economics programme; the stock-flow consistent models pioneered by Wynne Godley, and the monetary circuit approach researched in France and Italy are discussed. The object...

by Romar Correa | On 10 Oct 2008

Deconstructing China’s and India’s Growth: The Role of Financial Policies

This paper uses the standard one-sector neoclassical growth model to investigate why China’s consumption has been low and investment high. This paper looks into the role played by the financial sector...

by Jahangir Aziz | On 07 Oct 2008

The State of Human Rights in Bangladesh

The system of justice in Bangladesh is derived from the common law system. The judiciary tends to be conservative in its application of international law. While in many cases the judiciary has cited i...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 07 Oct 2008

Aspirations, Segregation and Occupational Choice

This paper examines steady states of an overlapping generations economy with a given distribution of household locations over a one-dimensional interval. Parents decide whether or not to educate the...

by Dilip Mookherjee | On 06 Oct 2008

Issues Before the Thirteenth Finance Commission

The paper argues that irrespective of the wording of the Terms of Reference (ToR), the Commission would do well to focus on its primary task of recommending transfers to serve the objective of equit...

by M.Govinda Rao | On 06 Oct 2008

An Ethnographic Study on Women in Prostitution in Bihar

The study tries to focus on the violation of human rights that occur in prostitution. It holds that it is the responsibility of the state to protect these human rights and address the fundamental stru...

by Nina Srivastava | On 30 Sep 2008

On the Economics of Higher Education in India, With Special Reference to Women

The paper investigates the role of economic factors in the enrolment decision at the higher education level in India. The study concludes that the rate of participation of women is in a disadvantage...

by Sugeeta Upadhyay | On 29 Sep 2008

Another Commission is Not Enough:Ram Harri Shrestha and the Corrosive Impact of Impunity on Nepal's Unsteady Peace.

Neplal's maoists initiated the process of crippling the institution of parliamentary dempcracy by giving primacy to military meanse over the political. Mainstream parties, unable to resist petty polit...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 29 Sep 2008

Population Growth Trends, Projections, Challenges and Opportunities

Demographic transition is a global phenomenon; population growth is inevitable in the initial phases of the transition. For India the current phase of the demographic transition is both a challenge an...

by Prema Ramachandran | On 26 Sep 2008

Pluralism, Tenancy and Poverty: Cultivating Open-Mindedness in Poverty Studies

This paper applies theoretical pluralism to studies of poverty. However in order to be more specific it takes as a case study some competing studies of Indian rural tenancy relations. In the paper, sp...

by Wendy Olsen | On 25 Sep 2008

Free Trade Agreement : A Campaign of Deception

The paper analyzes the impact of Colombia,s free trade with USA on the economies of US and Colombia. It also discuses the relationship between USA and Colombia.

by Nicole Lee | On 25 Sep 2008

Persistent Inequality: An Explanation Based on Limited Parental Altruism

This paper provides an explanation for the observed persistence in income inequality across households in terms limited parental altruism. It is postulated that the degree of parental altruism is ‘lim...

by Mausumi Das | On 24 Sep 2008

Sri Laka Budget Speech

2008 Budget presented by His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 18 Sep 2008

Estimating the Value of Educational Capital Formation in India.

Education is an important component of economic activity, although investment in education is only one of the many forms of investment in human capital. The idea behind this is that investment in huma...

by Haripriya Gundimeda | On 17 Sep 2008

Rising Inequality With High Growth Isn't This Trend Worrisome? Analysis of Kerala Experience

The relation between growth, inequality and poverty is the central theme of the paper. While the fast economic growth under the neo-liberal policy regime helps reduce poverty, it increases inequality...

by KK Subrahmanian | On 16 Sep 2008

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Strategies in ICT SMEs in Enlarged Europe (EU25)

The paper investigates the innovation behavior off entrepreneurs in small and medium sized enterprises in the ICT sector of the European Union. In this study innovative strategies of entrepreneurs are...

by Kaushalesh Lal | On 15 Sep 2008

Human rights in retreat

Is there not a worse situation today than during the Emergency? There was no colonization of the country by the foreign powers, with agriculture, industry, education, defense, health and trade being a...

by P.B. Sawant | On 05 Sep 2008

Critique of the Human Rights Ordinance in Bangladesh 2008: A Human Rights Commission must have effective Powers

It was left to human rights defenders to inform the UN Committees on the situation of human rights by submitting shadow reports, to investigate violations, and to campaign for an end to impunity for l...

by Hameeda Hossain | On 05 Sep 2008

Withdrawal of the Maoists’ unilateral cease-fire:Where does Nepal go?

The government of Nepal took an illegal measure to try the cases under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Ordinance. Under the amendments, all anti-terrorist cases will be heard in-c...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 27 Aug 2008

The Naxals get lethal: Chhattisgarh continues to be the epicenter of the conflict

Chhattisgarh continues to be the epicenter of the Naxalite conflict as a direct consequence of the counter-insurgency Salwa Judum campaign. There have been credible reports of serious human rights vio...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 18 Aug 2008

No Gross National Happiness for Bhutanese Refugees

One sixth of the population of Bhutan is displaced in Nepal and India. The prolonged exile of Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal and India is a major human rights deficit in the South Asian region, a...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 12 Aug 2008

Distress Debt and Suicides among Agrarian Households: Findings from Three Villages in Kerala

The factors and process underlying agrarian distress in Kerala by undertaking the case studies of three villages situated in Wayanad and Idukki districts namely, Cherumad, Kappikkunnu and Upputhara. T...

