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Who’s Afraid of Naomi Osaka?

As an extraordinarily powerful individual, Naomi Osaka presents challenges to institutional power most of us can only imagine. If she worked in coordination with other top athletes across different sp...

by Jeffrey Montez de Oca | On 29 Jun 2021

World Wetlands Day: View from Loktak Wetland Complex

Fisher unions and farming communities of Manipur, India, commemorated the 2021 World Wetlands Day (2nd February) at Tonoma Chingjin, Mamang Ching, Pumlen Pat - a wetland devastated by the Ithai Barrag...

by | On 05 Feb 2021

Economic Survey 2020: Chapter 10-The Bare Necessities

Access to “the bare necessities” such as housing, water, sanitation, electricity and clean cooking fuel are a sine qua non to live a decent life. This chapter examines the progress made in providing a...

by Ministry of Finance | On 30 Jan 2021

Prakriti Karyashala Case Studies:Reclaiming Commons - Restoring and Protecting Grazing Lands from Illegal Dumping

While tourism may support a town economy, it can also damage the environment and ecology of the surrounding villages and destroy common grazing lands. Here’s how two villages fought to preserve their...

by Anjali P Iyer | On 06 Dec 2020

Prakriti Karyashala Case Studies: Villagers Unite Against Illegal Mining

In Sawar village in Ajmer, over the years private mining companies, extracting stone and marble that is exported all over the world, have progressively encroached on village common lands. Not only h...

by Anjali P Iyer | On 27 Nov 2020

Housing for All: A Goal Achievable by 2030

Urban Economy Forum 2020 echoes the global call for affordable housing for all. With over 1.8 billion people living in slums and informal settlements globally, the question remains, when will we be ab...

by Alex Venuto | On 07 Nov 2020

Shifting Paradigms in Urbanism

Covid-19 has provided a magnifying glass which highlighted the fragility of our urban systems and suggested new ways to address the related challenges. The aftermath of COVID many paradigms may change...

by | On 16 Oct 2020

Urban Development Perspectives of Affordable Housing Strategy

Although, under the current institutional dispensations, both national and local governments have significant roles to play in providing infrastructure, services and housing in urban areas, the limite...

by Narayanan Edadan | On 08 Oct 2020

eSS Sunday Edit: Are we a society open to learning?

Thailand, Vietnam and Mongolia have taken control of managing the pandemic with great alacrity. There is much to learn from their systematic, people-centred and research-based approach to dealing with...

by | On 06 Jul 2020

Covid-19 Crisis, Pandemic Resilience and Linkages to Land: An Exposition

For a COVID-19 like pandemic, the Achilles heel is an unsuspecting villain – rapid and global land use changes. The way governments, businesses and communities see, relate to and use land, not only in...

by | On 12 May 2020

COVID-19 and Macroeconomic Uncertainty: Fiscal and Monetary Policy Response

The macroeconomic uncertainty created by COVID-19 is hard to measure. The situation demands simultaneous policy intervention in terms of public health infrastructure and livelihood. Along with the g...

by Lekha S. Chakraborty | On 29 Apr 2020

When do regulatory interventions work?

Previous studies find mixed results about how a fee on high order-to-trade (OTR) ratios impacts market quality. Using a natural experiment where such a fee was introduced twice for different reasons,...

by Nidhi Aggarwal | On 25 Apr 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

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

Book Review: Nine Innings during a War

Review of 'Nine Innings for the King: The Day Wartime London Stopped for Baseball, July 4, 1918' by Jim Leeke, McFarland, 2015. 216 pp. $19.99 (paper), ISBN 978-0-7864- 7870-5.

by Leslie Heaphy | On 01 Mar 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

The Way Forward for Personal Insolvency in the Indian Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

This paper describes the Indian credit market and presents an argument for the need for personal insolvency law. It provides a brief overview of the provisions on personal insolvency in the IBC. It ma...

by Renuka Sane | On 30 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

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

Analyzing the Dynamic Relationship between Physical Infrastructure, Financial Development and Economic Growth in India

The paper investigates dynamic relationship between physical infrastructure, financial development and economic growth in the case of India, using an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and Toda-Yam...

by Ranjan Kumar Mohanty | On 11 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

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

Indian Banks and the Prevention of Corruption Act: Freedom and Discipline

Selfless activists like Mr. Pai teach us the importance of continuously interrogating the functioning of our democracy. The NPA issue has persisted for almost a decade. It has eroded the profitability...

by Ashima Goyal | On 29 Oct 2018

Translating Women’s Voices into Action in Mongolia: Addressing Gender-Based Violence through Investments in Infrastructure

The aim of the paper is to contribute to the discussion on the role of multilateral financing in directly addressing gender-based violence; specifically, the ways in which infrastructure investments c...

by Tsolmon Begzsuren | On 29 Oct 2018

Does Regional Integration Matter for Inclusive Growth? Evidence from the Multidimensional Regional Integration Index

This paper employs a multidimensional approach to gauge the degree of regional integration and analyze impact on growth, inequality, and poverty. It constructs a multidimensional regional integration...

by Cyn-Young Park | On 26 Oct 2018

Governing the Commons? Water and Power in Pakistan’s Indus Basin

Surface irrigation is a common pool resource characterized by asymmetric appropriation opportunities across upstream and downstream water users. Large canal systems are also predominantly state-manage...

by Hanan G. Jacoby | On 04 Oct 2018

Infrastructure Financing in South Asia

This paper discusses public and private sector financing of infrastructure, and examines the factors driving infrastructure investment in this subregion. Using a panel of three large South Asian count...

by Shikha Jha | On 26 Sep 2018

Women’s Land Title Ownership and Empowerment: Evidence from India

This paper examines how women’s participation in family decision-making is affected by land rights in rural areas in India. The 2005 Hindu Succession Act was legislated to protect women’s rights to an...

by Harold Glenn A. Valera | On 26 Sep 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

Vietnam’s Low National Competitiveness, Causes, Implications and Suggestions for Improvement

This study provides an in-depth analysis of main causes of Vietnam’s low competitiveness from the country’s perspective. These are structural problems due to its factor-based growth model, expansionar...

by LE Quoc Phuong | On 11 Sep 2018

Strengthening India’s External Intelligence Infrastructure: An Assessment .

This paper outlines a number of points, which would help to develop a more superior external intelligence infrastructure. In absence of a national security strategy (NSS), the task of intelligence age...

by Shantanu K. Bansal | On 04 Sep 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

Public–Private Partnership Development in Southeast Asia

Infrastructure development in Southeast Asia has been financed mainly by public funds, which leave wide gaps in majority of countries. Governments have tried to attract the private sector by offering...

by Fauziah Zen | On 16 Aug 2018

Deriving Macroeconomic Benefits from Public–Private Partnerships in Developing Asia

This paper develops a framework identifying channels through which economic gains can be derived from PPP arrangement. The framework helps derive an empirically tractable specification that examines h...

by Minsoo Lee | On 11 Aug 2018

Determinants of Public–Private Partnerships in Infrastructure in Asia: Implications for Capital Market Development

This study attempts to understand the role of greater access to finance, i.e., stocks, bonds, and bank loans, in public–private partnership (PPP) investment in developing countries. Most developing co...

by Suk Hyun | On 10 Aug 2018

Hazard Analysis on Public–Private Partnership Projects in Developing Asia

. This paper applies survival time hazard analysis to estimate how project-related, macroeconomic, and institutional factors affect the hazard rate of the projects. Empirical results show that governm...

by Minsoo Lee | On 25 Jul 2018

Enabling Smart Urban Redevelopment in India through Floor Area Ratio Incentives

This working paper assesses the potential of incentive FAR approaches in two Indian cities, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, for leveraging the economic value of urban land. A thorough analysis of Mumbai’s clust...

by Apoorva Shenvi | On 25 Jul 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

Review of High-Value Agriculture in the Philippines with Comprehensive Subsectoral Focus: Livestock Industries

The main objective of this paper is to review the status and performance of the Philippine livestock sector. This review provides discourse on the livestock subsector’s performance over the years, and...

by Sonny N. Domingo | On 05 Jul 2018

Lessons on Providing Cash Transfers to Disaster Victims: A Case Study of UNICEF’s Unconditional Cash Transfer Program for super typhoon Yolanda Victims

This paper describes and assesses the design of the UCT program. It evaluates the UCT based on data collected from three survey rounds from a sample of UCT household beneficiaries, as well as other pr...

by Celia M. Reyes | On 29 Jun 2018

National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence

This strategy document is premised on the proposition that India, given its strengths and characteristics, has the potential to position itself among leaders on the global AI map – with a unique bran...