by K.N. Nair | On 31 Jul 2008

A Human Rights Commission Must Have Effective Powers

Ratification imposes specific obligations on a state to incorporate human rights into national laws, to amend legislation, to promote, protect and fulfill human rights and prevent violations of huma...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 31 Jul 2008

The Politics of Responsibility to Protect

This occasional paper addresses three questions revolving around the IMF policy. The questions are: What are the underlying factors shaking the very foundation of one of the pillars of the internatio...

by Marc Saxer | On 29 Jul 2008

Measuring Sustainability with Macroeconomic Data for India

This paper investigates certain macro data on the Indian economy to draw inferences on the sustainability of the economic growth experienced over the last couple of decades. Interpreting sustainabilit...

by Purnamita Dasgupta | On 24 Jul 2008

Managing Capital Flows: The Case of India

From the early 1990s, India embarked on easing capital controls. Liberalization emphasised openness towards equity flows, both FDI and portfolio flows. In particular, there are few barriers in the fa...

by Ajay Shah | On 24 Jul 2008

Bangladesh and Climate Change: Need for a Comprehensive Adaptive Strategy

The aim of this paper is to examine the effects climate change will have on Bangladesh and also gives some possible solutions for tackling climate change.

by Centre for Trade and Development CENTAD | On 24 Jul 2008

The Poverty Argument

The Poverty Argument arises from the single fact that any family with a critically low level of income and struggling to keep “the wolf from the door” must, in order to survive, send the children to w...

by M. Nagarjuna | On 23 Jul 2008

The Chinese Chequer: Split Wide Open in Nepal

Although unilateral ceasefire declared by the Maoists on 3 September 2005 brought down the level of violence, the security forces sought to provoke the Maoists. The security forces and the Maoists hav...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 21 Jul 2008

Are Fair Trade Labels Effective Against Child Labor?

In this paper, a model of North-South trade is developed to analyze the impact of a label certifying the absence of child labour in the export production of the South. [WP no 144].

by Jean Marie Baland | On 19 Jul 2008

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan - Annual Report Highlights

For a better part of the year 2007 the state of Pakistan was only half alive. That naturally reduced its capacity, never rated high, to guarantee the people's human rights. Thus, from the point of vi...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 18 Jul 2008

Between Citizens and Institutions: The Dyamics of the Integration of Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Hyderabad

The purpose of this study is to review the changes that have taken place recently in water supply and sanitation services and examine the role of various stakeholders involved in urban governance in...

by Agnes Huchon | On 15 Jul 2008

Poverty Eradication and Human Rights

This paper examines the proposition that "poverty is a violation of human rights". The author disuses the possibility of this proposition to be implementable in real case senarios and in polcies,

by Arjun Sengupta | On 26 Jun 2008

The UN scam on human trafficking: No protection for the victims

On 8th March, United Nations agencies, governments and non-governmental organisations across the world celebrated “International Women’s Day”. But in the United Nations Human Rights Council there was...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 18 Jun 2008

Viet Nam,Human Rights and Trade

With the liberalization of trade Viet Nam became the 150th member of World Trade Organization in January 2007. The country became an example to the world on how trade can spur the economic and social...

by David Kinley | On 03 Jun 2008

Towards a Less Imperfect State of the World: The Gulf Between North and South

Many developing countries assert a claim to the privilege of managing world order on a shared basis but exhibit a strong reluctance to accept the responsibility flowing from such privilege, for exampl...

by Ramesh Thakur | On 14 May 2008

Reprioritisation of Public Expenditure for Human Development

An important method of managing resources to finance consistent and balanced human development lies in the reprioritisation of current expenditure in accordance with the urgent needs and shortfalls...

by Tapas K. Sen | On 13 May 2008

Draft Report of the Committee on financial Sector Reforms

The financial sector has built capabilities such that, with appropriate policy changes, it can grow tremendously, both domestically and internationally. the report touches upon two reasons for financi...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 14 Apr 2008

Report on SAHR Fact Finding Mission to the North and East of Sri Lanka to Assess the State of Displaced Persons

This report on the state of displaced persons in the North and East of Sri Lanka analyses the security condition and concerns of those who live in makeshifts and camps in conflict affected areas. It p...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 11 Apr 2008

Divided Destinies, Unequal Lives: Economic, cultural and Social rights and the Indian State

On 10th July, 1979, India - by ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) - became a State party to this treaty body. Reporting guidelines of the Covenant re...

by Peoples Collective PCESCR | On 10 Apr 2008

Maharashtra Budget 2008-09 Part II

Part II of the budget presented by finance minister of Maharashtra 2008-09

by Maharashtra Government | On 20 Mar 2008

His and Her Economics

Economics has always been, and remains, a male-dominated occupation. In Mark Blaug’s mid-1980s surveys of great economists before and after Keynes, only three females – Rosa Luxemburg, Irma Adelman an...

by Brian Snowdon | On 17 Mar 2008

Madhya Pradesh Budget Highlights 2008-09

The Finance Minister Shri Raghavji presented the budget for the year 2008-09, with a budgetary deficit of Rs 91.43 crore.

by Madhya Pradesh Government | On 13 Mar 2008

Access and Utilisation of Health Care Services in Urban Low-income Settlements in Surat, India

This paper investigates a range of aspects including socio economic status,morality, morbidity requiring inpatient as well as outpatient care, health care-seeking behavior etc.

by Akash Acharya | On 10 Mar 2008

Andhra Pradesh Budget 2008-09

SPEECH OF SRI K. ROSAIAH, HONOURABLE FINANCE MINISTER WHILE PRESENTING THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2008-09 TO THE ANDHRA PRADESH STATE LEGISLATURE.

by Government Andhra Pradesh | On 10 Mar 2008

Budget at a Glance 2008-09, Rajasthan

A glance at the budget presented by the government of Rajasthan 2008-09.

by Rajasthan Government | On 05 Mar 2008

Police Firing on Adivasis in Gujarat: Report of Fact Finding Committee, PUCL Gujarat

Report of the committee of concerned citizens formed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Gujarat to enquire into the facts related to the police firing on the Adivasis demonstration on t...

by Ghanshyam Shah | On 02 Mar 2008

A Quick Look at Orissa Budget 2008-09

Quick findings for feedback as well as further analysis. [Contact Pravas Ranjan Mishra CYSD, E-1, Institutional Area, RRL PO., Bhubaneswar India - 751 013 Tel. +91-674-2300774, 2301725 Fax: +91-674-...

by Orissa Government | On 22 Feb 2008

Women’s Economic Empowerment as the “Magic Potion” of Development?

Boosting women’s relative control of income and other economic resources has so many consequences that positively enhance both gender equality and development that female economic empowerment may be c...

by Rae Lesser Blumberg | On 20 Feb 2008

The Evolutionary and Developmental Foundations of Mathematics

Recent behavioral and neuroimaging studies with humans and monkeys provide compelling evidence of shared numerical capacities across species. In this primer, it is explained why our understanding of t...

by Michael J. Beran | On 12 Feb 2008

Speech of the Finance Minister at the Annual Economic Editors’ Conference

Shows how the macro economic variables of Indian Economy are performing.

by P Chidambaram | On 11 Feb 2008

Gender Planning, Budgeting and Auditing

This manual is intended to help local governments to uphold the human rights of women, by involving them in identifying their needs and with their participation, to find possible solutions and move to...

by Aleyamma Vijayan | On 04 Feb 2008

Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

The work of the IPCC has helped the world to learn more on all aspects of climate change, and the Nobel Peace Prize Committee has acknowledged this fact. [Speech delivered in Oslo]

by Pachauri R K | On 04 Feb 2008

Third Quarter Review of Annual Monetary Policy for the Year 2007-08

Review consists of three sections: I. Assessment of Macroeconomic and Monetary Developments; II. Stance of Monetary Policy; and III. Monetary Measures. An analytical profile of macroeconomic a...

by Y V Reddy | On 30 Jan 2008

Book Review: Symbolic Ordering in Communication Process

Review of The Social and the Symbolic edited by Edited by Bernard Bel, Jan Brouwer, Biswajit Das, Vibodh Parthasarathi, Guy Poitevin; Sage, New Delhi; 2007, pp 481, Rs 895.

by Ratnawali Sinha | On 22 Jan 2008

The Changing Pattern of Undernutrition in India: A Comparative Analysis across Regions

This study analyses the changes in prevalence of undernutrition between the 1980s and 1990s at the national and sub-national levels in India and focuses on the rural-urban comparisons. The study explo...

by Meenakshi J V | On 17 Jan 2008

HIV Treatment Proceeds as Prevention Research Confounds

World AIDS Day, the annual December 1 commemoration, first took place in 1988 under the auspices of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. At that time there was no idea about HIV treatment b...

by PLoS Medicine | On 11 Jan 2008

Management of the Capital Account in India: Some Perspectives

Management of capital accounts in the global context and in the Indian context. [Inaugural address delivered by Dr. Y. V. Reddy, Governor, Reserve Bank of India at the Annual Conference of the Indian...

by Y V Reddy | On 08 Jan 2008

Transgenics in Indian Agriculture: Experiences so far and implications of KIA proposals on Indian Farmers

KIA proposes to bring a paradigm shift in Indian Agriculture in terms of human resource development, research, technology generation, technology dissemination and commercialization. In the short run,...

by Ramanjaneyulu G V | On 05 Jan 2008

Capitalisation of Nature and Accumulation by Dispossession: At the Heart and the Frontier of Capitalism

The concept of `capitalisation of nature’ put forward by Martin O’Connor is a fruitful concept that brings together many red and green concerns into a single abstract concept. The term resonates acro...

by Suhas Paranjape | On 25 Dec 2007

Mangroves - A Natural Defense against Cyclones: An investigation from Orissa, India

Following this disaster in Orissa caused by a super cyclone there was a great deal of controversy over whether the high levels of mangrove forest destruction in the area had increased the impact of th...

by Saudamini Das | On 13 Dec 2007

Sovereign Wealth Funds: Policy Implications for India

Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) will be an integral and significant part of global financial and capital markets even in the medium term. It is important for India to put in place domestic safeguards ag...

by Mukul Asher | On 12 Dec 2007

HDI in Context

The United Nations Development Programme has just put out its latest Human Development Report, containing the human development index (HDI) for 177 countries, with the data being for 2005. India ranks...

by T.N. Ninan | On 03 Dec 2007

National Human Development Report 2001

The process of development, in any society, should ideally be viewed and assessed in terms of what it does for an average individual.For any approach or development framework to be meaningful and effe...

by Planning Commission, India | On 28 Nov 2007

Bancassurance : A Feasible Strategy for Banks in India ?