by Niti Aayog GOI | On 19 Jun 2018

Regulating Infrastructure Development in India

This paper reviews the existing framework for infrastructure development and the associated standards in India, and identifies areas for concern. Rather than deeply analysing any one standard, this pa...

by Sanhita Sapatnekar | On 15 Jun 2018

Status of Labour Rights in Pakistan 2016

The PILER 2016 report on the Status of Labour Rights, sixth in the series, based on the secondary research, aims to present an overview of the status of labour and the issues in the year impacting lab...

by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education & Research (PILER) | On 14 Jun 2018

Financial Inclusion, Regulation, Financial Literacy and Financial Education in Armenia

Financial inclusion has significantly advanced in Armenia during the last decade. Rural and urban areas, however, have benefited unevenly. The high cost of providing financial services, the lack of ph...

by Armen Nurbekyan | On 07 Jun 2018

Do Information and Communication Technologies Empower Female Workers? Firm-Level Evidence from Viet Nam

This paper studies the effects of firms’ investments in information and communication technologies (ICT) on their demand for female and skilled workers. Using the gradual liberalization of the broadba...

by Natalie Chun | On 31 May 2018

National Digital Communications Policy 2018

The National Digital Communications Policy, 2018 seeks to unlock the transformative power of digital communications networks - to achieve the goal of digital empowerment and well b...

by | On 02 May 2018

Agricultural Productivity Shocks, Labor Reallocation, and Rural-Urban Migration in China

This paper analyses the way households in rural China use rural-urban migration and off-farm work as a response to negative productivity shocks in agriculture. I employ various waves of a longitudin...

by Luigi Minale | On 04 Apr 2018

Green Firm, Brown Production

In a theoretical model of an environmentally conscious (“green”) monopolist, we show that increasing greenness does not always mean lower output and environmental damages. The Author assumes that a gr...

by Rupayan Pal | On 04 Apr 2018

Trade Facilitation Measures to Enhance Women’s Participation in Cross-border Trade in BBIN

Trade facilitation measures improve the trading environment by reducing transaction costs and thereby increasing the gains from trade. Although the use of trade facilitation measures for tackling tr...

by Sanjana Joshi | On 28 Mar 2018

Naga media, the elections and ‘solutions’

Naga newspapers’ unwillingness to engage with the real issues plaguing the state was on display in the recent elections.

by Vikas Kumar | On 24 Mar 2018

Nature-Based Solutions For Water

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are inspired and supported by nature and use, or mimic, natural processes to contribute to the improved management of water.

by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultura UNESCO | 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

New Technology in Tertiary Education in India: Adoption and Impediments

The paper is based on a study that uses primary data collected from students of two private and two public universities located in the NCR. The survey was conducted during July-August, 2015. The Inf...

by Shampa Paul | On 19 Mar 2018

India: the next superpower ?: The Untold Story of India's Economy

As India looks towards further liberalisation, it must fi rst prepare its economic institutions by re-orienting them from managing the economy to regulating the economy. Without an enhancement of re...

by | On 16 Mar 2018

Budget 2018: Maharashtra Budget Speech Part 1

Budget speech of the Finance Minister of Maharashtra.

by Sudhir Mungamtiwar | On 12 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

Population Pressure on Land in Kerala

The paper examines how Kerala, a demographically and socially well advanced state in India, responded to the high population pressure during the 30 year period from 1975-76 to 2005-06.

by N. Ajith Kumar | On 07 Mar 2018

Indigenisation of Lithium ion Battery Manufacturing: A Techno-economic Feasibility Assessment

The paper says that the Government of India (GoI) recently announced plans for transition to all electric transportation by 2030.

by Tanmay Sarkar | On 26 Feb 2018

A Study on Illegal Immigration into North-East India: The Case of Nagaland

Migration is a global phenomenon; and it will continue to do so in the near future. All through human history, it has been a significant factor influencing population change. Migration involves the...

by | On 20 Feb 2018

Kerala - The Land of Development Paradoxes

The paper says that the development experience of Kerala tucked away in the south-western corner of the Indian sub-continent has been rather unique.

by K.K. George | 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

BMC Budget 2018: Budget Estimates A, B and G

Budget Speech by Municipal Commissioner

by Ajoy Mehta | On 05 Feb 2018

Union Budget 2018: Budget Speech

Speech of Arun Jaitley, Minister of Finance on February 1, 2018

by Arun Jaitley | On 01 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

Economic Survey 2017: Volume II, Chapter 8: Industry and Infrastructure

Several key measures and achievements in the industry and infrastructure sector have been discussed in this Chapter. There has been considerable progress in Roads, Railways, Metro Rail, Shipping, Ci...

by Arun Jaitley | On 31 Jan 2018

Economic Survey 2017: Volume I, Chapter 4: Reconciling Fiscal Federalism and Accountability: Is there a Low Equilibrium Trap?

Long-run institutional development co-evolves with fiscal accountability involving, perhaps requiring, a low and declining dependence on devolved resources and a high and rising share of direct taxe...

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

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

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

Northeast India: The Emerging Scenarios

The paper narrates that in today’s age of globalization and trans-border connectivity, the Northeast is fast emerging as the potential gateway for India to Southeast and East Asia through Myanmar.

by Namrata Goswami | On 17 Jan 2018

Indigenisation of Lithium ion Battery Manufacturing A Techno-economic Feasibility Assessment

The paper talks about the growing demand in the clean energy industry is expected to increase LCE production to about 410,000 tonne by 2025.

by Tanmay Sarkar | On 12 Jan 2018

Strategic Roadmap for Implementation of UDAY Scheme

This study analyses the concerns/challenges in executing the operational targets set under the UDAY scheme for two DISCOMs in Karnataka, namely, Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (MESCOM)...

by Rishu Garg | On 11 Jan 2018

Mapping Spaces For Democratic Participation In South Aceh Indonesia

The paper explored participatory aspects of local democracy in Aceh and some major challenges in South Aceh for people’s participation in local decision-making processes.

by Leena Avonius | On 08 Jan 2018

A Study on Illegal Immigration into North-East India : The Case of Nagaland

Migration is a global phenomenon, and will continue to do so in the near future. Every country aspires to regulate migration according to their requirements. But, not all country is successful. Hence...

by | On 04 Jan 2018

Consumption- and Productivity-Adjusted Dependency Ratio with Household Structure Heterogeneity

This study constructs a new dependency ratio measure by taking into account the consumption needs of the young and elderly people, and the productivity of middle-aged people. Different from the way th...

by Xuehui Han | On 21 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

Pollution and Road Infrastructure in Cities of The People's Republic of China

Urban road infrastructure is crucial in determining air pollution. Yet, little is known about the roles played by road width vs. road length. This paper attempts to fill this gap by estimating the eff...

by Zhi Luo | On 18 Dec 2017

Cities and Entrepreneurs over Time: Like a Horse and Carriage?

This paper explores the co-evolution of entrepreneurship and cities. First, it provides a stylized model of development wherein the rise of cities (urbanisation) is the outcome of the activities of en...

by Wim Naudé | On 15 Dec 2017

Viability of Inland Water Transport in India

In water-based transport generally, fuel costs are low and environmental pollution is lower than in transport by road, rail, or air. The waterway is naturally available, which has to be ‘trained’, m...

by | On 13 Dec 2017

Multinational Firms and the Extractive Sectors in the 21st Century: Can they Drive Development ?

Historically, extractive sector MNEs have been seen as an obstacle to sustainable development, because they operated in enclaves with limited local engagement. Import substitution policies aimed to in...

by | On 11 Dec 2017

PPP Infrastructure Finance: An Empirical Evidence from India

Financing of infrastructure is vital for the creation and maintenance of adequate infrastructure. The present paper has attempted to analyse various infra financing methods practised in India, namely,...

by | On 04 Dec 2017

Livelihoods and access to services: An analysis of peri-urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan

This study examines the emerging peri-urbanization in the Punjab (Pakistan) in the context of Lahore.

by Qasim Shah | On 30 Nov 2017

The role of local institutions in conflict-affected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

The paper says that locally evolved institutions and their social and cultural norms are central to people’s identities and local governance in KP.

by Dr. Abid Suleri | On 23 Nov 2017

Severe Air Pollution and School Absences: Longitudinal Data on Expatriates in North China

The paper uses a six-year panel of 6,500 students at three international schools in a major city in north China to estimate how fluctuation in ambient PM2.5 over the preceding fortnight impacts daily...

by Haoming Liu | 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

Housing Markets and Housing Policies in India

Issues of housing in India are synonymous with ignorance of housing in active government involvement at the policy and program formulation levels. They are also due to the problems that unplanned urba...

by | On 13 Nov 2017

Socially Disadvantaged Groups and Micro-finance in India

About two-thirds of microfinance clients in India are reported to be in Self-Help Groups (SHGs). These mostly women’s groups have been promoted by nationalized banks since the early nineties to improv...

by Jean-Marie Baland | On 06 Nov 2017

Building Smart Cities in India - An Opportunity For Strategising Urban Development

The report states that the current urbanisation pattern in many Indian states is skewed with growth concentrating in and around the primate city.

by Sujaya Rathi | On 03 Nov 2017

Public–Private Cooperation for Secure and Inclusive Rural Economies

How do public–private collaborations enable secure and inclusive rural economies? Alongside private sector investment, government provision of infrastructure, research and extension services and suppo...

by Institute of Development Studies IDS | On 31 Oct 2017

Data Ecosystems for Sustainable Development: The Africa Data Revolution Report 2016

This report aims to serve as the foundation upon which the nations can create data eco-systems to serve developmental aims.

by Aritra Chakrabarty | On 26 Oct 2017

Affordable Housing in Urban India

The report narrates that threefold increase in percapita income in urban areas is expected during this period of time.

by S.V. Ranganath | On 12 Oct 2017

Resource requirements for Right to Education (RTE): Normative and the Real

The paper examines the issue of resource adequacy for Right to Education (RTE) by estimating the resource requirement for universalization of elementary education across twelve Indian States. Using RT...

by Sukanya Bose | On 05 Oct 2017

The Macroeconomic Benefits of Tax Enforcement in Pakistan

The benefits of improved tax enforcement in Pakistan through simulations of a model of the Pakistani economy is studied. We begin by documenting that the effective tax rate facing firms is increasin...

by Ethan Ilzetzki | 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

An Assessment of the Community Mortgage Program Implementation Strategy

The study also provides recommendations on how the identified issues can be addressed.

by Marife M. Ballesteros | On 29 Sep 2017

Secondary Towns and Poverty Reduction: Refocusing the Urbanization Agenda

This review is framed around the exploration of a central hypothesis: A shift in public investment towards secondary towns from big cities will improve poverty reduction performance.

by Luc Christiaensen | On 27 Sep 2017

The Plutocratic Bias in the Indian CPI

The Laspeyres-type consumer price index (CPI) is traditionally used to measure the changes in cost-of-living over time. Studies indicate this CPI suffers from a plutocratic bias, attaching greater wei...

by Dilip M. Nachane | On 18 Sep 2017

The Political Historiography of Modern Gujarat

The focus of this paper is on the political history of modern Gujarat, which has been an intriguing one. The paper identifies and discusses in the broad landscape of Gujarat’s politics three notable d...

by Tannen Neil Lincoln | On 14 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

The 1857 Indian Uprising and the British Empire

Situating the 1857 Indian uprising within an imperial context, Jill C. Bender traces its ramifications across the four different colonial sites of Ireland, New Zealand, Jamaica, and southern Africa. B...

by Elizabeth Baker | On 11 Sep 2017

Thirsting for Justice: Transparency and Poor People’s Struggle for Clean Water in Indonesia, Mongolia, and Thailand

This report explores the challenges facing rural communities in Indonesia, Thailand, and Mongolia when they try to obtain information on pollution and evaluates the multiple laws and pathways in e...

by Carole Excell | On 01 Sep 2017

Getting Punjab Agriculture Back on High Growth Path: Sources, Drivers and Policy Lessons

The study finds that among the many steps taken by the state, three interventions played the most important role in the state’s impressive performance in agriculture. They are irrigation facilities, a...

by Ashok Gulati | On 23 Aug 2017

Developing India's Offshore Local Currency Bond Market: Lessons from Emerging Countries

This paper takes stock. It assesses the current market state and structure, surveys a cross-section of market participants to identify the relevant issues, and employs two case studies of EME peers, C...

by Renu Kohli | On 23 Aug 2017

Training of Trainers Module on Sustainable Development Goals and Gram Panchayats

The report narrates that ensure access to social protection measures for the poor and the vulnerable.

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 16 Aug 2017

Local government in South Africa: Can the objectives of the developmental state be achieved through the current model of decentralised governance?

This study examines the notions of decentralisation and developmentalism, and shows how they have become two of the most significant defining features of South African local government.

by Andrew Siddle | On 11 Aug 2017

Making Rapid Strides Agriculture in Madhya Pradesh: Sources, Drivers, and Policy Lessons

This paper study the composition, sources and drivers of agricultural growth in Madhya Pradesh to identify the factors that have contributed to robust agricultural growth in the state and discuss the...

by Ashok Gulati | On 11 Aug 2017

Urban Development and Rural - Urban Linkages in Six Towns in Bihar

The world is becoming increasingly urbanized. Globally 54 percent population lives in urban areas today (UN 2014). Although Asia is still relatively more rural than the Americas and the Europe, it is...

by Tanuka Endow | On 02 Aug 2017

The NCAER State Investment Potential Index (N-SIPI 2017)

The NCAER State Investment Potential Index 2017 (N-SIPI 2017) is the second edition in the annual series of rankings of states on their growth and investment potential. It is a systematic and evidence...

by Research National Council of Applied Economic | On 31 Jul 2017

Construction and Demolition Waste Utilisation for Recycled Products in Bengaluru: Challenges and Prospects

The report narrates that CDW can be recycled to replace natural building material; this is not only beneficial for the environment, but also results in substantial cost and resource savings.

by Venkatesh Vunnam | On 28 Jul 2017

Are All Shifting Cultivators Poor? Evidence from Sri Lanka’s Dry Zones

Shifting cultivation is one of the main causes of deforestation and forest degradation in Sri Lanka. This study uses household data and satellite images to investigate the determinants of shifting cul...

by Prabath Nishantha Edirisinghe | On 28 Jul 2017

Land Live: Land ownership in Rural India and Intra Household Exchanges

The incidence of parent-child co-residence in India is among the highest in the world. This paper examines the role of intra-household exchanges and potential bequests in creating incentives for adult...

by Sonalde Desai | On 27 Jul 2017

Gender Equality Results Case Study: India - Urban Water Supply and Environmental Improvement Project

The Urban Water Supply and Environmental Improvement Project sought to provide basic services of water supply, sanitation, and garbage collection and disposal in four cities in Madhya Pradesh, India.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 26 Jul 2017

2014 Clean Energy Investments: Project Summaries

This report summarizes the investments in clean energy made by the operations departments of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2014.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 26 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

Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2017 Supplement: Cautious Optimism for Asia's Outlook

With export demand stronger than expected in the first quarter of 2017, the region’s GDP is forecast to expand somewhat faster than forecast in April in Asian Development Outlook 2017.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 20 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: Thinking Forward About Trade Costs and the Digital Economy

This report takes stock of how AfT has contributed to these trends and considers some constructive ways to move forward, to continue to address trade costs in Asia and the Pacific.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 17 Jul 2017

Trade Facilitation for a More Inclusive and Connected Asia and Pacific Region: Progress and Way Forward

This study also describes trade facilitation projects that promote development through deepening regional cooperation and integration.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 14 Jul 2017

Maldives: Overcoming the Challenges of a Small Island State

This report provides support to the Maldivian government in formulating its high-priority policies by identifying the critical constraints to achieving inclusive growth. The report also provides polic...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 12 Jul 2017

Metaguidelines for Water and Climate Change: For practitioners in Asia and the Pacific

This publication is a continuation of the APWF Framework Document on Water and Climate Change Adaptation, developed for leaders and policy-makers in Asia and the Pacific in 2012.