The scope for bancassurance models as feasible source of sustainable income to banking sector is explored by exploiting the synergy in the context of India having the largest banking network on the on...

by Karunagaran A | On 27 Nov 2007

Decentralisation and Issues in Self Governance in Tribal Areas of South Gujarat

To examine the functioning of Gram Sabha and participation of tribal communities therein to asses the status of self governance under the “Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) A...

by Ratnawali Sinha | On 14 Nov 2007

Poverty, Development and Basic Biology

Although PLoS Biology does not often publish articles that grapple with issues like poverty and human development, it was chosen to do so here because it is believed that the collective output of scie...

by Liza Gross | On 12 Nov 2007

Using Family Histories to Understand the Intergenerational Transmission of Chronic Poverty

A method of collecting family histories that would act as a means of linking households from the panel studies with individual life histories is proposed. The procedure used to construct a three-gener...

by Robert Miller | On 07 Nov 2007

Thirty Ways to Improve the Health of the World’s Poorest People

Only when (and if) the “haves” develop genuine empathy for the “have-nots,” and come to acknowledge their own long-term interdependence with all other humans, will the global economy be improved to an...

by PLoS Medicine | On 06 Nov 2007

Between Stools

Different options that RBI and government must decide regard to future inflows of international capital to India.

by T.N. Ninan | On 08 Oct 2007

Governance and Health

As we celebrate 60 years of political independence and take pride in our dynamic private sector, our remarkable IT successes and all the other usual dimensions of success, let us remind ourselves that...

by Shankar Acharya | On 08 Oct 2007

Capital Inflows, Financial Repression and Macroeconomic Policy in India since the Reforms

Since the early 1990s the Indian economy has seen a considerable relaxation of controls, as a consequence of which it has witnessed unprecedented growth. This is especially remarkable in the external...

by Partha Sen | On 04 Oct 2007

Groundwater Management and Ownership: Report of Expert Group

It is time India recognises its dependency on groundwater resources, which is only going to increase in the coming years, partly because of growing urbanisation and industrialisation. In view of the g...

by Kirit Parikh | On 03 Oct 2007

Defining Human Differences in Biomedicine

An extensive literature reflects millennia of concern over what we humans call ourselves and others. All life sciences are now grappling further with how to categorize and study the nearly infinite po...

by Maggie Brown | On 26 Sep 2007

Consultation Paper on Issues Relating to Mobile Television Service

The key to making mobile TV a reality lies in combining traditional broadcast standards with features specific to handheld devices: mobility, smaller screens and antennas, indoor coverage, and relianc...

by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India TRAI | On 24 Sep 2007

India’s Preparedness for Basel II Implementation

Evolution of the revised framework, its broad structure, preparatory measures taken by the RBI for implementing this framework and the challenges that will need to be tackled in migration to Basel II...

by Leeladhar V | On 14 Sep 2007

HIV Denial in the Internet Era

23 years after the identification of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), there is still denial that the virus is the cause of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The Internet has served as...

by Tara C Smith | On 11 Sep 2007

Educational Policy and the Economics of the Family

The implications of alternative ways to model decisionmaking by families for educational policy are analysed. Many of the policy implications associated with credit constraints cannot be distinguished...

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 11 Sep 2007

Human Rights Violations Against Sexuality Minorities in India

This report is located in the twin contexts of the global movement for recognition of sexuality minority rights and the increasing assertiveness of sexuality minority voices at the local level. It exa...

by PUCL Karnataka | On 27 Aug 2007

ACHR Weekly Review: Pakistan: The Land of Religious Apartheid and Jackboot Justice

On 14 August 2007, the United Nations Committee on the International Convention Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD Committee) is tentatively scheduled to examine the situation of...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 11 Aug 2007

Democracy, Political Dissent, and Repressive Laws

The recent arrest of Binayak Sen of the PUCL-Chattisgarh has brought to the fore the important question as to what democracy means when it is practised under the ever present shadow of state repressio...

by Hasan Mansur | On 08 Aug 2007

Impact of Special Economic Zones on Employment, Poverty and Human Development

There are three channels through which SEZs address these issues: employment generation, skill formation (human capital development), and technology and knowledge upgradation. It examines how the imp...

by Aradhna Aggarwal | On 02 Aug 2007

Institutional Influences on Human Capital Accumulation: Micro Evidence from Children Vulnerable to Bondage

The paper examines child labour, lower schooling attendance and attainment, and significantly elevated fertility in families vulnerable to debt bondage.

by Eric Edmonds | On 02 Aug 2007

Why is so Little Spent on Educating the Poor?

If the poor are to benefit from economic growth, then they need the skills that are in growing demand, and the capacity to raise their productivity as smallholder farmers and micro-entrepreneurs. Yet,...

by Tony Addison | On 20 Jul 2007

Custodial Death of Rohtas Singh of Haryana: A Fact Finding Report

The report of a two member team of Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) consisting of Advocate Nitesh Kumar Singh and Advocate Rajesh Pandey on the death in custody of Rohtas Singh, owner of a ready-m...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 13 Jul 2007

Book Review: FDI: Patterns and Trends

Review of Foreign Capital Inflows to China, India and the Caribbean: Trends, Assessments and Determinants by Arindam Banik and Pradip K. Bhaumik; Palgrave-Macmillan, London.

by Anurag Kaushik | On 13 Jul 2007

The Rise in Remittances to India: A Closer Look

India has clearly achieved a large sustained level of remittances. Policy initiatives by the government and banking institutions have achieved two significant results. First, most remittances flow tho...