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

Harmonization and Standardization of Bond Market Infrastructures in ASEAN+3: ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum Sub-Forum 2 Phase 3 Report

This report is an outcome of Phase 3 discussions under the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum Sub-Forum 2, which have focused on making bond market infrastructures in the region more inter-operable through the...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 11 Jul 2017

Economic Analysis of Climate-Proofing Investment Projects

This report describes the conduct of the cost-benefit analysis of climate proofing investment projects. An important message is that the presence of uncertainty about climate change does not invalidat...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 10 Jul 2017

Climate Change, Food Security, and Socioeconomic Livelihood in Pacific Islands

The results of the study indicate that climate change will likely have significant negative impacts on agricultural output in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands.

by M.W. Rosegrant | On 05 Jul 2017

Gender Mainstreaming Case Study: Sri Lanka - North East Coastal Community Development Project and Tsunami-Affected Areas Rebuilding Project

This case study looks at the gender dimensions of two projects that focus on the community development component that advocated community participation, social inclusion, and gender equality in commun...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 05 Jul 2017

Travel Demand Management Options in Beijing

This study is part of the Asian Development Bank’s initiative to support greener and more sustainable transport systems that are convenient and lessen carbon dioxide emissions. Read how congestion cha...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 03 Jul 2017

Fiji: Building Inclusive Institutions for Sustained Growth

This study, using an inclusive growth framework, has identified the critical constraints that Fiji needs to address to strengthen investor sentiment even further and achieve inclusive growth.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 27 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

Balancing the Burden? Desk Review of Women’s Time Poverty and Infrastructure in Asia and the Pacific

This desk review explores the links between infrastructure development and women’s time poverty in Asia and the Pacific by drawing on time-use data and reviewing existing research and evidence from im...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 22 Jun 2017

Sri Lanka: Development Effectiveness Brief

The paper says that Sri Lanka has emerged in recent years as one of the most dynamic countries in South Asia. With a rich cultural heritage, an increasingly sophisticated work force, and a strategic l...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 19 Jun 2017

The “Missing Women” of the Agricultural Sector

While women constitute up to 37 per cent of the agricultural workforce, their status is not recognised. Statistics do not collect suicides of women farmers as land is seldom registered in their names....

by | On 16 Jun 2017

Wok Bung Wantaim: Using Subnational Government Partnerships to Improve Infrastructure Implementation in Papua New Guinea

This report examines how existing implementation structures established under ADB and National Government investment programs could be used to channel subnational government resources toward priority...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Jun 2017

Digital Financial Services in the Pacific: Experiences and Regulatory Issues

This report examines the current use of DFS in the Pacific, analyzes the issues that need to be addressed, and provides recommendations for increasing financial inclusion in the region.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 14 Jun 2017

Reviving Lakes and Wetlands in the People's Republic of China, Volume 3: Best Practices and Prospects for the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands

The report narrates that the Sanjiang Plain wetlands are among the most important wetlands in the People’s Republic of China with unique habitats, species, and ecology. There is a considerable body of...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 08 Jun 2017

Papua New Guinea: Development Effectiveness Brief

This report narrates that ADB has scaled up its assistance to Papua New Guinea for power infrastructure, with an emphasis on clean energy solutions, in line with the government’s prioritization of pow...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 08 Jun 2017

From Toilets to Rivers: Experiences, New Opportunities, and Innovative Solutions: Volume 2

The project briefs are culled from case studies of good practices, new approaches, and working models on sanitation and wastewater management from different countries, and demonstrate solution options...

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: How to Improve Road User Charges

This report presents a preliminary economic analysis of road user costs and fees, partly drawing from the World Bank’s Road User Charge (RUC) model and analysis framework, and a review of the tolling...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 01 Jun 2017

Myanmar Transport Sector Policy Note: Trunk Roads

This report reviews how the road sector in Myanmar can make the greatest contribution to the country’s national ambitions as possible. It seeks to identify bottlenecks and attempts to formulate possi...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 01 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: Road Safety

Myanmar is at a critical point in terms of road safety. In 2014, road-related deaths reached 4,300, which is twice as many as in 2009. Substantial and decisive action is needed, including early fundin...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 31 May 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

Promoting Inland Waterway Transport in the People's Republic of China

This publication examines the constraints in developing inland waterway transport (IWT) based on a study in the PRC’s Hunan province. Six major challenges threatening the viability of IWT and its inte...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 30 May 2017

Changing Tax Capacity and Tax Effort of Indian States in the Era of High Economic Growth, 2001-2014

Growing demand for public expenditures, limitations in expanding fiscal space and limited scope to deviate from common harmonized tax system under the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime may...

by Sacchidananda Mukherjee | On 25 May 2017

Tajikistan: Promoting Export Diversification and Growth

Tajikistan has sustained high economic growth since its civil war ended in 1997. Real gross domestic product (GDP) during 1997–2015 grew at an average 7.2% a year, driven mainly by agriculture and ser...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 24 May 2017

Risk Financing for Rural Climate Resilience in the Greater Mekong Subregion

This report presents the findings of a climate risk financing study conducted by the GMS Core Environment Program in 28 rural communities in Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Viet Na...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 22 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

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

Probabilistic Patents, Alternative Damage Rules and Optimal Trade Policy

This paper analyzes interdependencies between optimal trade policy and 'preferred' liability doctrine to assess infringement damages, when intellectual property rights are probabilistic, in a model of...

by Apurva Dey | On 16 May 2017

Asian Development Outlook 2016 Update: Meeting the Low-Carbon Growth Challenge

This Update retains the projections previously published in Asian Development Outlook 2016 (ADO 2016) in March. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the region is expected to grow at 5.7% in 2016 and 2017,...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 16 May 2017

ASEAN+3 Bond Market Guide 2016: Malaysia

According to data published on AsianBondsOnline, total LCY bonds outstanding in Malaysia barely moved in the third quarter of 2015 compared with the previous quarter, standing at MYR1,076 billion at t...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 16 May 2017

ASEAN+3 Bond Market Guide 2016: Singapore

The report say that the Singapore bond market has become one of the most developed open capital markets in Asia with over US$221 billion in total local currency bonds outstanding with an additional US...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 May 2017

Sanitation and Sustainable Development in Japan

The paper outlines that the sanitation has long been “beneath the radar” on the development agendas of governments worldwide. Aside from the massive investment requirements for putting in place sanita...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 12 May 2017

Toward a National Eco-Compensation Regulation in the People’s Republic of China

The study recognized the need for consideration of numerous issues when developing ecocompensation regulations. These include (i) provision of guidance for determining the ecocompensation rate; (ii) e...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 11 May 2017

Philippines: Public-Private Partnerships by Local Government Units

The paper narrates that as local government units (LGUs) have strived to carry out the responsibilities and activities devolved to them by the 1991 Local Government Code, they have explored and availe...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 11 May 2017

Asian Development Outlook Supplement: Asia's Economies Steady Despite Global Uncertainty

The outlook for developing Asia remains broadly as forecast in Asian Development Outlook 2016 Update. Despite an extraordinary and temporary growth dip affecting one of the region’s largest economies,...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 10 May 2017

Bangladesh: Development Effectiveness Brief 2017

The project has dramatically changed the life of Rabeya Sultana, chair of the women-led slum improvement committee formed under the project in Cox's Bazar. "Managing people and money gave me more co...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 08 May 2017

Sustainable Land Management in Asia: Introducing the Landscape Approach

This paper introduces that the landscape approach has provided a platform for a wide-ranging discussion about these issues, but has simultaneously opened up the opportunity for a discussion about su...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | 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

Meeting Asia's Infrastructure Needs

This report updates by presenting infrastructure investment needs for all 45 DMCs from 2016 to 2030, the final year of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Two sets of estimates are pre...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 05 May 2017

Economics Of Climate Change Mitigation In Central And West Asia

The ecological complexity of the Central and West Asian region gives way to diverse ecosystems with rich natural resources and hydrocarbon reserves; countries in this region are not only exposed to...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 04 May 2017

South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Vision: Powering Asia in the 21st Century

High growth rates during the precrisis period have helped South Asia reduce poverty rates and raise living standards. But despite gains in alleviating poverty, the number of poor people in the region...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 04 May 2017

India Skills Report 2017

India Skills Report 2017 is an report that aims to support this initiative; by providing a stock of the talent landscape of India and supporting in charting the future direction of matchmaking. Curren...

by United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] | On 15 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

The Cyber Command: Upgrading India's National Security Architecture

India is increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks that range from intrusions that affect the integrity of data to large-scale attacks aimed at bringing down critical infrastructure. This vulnerability...

by | On 03 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

Budget Speech 2017-18

Budget speech by Finance Minister of India, Mr.Arun Jaitley.

by Arun Jaitley | On 01 Feb 2017

CMs Committee on Digital Payments Presents Interim RepoT to the Prime Minister

The presentation shows the methods through which non-cash payments can be made, the constraints to it, efforts needed for proposed actions from key stakeholders, policies needed to promote digital pa...

by Nara Chandrababu Naidu | On 25 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

Local Institutional Structure and Clientelistic Access to Employment: The Case of MGNREGS in Three States of India

This work is a contribution, first, toward measuring and characterizing some features of rural clientelistic institutions and then toward exploring its impact on household access to an employment sc...

by Anindya Bhattacharya | On 30 Dec 2016

The Costs of Climate Change Impacts for India: A Preliminary Analysis

Climate change mitigation is a global challenge, however its impact will be varied across regions and temperature zones. Small island states will be hit the hardest with sea level rise. In bigger coun...

by | On 28 Dec 2016

The Impact of Climate Change on the Agricultural Sector:    Implications of the Agro‐Industry for Low Carbon, Green Growth Strategy    and Roadmap for the East Asian Region

Global warming not only causes a change in average temperature and precipitation but also increases the frequency of floods, droughts, heat waves, and the intensity of typhoons and hurricanes followin...

by | On 28 Dec 2016

Impact of Climate Change on Rainfed Agriculture in India: A Case Study of Dharwad

The impact of climate change is studied in many aspects in different locations in the country and it is concluded that there is high impact on agriculture compared to any other sector in the country....

by | On 28 Dec 2016

Internal Migration and the Condition of Female Construction Workers: A Study in Chittagong City

Women workers are found in certain activities traditionally falling within the male domain. This is particularly the case for landless women who largely belong to the hardcore poor group. It indicates...

by | On 22 Nov 2016

Shortfall in Pulses

At a macro level the demand for pulses has declined across income groups and region types and the diet has diversified towards sourcing protein from processed foods and livestock. And yet, there is su...

by Aritra Chakrabarty | On 21 Nov 2016

Evolution of Payment Systems in India: Or is it a Revolution?

A silent revolution is sweeping the country. That is because, the payment systems has been evolving and changes have been continuous over the last 35 years, it has rarely got noticed as a revolutio...

by R. Gandhi | On 17 Nov 2016

A Stagnant Agriculture in Kerala: The Role of the State

The paper shows that disincentives generated by the successive governments in Kerala through imposing artificial barriers on the freedom of farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs resulted in the coll...

by Lekshmi R Nair | On 08 Nov 2016

Ease of Doing Business

When arriving at the ‘Doing Business’ rankings, the World Bank ranks 11 parameters that impact businesses across various stages of their lifecycle – at start-up, getting a location, getting financing,...

by | On 28 Oct 2016

Rail Revolution-2025

This policy brief proposes reorganisation of current industry structure and proposes a new organizational structure for the railways to meet the needs of the 21st century . [CPPR Policy Brief Series...

by Centre for Public Policy Research CPPR | On 21 Oct 2016

Water, Megacities and Global Change

Numerous studies have explored urban growth and the emergence of the megapolitan phenomenon through increasing growth in the number of cities with over 10 million inhabitants. Similarly, the processes...

by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultura [UNESCO] | On 19 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

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

Book Review: ‘Native places’ and Journeys Beyond

Review of Almost Home: Finding a Place in the World from Kashmir to New York by Githa Hariharan; Restless Books (Originally published by Fourth Estate, 2014), New York; 2016, 304 pages, $16.99.

by Dhanwanti Nayak | On 07 Oct 2016

Autonomous Colleges in Kerala: An Evaluative Study

Kerala has ushered a new paradigm in higher education sector by granting autonomy to a few colleges in the recent times. Though it has been in the practice only for the last two years, CPPR finds it i...

by Nikhitha Mary Mathew | On 07 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

Evaluating Asian FTAs: What do Gravity Equation Models Tell Us?

This research evaluates the performance of free trade agreements by analyzing the determinants of trade flows of Asian economies for a panel of thirty-one countries during 2007-2014 using a Gravity...

by Sunder Ramaswamy | On 29 Sep 2016

The Worldwide Shift of FDI to Services- How does it Impact Asia? New Evidence from Seventeen Asian Economies

The productivity spillovers of industry-level FDI on both, the sector of manufacturing and the sector of services, in seventeen South and East Asian economies. Using a dynamic panel GMM methodology,...

by Nadia Doytch | On 29 Sep 2016

Orphan Food? Nay, Future of Food ! Understanding the Pulse of the Indian Market

India can substantially increase her production and yield in pulses with a strategic emphasis on research in public and private sector, expanding irrigation infrastructure, provision of MSP to pulse...

by Satish Y Deodhar | On 23 Sep 2016

A Study of Government Urdu Primary Schools in Bengaluru

This study provides an overview of Urdu-medium primary schools in the Bengaluru urban district of Karnataka in India. Akshara’s research examined access to government-run Urdu-medium schools and iss...

by Divya Vishawanath | On 23 Sep 2016

Empowerment and Rehabilitation of Youth

Engaging is a major concern. Utilising the leisure time of the youth and harnessing their exuberance and raw energy for creative activities is essential. Simultaneously, but more substantially there i...

by United Nations (UN) | On 21 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

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

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

Habitat III National Reports for the Asia-Pacific Region

The National Reports received to date were considered during the development of the Regional Report and examples from National Reports have been incorporated into the Regional Report as appropriate T...

by United Nations (UN) | On 07 Sep 2016

Health Spending, Macroeconomics and Fiscal Space in Countries of the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region

The paper examines the issues around mobilization of resources for the 11 countries of the South-East Asia Region of the World Health Organization (WHO), by analysing their macroeconomic situation, he...

by | On 07 Sep 2016

How Can India Help Prevent Food Price Volatility?

This article is about India's role in reducing food price volatility in the world. India has come a long way from a ‘ship to mouth existence’ to a country that is ready to confer legal right to food t...

by M. S. Swaminathan | On 02 Sep 2016

Impacts on International Migration and Remittances Growth

This study provided a brief discussion of the international migration, an age old common phenomenon is an emerging economic development issue and remittances growth. Approach: Each year Bangladesh exp...

by | On 31 Aug 2016

The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill 2013: A Threat to our Food and Farming

The primary purpose of this policy brief is to expose the dangerous aspects of the Bill before Parliamentarians who must consider the potential harms to be caused by this Bill to our food and farming...

by Shubhi Sharma | On 30 Aug 2016

ABCD of MSME Credit

According to MSME Ministry’s Annual Report for 2015-16, MSME sector in India today is a network of 51 million enterprises providing employment to 117.1 million persons and contributing 37.5 per cent...

by S.S. Mundra | On 29 Aug 2016

India’s Economic Growth and Market Potential: Benchmarked Against China

This paper addresses some aspects related to these two important research questions, and thus builds on the base of knowledge. The paper is organized as follows. First, we discuss the economic growth...

by | On 24 Aug 2016

Food Security and Agricultural Development in Times of High Commodity Prices

Efforts to promote food security must distinguish between short-term and medium-term measures, but also between countries with agricultural potential and without such potential, argues this paper. Fur...

by | On 24 Aug 2016

Combating Haze: Holding One’s Breath A Year On

Indonesia’s efforts to combat forest fires have thus far shown some signs of progress. Doubts over Indonesia’s commitment and the effectiveness of its measures however seem to remain.

by | On 19 Aug 2016

The Consequences of Spatially Differentiated Water Pollution Regulation in China

China’s environmental regulators have sought to reduce the Yangtze River’s water pollution. This paper documents that this regulatory effort has had two unintended consequences. First, the regulation’...

by Zhao Chen | On 18 Aug 2016

Wage Flexibility and Employment Fluctuations: Evidence from the Housing Sector

This paper compares three occupations in the housing sector with very different wage setting institutions, real estate agents, architects, and construction workers. It studies the wage and employment...

by Jörn Pischke | On 10 Aug 2016

Citizenship and Displacement

Landscapes of persons who constitute the shifting world in which we live: tourists, immigrants, refugees, guest workers and other moving groups and persons constitute the essential feature of the worl...

by | On 09 Aug 2016

Social Development of SIDS, Health and NCDs, Youth and Women

SIDS underscore social development as one of the three dimensions of sustainable development key to ensuring results are achieved for most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Small island developing states...

by UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDESA | On 09 Aug 2016

Policy and Evidence

There has to be evidence in the policy dialogue. Some may believe that all it takes to convince the body politic of the necessity to choose one policy over another is to present the evidence, complete...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 03 Aug 2016

Operational Guidelines: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) aims at supporting sustainable production in agriculture sector by way of providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unf...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 28 Jul 2016

Competitive Bidding for Wind Sector

CSTEP organised a stakeholder consultation workshop on the wind energy sector at the request of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently. The main objectives of this workshop were to d...

by | On 27 Jul 2016

Roads to Innovation: Firm-Level Evidence from China

Although both infrastructure and innovation play an important role in fostering a country’s economic growth, discussion in the literature about how the two are connected is limited. This paper examine...

by Xu Wang | On 25 Jul 2016

Business as Usual: Responses within ASEAN to the Food Crisis

The United Nations estimates that the number of people worldwide who suffer from chronic food shortages might now exceed one billion. That skyrocketing prices of food in general, and...