by Muzaffar Chisti | On 11 Jul 2007

Economic Reforms, Capital Inflows and Macro Economic Impact in India

The effects of the inflows of private foreign capital on some major macroeconomic variables in India are analyzed using quarterly data for the period 1993-99. Cointegration test and The Granger Causal...

by Indrani Chakraborty | On 11 Jul 2007

A Water Monetary Standard: An Economic Thesis

In emerging markets and economies with limited supplies of potable water, the current monetary policy governing water distribution has failed or will eventually fail. This paper offers an alternative...

by Michael P. Jackson | On 09 Jul 2007

Conceptualizing Economic Marginalization

What exactly is 'economic marginalization'? How should one conceptualize it, and what are the implications of such conceptualization? Economic marginalization can be conceptualized as outcome or as p...

by Ravi Kanbur | On 05 Jul 2007

Reflections on Global Account Imbalances and Emerging Markets Reserve Accumulation

The lecture focuses on some implications -- both positive and normative -- of the most surprising development in the international financial system over the last half dozen years. That development is...

by Lawrence H. Summers | On 05 Jul 2007

Public Distribution System in Gujarat: A Synoptic Overview

The PDS programme in Gujarat since the formation of the State in 1960 is reviewd and comments are given briefly upon its effectiveness in delivery. The food security issue for the poor is also address...

by Sudarshan Iyengar | On 04 Jul 2007

Impact of U.S. Federal Interest Rate and Movement of MSCI on Indian Capital Markets

The relationship between Indian macro-economic factors and economic growth has been analyzed by a number of empirical studies. This paper re-examines the sources of variability in the Indian economy f...

by Bharat Chadha | On 26 Jun 2007

Measurement of Environmental Efficiency and Productivity: A Cross Country Analysis

This paper measures environmental efficiency (EE) and environmental productivity (EP) and analyses differences in these across countries. It explores the macroeconomic factors that could explain these...

by Surender Kumar | On 14 Jun 2007

The Challenges of Financial Liberalisation for Emerging Market Economies

In this speech to the staff of the Reserve Bank of India delivered on May 14, 2007 at the RBI, Central Office, Mumbai, the author offers some comments on the challenges posed by financial liberalisati...

by Christian Noyer | On 13 Jun 2007

Reliability and Rationing Cost in a Power System

An attempt is made to analyse the implications of the relationship between reliability and rationing cost involved in a power supply system in the framework of the standard inventory analysis, instead...

by N. Vijayamohanan Pillai | On 13 Jun 2007

Child Labor

The essay is to provides a detailed overview of the state of the recent empirical literature on why and how children work as well as the consequences of that work. It provides a descriptive overview o...

by Eric Edmonds | On 01 Jun 2007

Social Capital and Economic Well-being

The proposition that social capital expands household welfare is tested by estimating the effects of social interactions on per capita expenditure among a sample of 810 households in northern Banglade...

by Farhad Ameen | On 30 May 2007

Humanism: The Essence of Civil Liberties

Humanism is defined to mean: any system which puts human interests and the mind of man paramount; non-religious philosophy based on liberal values; tendency to civilise; and compassion. Tarkunde satis...

by J. S. Verma | On 28 May 2007

On The Distributional Consequences Of Child Labor Legislation

A dynamic heterogeneous agent general equilibrium model is constructed to quantify the effects of child labor legislation on human capital accumulation and the distribution of wealth and welfare. Cruc...

by Dirk Krueger | On 23 May 2007

Limits of Modern Epidemiological Models: What are the Alternatives?

Modern epidemiology has, by and large, been based on a narrow model of biomedicine and behaviour modification. It fails to answer, for instance the following questions: Why certain populations are inf...

by Vijay Kumar Yadavendu | On 15 May 2007

Lesons Government Failure: Public Goods Provision and Quality of Public Investment

This paper focuses on government investment and expenditure policies. Going beyond the growth experience, the author also tries to relate the policy experience to the issues of aggregate poverty, in...

by Arvind Virmani | On 25 Apr 2007

Book Review: Trojan Horses?

Review of Susantha Goonatilake's 'Recolonisation: Foreign Funded NGOs in Sri Lanka' . Takes up case studies of some leading development and human rights NGOs in Sri Lanka, arguing that NGOs are neith...

by Mohan Rao | On 21 Mar 2007

Chhatisgarh Budget 2007-08

Finance Secretary's Memorandum on Budget Estimates year 2007-2008

by Finance Ministry Chhattisgarh | On 09 Mar 2007

Suicides by Cotton Farmers in Andhra Pradesh

The paper disuses and analyzes the condition of cotton farmers of Andra Pradesh and the reasons for their committing suicides.

by Reji K Joseph | On 05 Mar 2007

Public Expenditure on Education : A Review of Selected Issues and Evidence

The role of education in economic development has been recognised for quite some time in mainstream economic literature. Divergence between the private and social rate of return from education is th...

by Anit Mukherjee | On 02 Mar 2007

Does Capital Account Openness Lower Inflation?

This paper investigates the relationship between capital account openness and inflation since the 1980s. It argues that widespread capital account liberalization during the last two decades appears...

by Abhijit Sen Gupta | On 23 Feb 2007

Child health inequities in developing countries: differences across urban and rural areas

The urban advantage in health masks enormous disparities between the poor and the non-poor in urban areas of Sub Saharan Africa. Specific policies geared at preferentially improving the health and nu...

by Jean-Christophe Fotso | On 23 Feb 2007

Fiscal Deficit, Capital Formation, and Crowding Out : Evidence from India

Theoretical literature identifies two variants of crowding out in an economy–real and financial. The real (direct) crowding out occurs when the increase in public investment displaces private capital...

by Lekha S. Chakraborty | On 17 Feb 2007

Banking Sector Developments in India, 1980-2005: What the Annual Accounts Speak?