by Randall Arnst | On 22 Jul 2016

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: India’s New Safety Net for Farmers

India’s latest crop insurance scheme, announced by the Narendra Modi Government earlier this year, is designed to overcome the many problems encountered in the implementation of previous programmes. T...

by Vinod Rai | On 21 Jul 2016

State and the IT Industry in India: A Policy Critique

By adopting a historical comparative perspective,this paper assesses the role of state (both national and subnational) in industrialisation through the growth and policy experience of an ‘achieving’ s...

by Keshab Das | On 20 Jul 2016

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2016

The agenda is a road map for people that will build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals and ensure sustainable social and economic progress worldwide. It seeks not only to eradicate ex...

by United Nations (UN) | On 20 Jul 2016

Status of Water Availability for Agriculture in India

As of July 7, 2016, rainfall in the country in the 2016 monsoon season is estimated to be 1% above normal rainfall. However, due to deficient rainfall in the country resulting in drought conditions ov...

by Tanvi Deshpande | On 18 Jul 2016

Examination of Affordable Housing Policies in India

This paper criticizes the Government of India's programmes for affordable housing in India, namely the Rajiv Awas Yojana and Housing for All 2022. It analyses the efficacy of these policies in being a...

by Anindo Sarkar | On 18 Jul 2016

Parliament Session Alert Monsoon Session : July 18 – August 1 2 , 201 6

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will meet for the Monsoon Session between July 18 and August 12, 2016. There will be a total of 20 sittings. The agenda for legislation includes nine Bills for consideration...

by Kusum Malik | On 18 Jul 2016

Reimagining India’s Urban Future: A Framework for Securing High-Growth, Low-Carbon, Climate-Resilient Urban Development in India

This paper reviews the current state of the literature on Indian urbanization to analyze existing urban development trajectories at the state level in order to understand the challenges Indian cities...

by Meenu Tewari | On 15 Jul 2016

Operational Guidelines: Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme

Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) aims to mitigate the hardship of the insured farmers against the likelihood of financial loss on account of anticipated crop loss resulting from adverse wea...

by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation GOI | On 07 Jul 2016

Irrigation Water Management for Food Security in India: The Forgotten Realities

India’s water crisis is often perceived to have been perpetuated by the widening gap between the utilizable water resources and the aggregate demand for water in agriculture and other sectors in certa...

by | On 04 Jul 2016

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity India Initiative

India’s National Environment Policy stresses that the most secure basis for protection of nature is to ensure that people dependent on natural resources obtain better livelihoods through conservation...

by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Chang GOI | On 01 Jul 2016

Feasibility of Incentive Based Environmental Instruments in State and Central Taxation Regimes

Taxation policies in India have historically not been environmentally oriented. A tax system is needed whic is environmentally more rational. It is argued in this study that India is currently going...

by D K Srivastava | On 01 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

Climate Change Risks and Opportunities in Uttarakhand, India

The Climate Knowledge and Development Network supported a Vulnerability and Risk Assessment process in Uttarakhand to provide the Government of Uttarakhand with the evidence base to refine and priorit...

by Climate and Development Knowledge Network CDKN | On 30 Jun 2016

Resolving Stress in the Banking System

The slowdown in credit growth has been largely because of stress in the public sector banking and not because of high interest rates. As such, what is required is a clean-up of the balance sheets of p...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 29 Jun 2016

How Successful Are Banking Sector Reforms in Emerging Market Economies? Evidence from Impact of Monetary Policy on Levels and Structures of Firm Debt in India

In this paper investigates the success of banking reforms in India where significant banking reforms have been introduced since 1990s. Using the argument that well functioning credit markets would ref...

by Sumon Kumar Bhaumik | On 27 Jun 2016

Malnutrition: Unanswered Questions from Attapadi

India claims to have achieved financial growth of 7% but despite this high growth rate, poverty and inequality has also grown exponentially and social security, standard of life, security of labor ha...

by Child Rights and You CRY | On 27 Jun 2016

Can Labor Market Imperfections Explain Changes in the Inverse Farm Size–Productivity Relationship? Longitudinal Evidence from Rural India

The existence of an inverse relationship between farm size and output per unit of land is well documented. However, little research focuses on if and how an inverse relationship between farm size and...

by Klaus Deininger | On 27 Jun 2016

Slum Free India: Myths and Realities- A Status Report on Rajiv Awas Yojana

The present report is a result of efforts that were spread over a period of more than a year (2013 – 2014) and included two national level consultations and sharing meetings held in Delhi, visit to m...

by Simpreet . | On 23 Jun 2016

Draft National Forest Policy, 2016

There was a felt to revise the National Forest Policy, 1988 to integrate the vision of sustainable forest management based on the principles of ecosystem approach, landscape level planning and the...

by Indian Institute of Forest Management IIFM | On 21 Jun 2016

A Joined-Up Approach to Delivering the Global Goals for Sustainable Development

The sustainable management and restoration of our landscapes – achieving land degradation neutrality - will deliver many co-benefits. From biodiversity conservation and combating climate change to ens...

by | On 17 Jun 2016

Elucidation of the Fifth National Report on Convention to Combat Desertification

This document covers the initiatives and contributions of Government of India, Science and Technology Institutions and Civil Society Organisations in addressing the issues of desertification, land de...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 17 Jun 2016

Desertification and Land Degradation: Atlas of India

Land degradation and desertification pose an ever - increasing global environmental threat. Human activities such as over cultivation, overgrazing, deforestation and poor irrigation practices, along...

by Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO | On 17 Jun 2016

How to Encourage Farmers to Adapt to Climate Change?

This study is an attempt to use group information collected from different farmers (e.g.marginal, small, and medium farmers and tenants) in eastern Uttar Pradesh in India to address a question relevan...

by Amarnath Tripathi | On 16 Jun 2016

Groundwater Modeling for Sustainable Aquifer Management in a River Island of Eastern India

This paper details the study on development of groundwater flow simulation model in a river basin by using a physically based model Visual MODFLOW has been done in order to understand the dynamics of...

by Ashwani Kumar | On 13 Jun 2016

Budget Speech Jammu and Kashmir: 2016-17

The Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Haseeb A. Drabu, presented the Budget for Jammu and Kashmir for financial year 2016-17 on May 30, 2016.

by Hasseeb A. Drabu | On 13 Jun 2016

Defending the Commons, Territories and the Right to Food and Water

Almost a billion people around the world are now suffering from hunger and malnutrition - a dramatic rise in number since the soaring food prices over the last three years. Of these, about half ar...

by Focus on the Global South FGS | On 10 Jun 2016

The Revival of the Silk Roads (Land Connectivity) in Asia

This paper argues that contrary to popular belief, in the bygone era, there was not one but two Silk Roads in Asia – the Northern and the less well-known South-western Silk Road (SSR). The SSR connect...

by | On 10 Jun 2016

Children's Voices, Children's Rights: One Year After the Nepal Earthquake

The consultations highlight the high rate of penetration of the Nepal earthquakes response (97.5 per cent of consulted children acknowledged to have benefitted from relief assistance), likely due to...

by Virgil Fievet | On 09 Jun 2016

‘Lighting up’ the Lives of the Poor

In India, a majority of rural households meet their energy requirements from traditional fuel sources, such as fuel wood, agricultural residues and kerosene. Statistics shows that 21 percent of villag...

by | On 09 Jun 2016

Landed Property and Credit in Colonial India

The chapter tries to identify three dimensions of land rights – the type of ownership, tenants’ rights, and the right to transfer – to categorise the diversity of land tenures in colonial India. Also,...

by Anand Swamy | On 08 Jun 2016

Compendium on Soil Health

Government of India is promoting integrated nutrient management (INM) balanced and judicious use of chemical fertilizers, bio-fertilizers and locally available organic manures like farmyard manure,...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 08 Jun 2016

The Wealth of Waste: The Economics of Wastewater Use in Agriculture

This Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) water report presents an economic framework for the assessment of the use of reclaimed water in agriculture, as part of a comprehensive planning process in...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 07 Jun 2016

Corporate Debt Market in India: Key Issues and Policy Recommendations

The working paper outlines the significance of debt market in general and its role in accelerating the development of economic growth in particular. It reviews various regulatory and non-regulatory de...

by Anubhuti Sahay | On 06 Jun 2016

From ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’ Policy: Continuing with an Obfuscated Vision for Northeast India

The paper deals with the above issues by analyzing the scenario in NEI, as to how the region with its present status fits into the LEP regime. In this regard, the contemporary ma...

by Gorky Chakraborty | On 06 Jun 2016

Property Rights and Gender Bias: Evidence from Land Reform in West Bengal

While land reforms are typically pursued in order to raise productivity and reduce inequality across households, an unintended consequence may be increased within-household gender inequality. We analy...

by | On 03 Jun 2016

Solar for Powering Health and Education in India

This study, based on analysis of secondary data, assesses the current state of electricity access in PHCs and rural primary schools. Given the increasing policy support for solar energy in India, it a...

by | On 02 Jun 2016

Long-term Care of Older Persons in Japan

The ageing of Japan’s population occurred quickly. In 1970, the ageing rate exceeded 7 per cent, the threshold which used to be considered as the onset of population ageing. It took only 26 years befo...

by United Nations Economic and Social Commission (UNESCAP) | On 02 Jun 2016

Identifying Stakeholders in the Land Use Management Process and Related Critical Factors in ASEAN

With growing populations and demand for food, farmers in ASEAN member states (except Singapore) are required to produce more and more food from land that continues to decline due to population growth,...