Banking sector in India is currently passing through an exciting and challenging phase. The reform measures have brought about sweeping changes in this vital sector of the country's economy. This pa...

by Ramasastri A.S. | On 10 Jan 2007

A Review of Cross-Country Experience in Capital Account Liberalisation

The paper reviews the experience of select countries - both advanced and emerging markets - in regard to capital account liberalisation (CAL). The advanced countries' experience with regard to CAL is...

by Mohua Roy | On 10 Jan 2007

Globalization and Structural Changes in the Indian Industrial Sector: An Analysis of Production Functions

The paper reports a study to investigate the structural changes in the manufacturing sector of India (possibly) brought about by liberalization and globalization of the economy. It assesses the struct...

by S.K. Mishra | On 09 Jan 2007

The International Mobility of Technical Talent: Trends and Development Implications

This paper charts the complex dynamics of the movement of technical talent in the world economy and assesses broadly the impact of such mobility on both sending and receiving countries. Based on sec...

by Anthony P. D'Costa | On 29 Dec 2006

Global Patterns of Income and Health: Facts, Interpretations, and Policies

People in poor countries live shorter lives than people in rich countries so that, if we scale income by some index of health, there is more inequality in the world than if we consider income alone. S...

by Angus S. Deaton | On 28 Dec 2006

NIPFP Policy Brief: Public Spending on Health in Low Income States and Central Transfers

There are two factors that make additional central transfers for reinforcing health services essential: (a) while the prescription of spending 3 percent of GDP on health may be an appropriate objec...

by Mita Choudhury | On 26 Dec 2006

Aid, Public Spending and Human Welfare: Evidence from Quantile Regressions

The paper addresses the issues of contribution of aids towards human development and the efficiency of such aids in poorer countries, assessing if there is cross-country evidence for an effective huma...

by Karuna Gomanee | On 22 Dec 2006

Using Micro Data to Understand Better the Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty in Low Income Developing Countries: Methdological Note

Good empirical analysis of the intergenerational transmission (IGT) of poverty is challenging. This note clarifies this challenge and possible contributions by considering: (1) what estimated relati...

by Jere R. Behrman | On 20 Dec 2006

Rights-based Strategies in the Prevention of Domestic Violence

This study is an attempt to broaden the discussion about the prevention of domestic violence against women, informed by a rights based strategy. The study discusses the critical elements of a human ri...

by Pradeep Kumar Panda | On 19 Dec 2006

Educational Deprivation of Children in Andhra Pradesh: Levels and Trends, Disparities and Associative Factors

In line with the perspectives of human capital, human development and human rights, this paper conceives education to be the basic right of children and re-christens all children who are not in schoo...

by M. Venkatnarayana | On 06 Dec 2006

Poverty in Remote Rural Areas in India: A Review of Evidence and Issues

Ironically the poverty situation, as reflected in the official statistics, depicts a rather contrary scenario with dryland regions having lower incidence of poverty despite their adverse agro-climat...

by Amita Shah | On 29 Nov 2006

Premature Mortality and Poverty Measurement

There is a glaring paradox in all commonly used measures of poverty. The death of a poor person, because of poverty, reduces poverty according to these measures. This surely violates our basic intui...

by Ravi Kanbur | On 27 Nov 2006

Gender Disaggregated Analysis of South Gujarat Tribals: Role of Social Capital in Human Development

This paper, based on ‘capabilities’ approach, analyses the ‘development outcomes’ forf ‘tribals’ of rural south Gujarat and examines the relative roles of physical, human and social capital within a...

by Arti Nanavati | On 26 Nov 2006

What Education? Imperative of Change

Once the reach of education remains circumscribed only by its functional role in the formation of human capital, which, by definition, has little significance beyond its instrumentality in production...

by Arup Maharatna | On 20 Nov 2006

Urban Studies: An Exploration in Theory and Practices

What is the character of our cities? What are the attributes of inequalities and social exclusions in towns, metropolises and mega cities? How do urban structures and forms characteristic of pre capit...

by Sujata Patel | On 18 Nov 2006

Globalization and China's 'Race to the Bottom' in Labour Standards

Globalization, or integration with the world economy via WTO membership, was expected to increase foriegn investment and benefit the labour intensive manufacturing sector in China. Yet, although forei...

by Anita Chan | On 26 Oct 2006

Withering Valli: Alienation, Degradation and Enslavement Of Tribal Women In Attappady

Various policies and programmes implemented avowedly for the benefits of the tribal people have resulted in alienation and degradation of tribesfolk. This detailed study of Kerala's Irular tribal comm...

by Mariamma J. Kalathil | On 20 Oct 2006

Do Television and Radio Destroy Social Capital? Evidence from Indonesian Villages

In "Bowling Alone," Putnam (1995) famously argued that the rise of television may be responsible for social capital's decline. I investigate this hypothesis in the context of Indonesian villages. To i...

by Benjamin A. Olken | On 13 Oct 2006

Women's Rights and the Crises of International Human Rights Intervention

This paper will map the developments that led to the integration of gender into the international human rights law discourse and examine how the language of ‘violence’ and ‘respectable victimhood’ (...

by Oishik Sarcar | On 29 Aug 2006

Does Repayment Indicate the Success of Micro-Finance Programme?