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

Golden Wheat Becomes More Golden Extending SRI to Wheat

People’s Science Institute carried out the first trials of the System of Wheat Intensification (SWI) during rabi 2006- 07. Starting with systematic research trials on farmers’ fields, SWI practice...

by Ravi Chopra | 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

Conservation of Biodiversity: Opportunities and Challenges

This essay includes a review of major strategies for preservation of earth’s biodiversity including the biodiversity “hotspots,” “Wildlands Project,” and the “consensus” strategy. The essay includes a...

by | On 25 May 2016

The Dragon and the Giraffe: China in African forests

China needs Africa’s forests, and Africa knows it. Chinese investments in African forests and woodlands are growing fast. China is the largest importer of tropical timber in the world — possibly accou...

by | On 25 May 2016

Democratising Forest Business: A Compendium of Successful Locally Controlled Forest Business Organisations

This book presents 19 case studies from 14 developing countries that show how local people have been democratising forest business and draws a set of conclusions from analysis of these case studies wh...

by | On 25 May 2016

Organised Forest-Farm Producers Mitigate Climate Change Through Adaptive Resilience

Climate mitigation programmes and finance mechanisms like Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) must engage millions of forest farmers if they are to halt deforestation...

by Jeffrey Campbell | On 25 May 2016

Degradation and Loss of Peri-Urban Ecosystems

Rapid degradation of peri-urban ecosystems is resulting in a loss of associated ecosystem services. Water provision, storm- and waste-water regulation, along with protection from natural disasters and...

by Rockeffeller Foundation RF | On 25 May 2016

Women, Land and Law in Vietnam

The study collected information about farmers’ ability to access land, and their attitudes and knowledge of land law, particularly women’s land rights and farmers’ ability to solve land-related confli...

by Gina Alvarado | On 24 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

Climate Refugees: A Sad Reality

Climate refugees are basically poor, helpless people forced to migrate from their homes because of climatic changes. Even as migration stands to be the most time-tested coping mechanism of the people,...

by | On 19 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

For Whom Does the Phone (not) Ring? Discrimination in the Rental Housing Market in Delhi, India

Using an audit experiment carried out on of India’s largest real estate websites, this study documents striking variations between landlords’ treatment of upper-caste Hindus, Other Backward Castes, Sc...

by Saugato Datta | On 18 May 2016

Housing Policy in the Republic of Korea

This paper evaluates housing policy in the Republic of Korea over the past several decades, describes new challenges arising from the changing environment, and draws lessons for other countries. The m...

by Kyung-Hwan Kim | 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

Water Rights in India and Water Sector Reforms in Andhra Pradesh

Water rights in India in a formal, legal manner are still under formulation. Rights based on centuries old customs and conventions currently prevail. In recent years, reforms have sought to introduce...

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

High and Dry : Climate Change, Water, and the Economy

The impacts of climate change will be channeled primarily through the water cycle, with consequences that could be large and uneven across the globe. Water-related climate risks cascade through food,...

by World Bank [WB] | On 11 May 2016

Agricultural Outlook and Situation Analysis Reports: Rabi Outlook Report January 2016

Accordingly, the agricultural outlook and situation analysis undertaken in this study refers to the main crop based food items: cereals (specifically rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, maize and overall coars...

by Rajesh Chadha | On 09 May 2016

Economic Incentives for the Conservation of Bharathapuzha River: Focus on Sand Mining

Rivers in Kerala are assailed by pollution, sedimentation, sand mining, and constriction of flows. The indiscriminate and unscientific sand mining, even in the midst of many regulatory and protective...

by Lakshmi Sreedhar | On 04 May 2016

Incentives and Outcomes: China's Environmetal Policy

Using 2000-2009 data, the report finds that, while spending on environmental infrastructure has visible positive environmental impact, city spending is strongly tilted towards transportation infrastru...

by | On 04 May 2016

Combatting Climate Change: Involving Indigenous Communities

Climate change combat is often in the hands of policy-makers, researchers and governments. However it is the marginalised and indigenous communities that feel the full force of climate change effect...

by Serina Rahman | On 03 May 2016

Analyzing the Impact of Global Financial Crisis on the Interconnectedness of Asian Stock Markets using Network Science

This study shows how 13 important stock markets in Asia namely, India, Bangladesh, Philippines, China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Pakistan, South Korea and Thailand...

by | On 02 May 2016

Social and Economic Impact Analysis of Vadinar Refinery of Essar Oil: The Case of a Mega Refinery

The paper is a case study of Vadinar refinery in Gujarat. It examines the costs and benefits associated with one of the world's mega refinery projects highlighting the welfare impacts on society. The...

by Sumana Chaudhuri | On 02 May 2016

Kerala: Economic Review 2015

The latest edition of the Economic Review is brought out with the objective of providing valuable and comprehensive information about Kerala’s economic performance in the last year of the 12th Five...

by Government of Kerala Govt | On 29 Apr 2016

Land, Labour and Caste Politics in Rural Tamil Nadu in the 20th Century: Iruvelpattu (1916-2008)

The “Slater” villages of Tamil Nadu that were first surveyed by the University of Madras economist, Gilbert Slater, and his students in 1916, were resurveyed in the 1930s, 1960s and the 1980s. This pa...

by John Harriss | On 27 Apr 2016

The Paris Protocol – A Blueprint for Tackling Global Climate Change beyond 2020

The 2030 Policy Framework confirms the EU's firm commitment to lead by example in tackling climate change. It sets out a binding, economy-wide domestic reduction target of at least 40% greenhouse gas...

by European union | On 26 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

Maritime Failures

India's trade infrastructure is in a bad shape. India's imports are very high than its exports. The government has promised some investments and policies in this sector.

by T.N. Ninan | On 16 Apr 2016

Report of the Commission on Farmers’ Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh

Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh is in an advanced stage of crisis. While this is a generalised rural crisis, the burden has fallen disproportionately on small and marginal farmers, tenant farmers and ru...

by Government Andhra Pradesh | On 12 Apr 2016

Gender and Land Statistics

The Gender and Land Rights Database (GLRD) is an on-line platform that was launched by FAO in February 2010 with the objective of highlighting the major political, legal and cultural factors that infl...

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

Distortions in Land Markets and their Implications to Credit Generation in India

Land and buildings are a preferred collateral for lenders in India due to its ease of valuation and disposal in the event of default. Yet several distortions afflict Indian land markets that make thi...

by K.P. Krishnan | On 12 Apr 2016

The 2016 National Budget: Philippines

The 2016 Budget reaffirms the belief that no one should be left behind as the country progresses.

by Strategic Communication Unit Philippines | On 11 Apr 2016

Role of National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in Improving Agricultural Productivity in Selected Districts

A study was undertaken by the Council for Social Development with the sponsorship of Planning Commission, Government of India with the following specific objectives to analyse the impact of NFSM initi...

by Ankita Goyal | On 05 Apr 2016

Global Food Policy Report 2016

IFPRI’s Flagship Report puts into perspective the major food policy issues, developments, and decisions of 2015 and highlights challenges and opportunities for 2016. This year’s report takes an in-dep...

by International Food Policy Research Institute | On 04 Apr 2016

Agriculture-Nutrition Linkages and Child Health in the Presence of Conflict in Nepal

This paper focuses on this agriculture-nutrition link in Nepal in the context of the country’s decade-long civil conflict. Using panel household data from the Nepal Living Standards Survey (NLSS), co...

by Elizabeth Bageant | On 30 Mar 2016

Temporal Change Detection (2001- 2008): Study of Sundarban

Rate of coastal erosion in the Indian Sundarban have been measured to be about5.50 sq kms / year within the time frame of 2001 - 2009 and eventually it is most dominant in the south western edges of...