This paper examines the patterns of loan utilisation and repayment among micro-finance group members for Wayland district of Kerala. It argues that 100 per cent repayment by members need not always in...

by Emil Mathew | On 12 Aug 2006

Are we there yet? The deferral of justice and the promise of human rights

Utilizing the critical theory of Drucilla Cornell and Costas Douzinas, and looking back to the utopianism of Ernst Bloch, the paperI offers an argument that acknowledges the limits of the law and th...

by Narnia Bohler-Muller | On 28 Jul 2006

An Approach to the 11th Five Year Plan: Towards Faster and More Inclusive Growth

The 11th Plan provides an opportunity to restructure policies to achieve a new vision of growth that will be much more broad based and inclusive, bringing about a faster reduction in poverty and hel...

by Planning Commission | On 19 Jul 2006

From a Rights Perspective

The collection of papers demonstrates that the human right to development in essence brings together several distinct but not mutually inconsistent streams of philosophical, political, economic and so...

by Vijay Kumar Nagaraj | On 15 Jul 2006

Our Future: Sustainable Cities--Turning Ideas into Action

In convening the third session of the World Urban Forum in Vancouver, the United Nations Human Settlements Program has asked us to focus our attention on the Sustainable City and consider critical cha...

by Patricia L. McCarney | On 13 Jul 2006

WCD thematic Review I.1: Contributing Paper:Report of Social Impacts of Dams: Distributional and Equity Issues- Latin American Region

This consultancy reports on the social impact of large dams in Latin America, with a specific focus on distributional and equity issues. It is based on the author's research on the binational Yacyret...

by Carmen Ferradas | On 01 Jun 2006

The Dynamics of the Age Structure, Dependency, and Consumption

We examine the dynamic interaction of the population age structure, economic dependency, and fertility, paying particular attention to the role of intergenerational transfers. In the short run, a redu...

by Heinrich Hock | On 28 Apr 2006

India and Capital Account Convertibility

The Prime Minister’s recent announcement has refocused attention on the issue of full capital account convertibility. The new Tarapore Committee needs to weigh the gains from removing the remaining re...

by Sanjeev Sanyal | On 26 Apr 2006

De-colonising the Aesthetic Sense:The story of craft revival in Aruvacode potters’ village

Experiential knowledge is what indigenous knowledge is all about. Unfortunately again the Western intellectuals are reframing indigenous knowledge to suit their purposes. In the course of living with...

by Jinan K.B. | On 21 Apr 2006

India’s Demographic Trends: Implications for Growth and Capital Markets

India is in a favourable demographic phase, which has the potential to increase its trend rate of growth and depth of its financial and capital markets. These effects however are not likely to be au...

by Mukul Asher | On 17 Apr 2006

Health Inequalities, Social Cohesion and Social Capital: An Exploration

This paper claims that the roots and remedies of health inequalities reflected in the major academic debates that culminated with full force towards the turn of the last century, have done little to u...

by Vijay Kumar Yadavendu | On 30 Mar 2006

India’s Post-Liberalisation Growth Experience: An Analysis by the Demand Components

This paper tries to examine the sustainability aspect of the rate of growth (rog) in recent years, designated as ‘the second phase of liberalisation’. This paper is based on the Keynesian framework wh...

by Anamitra Roychowdhury | On 29 Mar 2006

Trends and Patterns of Technology Acquisition in Indian Organized Manufacturing: An Inter-industry Exploration

With liberalization of foreign technology import policy in the 1990s, India has seen declining R&D intensity at national level. This has generated a general concern on how Indian industries are doin...

by Jaya Prakash Pradhan | On 28 Mar 2006

Migration and Labour mobility in the Leather Accessories Manufacture in India

Liberalisation and the policies thereafter have lead to a definite increase in production and export from the leather accessories industry in India. The focus of this paper is on migration and labour...

by Jesim Pais | On 28 Mar 2006

Neoliberal Economic Reforms and Targeted Public Distribution System: Case study of two Orissa villages

This paper draws on a study on functioning of public distribution system in Orissa based on secondary data as well as primary data. The first section of this paper discusses in brief the policy change...

by Rajshree Bedamatta | On 26 Mar 2006

Regional Diffferences in FDI Inflows: China – India Comparison

An analysis of regional differences in the flow of FDI in China and India is important as in both these countries a few regions account for the bulk of FDI inflows. There are very few studies on regi...

by N.S. Siddharthan | On 23 Mar 2006

Union Budget 2006-07: Speech

The bulk of the resources must go to the UPA Government’s eight flagship programmes: Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Mid-day Meal Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission, Total Sanitation Campaign, National...

by Ministry of Finance | On 28 Feb 2006

Economic Survey 2005-06, Chapter 10

Social Sectors

by Ministry of Finance | On 27 Feb 2006

Economic Survey 2005-06, Chapter 8

Agriculture

by Ministry of Finance | On 27 Feb 2006

Economic Survey 2005-06,Chapter 2

Public Finance

by Ministry of Finance | On 27 Feb 2006

Widening of Tax Base and Evasion of Tax: Thirty-third Report of the Standing Committee on Finance (2005-06)

The challenge to the tax system to expand both the revenue base and progressively bring into the net larger number of taxpayers remains as daunting as ever. The object is not to ignore the generally...

by Standing Committee on Finance | On 26 Feb 2006

IEEMA Pre-Budget Memorandum

EEMA is however deeply concerned with regard to a few issues, particularly about the recent FTA’s with neighboring countries like Thailand, Singapore, Bangladesh and other countries. EEMA fears that,...

by Indian Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers` IEEMA | On 16 Feb 2006

Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research on Human Subjects

Central Ethics Committee on Human Research (CECHR) was constituted under the chairmanship of Honourable Justice Shri M.N. Venkatachaliah by the then Director General, Dr. G.V. Satyavati to consider ...

by Indian Council of Medical Research | On 08 Feb 2006

Raising the Tax Ratio by Reining in the 'Tax Breaks': An Agenda for Action

The increase in direct taxes has not been able to offset the decline that resulted from the reduction in customs tariff and decline in excise revenue. The task facing the policymakers now is to explor...

by Amaresh Bagchi | On 01 Feb 2006

Macroeconomic and Monetary Developments: Third Quarter Review 2005-06

Contents I. The Real Economy -- 1 Agricultural Situation Industrial Performance Business Expectations Surveys Services Sector II. Fiscal Situation 14 Combined Government Fi...

by Reserve Bank of India | On 25 Jan 2006

Social Capital, Diversity and (Economic) DEvelopment: Evidence from Indian IT Industry, Bangalore

This paper addresses two sets of questions related to IT development and lessons to be drawn for other regions both in and outside India. Firstly, based on original fieldwork an additional argument t...

by Florian A. Taube | On 19 Jan 2006

ICT sector and regional economic development:Evidence from Karnataka State

This paper distinguishes the contribution of information and communication technology (ICT) sector to economic development by manufacturing and service activities in Karnataka State. Using the availab...

by M.R. Narayana | On 19 Jan 2006

Social Mobility in the Context of occupational Health: Case of Silk Reeling

Karnataka is the single largest producer of silk in the country.As an income generation activity,sericulture has been seen as part of anti-poverty efforts of both the state and central governments. Ho...

by Anand Inbanathan | On 19 Jan 2006

Approaching Human Phenomena: A Methodological Note

The note is an attempt to make a methodological argument to the students about how to approach the study of human phenomena. Based on the experience of teaching about work, workers and organisations t...

by Rahul Varman | On 20 Dec 2005

Controlled Capital Account Liberalisation: A Proposal

This paper outlines a proposal for a controlled approach to capital account liberalization for economies experiencing large capital inflows. The proposal essentially involves securitizing a portion o...

by Eswar S. Prasad | On 09 Dec 2005

Economic Backwardness in History: Deviation from a Eurocentric Theme

This paper aims to demonstrate that the economic behaviour of ordinary men and women in the pre-colonial Deccan was as much ‘capitalistic’ as that of similar agents in contemporary Europe. The differe...

by Neeraj Hatekar | On 21 Oct 2005

Peasant Movement in South Maharashtra: Not only 'Issue based' Anymore

The February agitation of farmers and the drought affected of rural South Maharashtra, in the form of a two-day ‘sit in’ last in Mumbai led to ministerial-level negotiations and several important deci...

by Anant Phadke | On 04 Oct 2005

Biology As Destiny? Short And Long-Run Determinants Of Intergenerational Transmission Of Birth Weight

Little is known about the mechanisms underlying the transfer of economic status between generations. This paper addresses the question of whether inter-generational correlations in health contribute t...

by Janet Currie | On 09 Sep 2005

The Intergenerational Effects Of Worker Displacement

This paper uses variation induced by firm closures to explore the intergenerational effects of worker displacement. Using a Canadian panel of administrative data that follows almost 60,000 father-chil...

by Philip Oreopolous | On 03 Sep 2005

Demographics And Global Savings Glut

There is growing evidence that demographic changes have played an important role in driving Asia’s economic transformation by generating high savings rates.In this report, the author argues that high...

by Sanjeev Sanyal | On 01 Sep 2005

Minimum Wages And Poverty

Textbook analysis tells us that in a competitive labor market, the introduction of a minimum wage above the competitive equilibrium wage will cause unemployment. This paper makes two contributions to...

by Gary Fields | On 30 Aug 2005

Crop Insurance Scheme: A Case Study Of Banana Farmers In Wayanad Districts

Crop insurance is recognised to be a basic instrument for maintaining stability in farm income, through promoting technology, encouraging investment, and increasing credit flow in the agricultural sec...

by Manoj Kumar K | On 11 Aug 2005

A Fair Plan Approach For Devolution Under The Twelfth Central Finance Commission: Some Suggestions

This study has made some suggestions for the consideration of the Twelfth Finance Commission. We have provided a conceptual framework comprising eight cardinal principles abbreviated as FAIR PLAN. We...

by Abhay Pethe | On 05 Aug 2005

Capital Account Convertibility, The Unfinished Agenda: Mark I

This paper deals with issue of Capital Account Convertibility, in the context of the Indian economy. The issue has been in and out of fashion as far as the priority of the policy makers in India is co...

by Abhay Pethe | On 05 Aug 2005

Beyond The Human Development Index

The paper is a preliminary attempt to examine the human development scenario in Maharashtra. Its starting point is the Human Development Index, which indicates average levels of attainment in three di...

by Sangita Kamdar | On 05 Aug 2005

Import Intensity In The Registered Manufacturing Sector Of India

The international experience of industrially advanced countries shows significant reduction in energy use per unit of output, which is often known as energy conservation in response to rising energy p...

by G Burange | On 05 Aug 2005