by Sugata Hazra | On 29 Mar 2016

Hong Kong Budget Speech 2016

Speech by the Financial Secretary.

by Hon John C Tsang | On 28 Mar 2016

The Role of Construction as an Employment Provider: A World-Wide Input-Output Analysis

This study shows how important the construction sector has been over the last decade as an employment provider in countries at different levels of development. The analysis also revealed decreasing tr...

by Christoph Ernst | On 23 Mar 2016

Global Energy Architecture Performance Index Report 2016

The Global Energy Architecture Performance Index Report 2016 ranks 126 countries on their ability to deliver secure, affordable and sustainable energy. The results of the global Energy Architecture Pe...

by World Economic Forum [WEF] | On 22 Mar 2016

Impact of JNNURM and UIDSSMT/ IHSDP Programmes on Infrastructure and Governance Outcomes in Cities/ Towns in India

The paper is based on a review of the available official data and the existing literature on the Missions. It is divided into three broad sections. The first analyzes data available from the official...

by Lalitha Kamath | On 21 Mar 2016

Post-tsunami Socio-cultural Changes among the Nicobarese: An Ethnography of the Nicobarese of the Southern Nicobar Islands.

The paper traces the impact of welfare and development on the Nicobarese not only in terms of economic and social domination, but in relation to its influence on cultural meanings and practices. The ...

by Ajay Saini | 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

Outcome and Impact Level Outcome and Impact Level Indicators Indicators Agriculture and Agriculture and Rural Development

This working paper outlines a set of indicators at the outcome and impact level for the agriculture and rural development sector. It does not focus on implementation (e.g. output level indicators such...

by European union | On 20 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

Diffusion of Bt Cotton in India: Impact of Seed Prices and Technological Development

Recent studies have analyzed the adoption of Bt cotton in the light of government seed price interventions. According to one view, reduction in seed prices enabled the farmers to buy seeds at lower pr...

by | On 15 Mar 2016

Metaguidelines for Water and Climate Change For practitioners in Asia and the Pacific

The Metaguidelines for Water and Climate Change were developed by the Asia–Pacific Water Forum (APWF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) in collaboration with the Global Water Partnership (GWP). This pu...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

Fossil Fuel Subsidies in Thailand - Trends, Impacts and Reforms

The objective of this study is to systematically assess the prevalence of different types of fossil fuel subsidies in Thailand and analyze the potential impacts of their removal. It is hoped that this...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

Reviving Lakes and Wetlands in the People's Republic of China, Volume 2 - Lessons Learned on Integrated Water Pollution Control from Chao Lake Basin

The government has taken unprecedented steps to create a basic framework to achieve its long-term objective of improving water quality in Chao Lake and protecting and maintaining all of its economic,...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

The Housing Market and Housing Policies in Japan

Housing policies in Japan after World War II were focused on the quantitative supply of houses with a wide range of targeted groups and public rental houses. The Japan Housing Corporation (now the Urb...

by Masahiro Kobayashi | On 14 Mar 2016

Liberalizing Lease Market The Andhra Pradesh Land Licensed Cultivators Act

Tenancy has been on the rise in the post economic liberalization period from the decades of 1990s. It was also viewed that freeing the lease market for land may contribute to equity as well as efficie...

by E Revathi | On 14 Mar 2016

Invisible Ink: Looking for the Lost Trade between China, Russia, and Central Asia

China, Russia, and the Central Asian States have consistently engaged in economic relations. However, the bilateral trade statistics that are publicly available show a history of inconsistent and unre...

by | On 12 Mar 2016

Striking a Balance: Myanmar and the Issue of Intellectual Property Rights

Strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights in Myanmar has the potential to act as a catalyst for economic growth, spurring foreign direct investment and in the long run helping the c...

by | On 12 Mar 2016

Rebalancing Act: China’s Fiscal Reform Challenge

This policy brief examines China’s inter-connected economic challenges of structural and fiscal reform, arguing that promotion of domestic consumption away from fixed-asset investment could further ex...

by | On 12 Mar 2016

China-Vietnam Drilling Rig Incident: Reflections and Implications

After a period of stability between China and Vietnam in the South China Sea with positive developments in terms of dispute management, China’s dispatch of a drilling rig to areas west of the Paracel...

by | On 11 Mar 2016

Biofuel Feedstock Cultivation in India: Implications for Food Security and Rural Livelihoods

Biofuels are acquiring importance due to their potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The two most important biofuels – viz., bioethanol and bio-diesel, are largely considered supplementary t...

by K.S. Kavi Kumar | On 11 Mar 2016

Myanmar’s Fragile Ceasefire

Resolving Myanmar’s protracted civil war is the country’s defining challenge. With declarations of support signed for a National Ceasefire Agreement, there is much optimism that Myanmar is finally on...

by | On 10 Mar 2016

Mitigating Militancy in Northwest Pakistan

Nearly three months on from the launch of Operation Zarb e Azb by Pakistan’s armed forces, this policy brief explores the problem of militancy in North Waziristan in northwest Pakistan. The author arg...

by | 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

On the Allocation of Public Goods to Villages in India

The paper tries to analyse the effect of religious composition on the provision of public services captured mainly by infrastructure index, of four types, (i) basic amenities such as water, housing an...

by Santanu Gupta | On 09 Mar 2016

India's Policy on Genetically Modified Crops

Agricultural biotechnology is highly contested site in India, encompassing debates on impact of technology on society, economic development, and India’s future agricultural Strategy. Proponents of b...

by Anitha Ramanna | On 09 Mar 2016

Challenges for Urban Local Governments in India

The findings of this study show that urban local governments in India continue to remain plagued by numerous problems, which affect their performance in the efficient discharge of their duties. These...

by Rumi Aijaz | On 09 Mar 2016

Agricultural Growth and Decomposition of Crop Output in Gujarat: Recent Trends

The growth story of Gujarat’s agriculture has received significant recognition (with around 10 percent growth rate in recent years) and is often being hailed as a role model for other states to follow...

by Itishree Patnaik | On 09 Mar 2016

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: What Can It Learn From, and Perhaps Teach To, the Multilateral Development Banks?

A striking phenomenon of recent global economic change is the emergence of new development actors, with alternative development experiences and development financing capacity. These actors are now cre...

by Stephany Griffith-Jones | On 08 Mar 2016

The Final Frontier: Non¬Traditional Approaches to Cyber Security

The discourse on Cyber Security, a relatively new field in non-traditional security studies, has been dominated by the need to protect information infrastructure from both state and non-state actors....

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

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

On 20 April 2010, an explosion and a fire took place at the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico, 65 kilometres from the Louisiana coast in the United States. The inc...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 05 Mar 2016

Weather- ¬related Disasters

The second half of June 2010 witnessed several weather-related disasters in various parts of the world. Heavy rains in several Asian countries inundated both rural regions such as China’s Yunnan provi...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 05 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

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Reducing Human Vulnerabilities To Natural Disasters

This issue of the NTS Alert offers an overview of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) as a means of improving long-term preparedness against the projected increase in frequency and intensity of natural haza...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 04 Mar 2016

Human Factors Determine Extreme Weather Impact

The beginning of 2011 was marked by a series of rain-related disasters in various parts of the globe. Australia experienced one of the most severe (and most probably the costliest) wave of floods in i...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 03 Mar 2016

Development and Health in Southeast Asia from the Cold War to the Present

This NTS Alert is the second of two that seek to examine the relationship between development and health. In this issue, the links between international development – in particular, the provision of a...

by Bill Durodie | On 03 Mar 2016

Asia¬Pacific Countries Agree on Framework to Address Irregular Migration

The Fourth Bali Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crimes – otherwise known as the Bali Process – was held in Nusa Dua, Bali, on 29-3...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 03 Mar 2016

An Asia Prepared for the Monsoon Season?

Several Asian countries have experienced flooding in recent weeks. While the monsoon rains – amplified by the La Nina effect -have been taking place as expected from the second to the third quarter o...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 02 Mar 2016

Thai Floods – What Effect on Rice?

Thailand’s worst floods in decades have caused over 350 deaths, and are inflicting extensive damage to much of the country’s land, crops, livestock, infrastructure, housing and industrial areas. An es...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 02 Mar 2016

Enterprise Among Farm Women in India and Understanding their Constraints: An Exploration of NSSOs 55th Round Household Data

Diversification of rural women from traditional crop based agriculture to high valued agricultural, allied and processing activities with emerging prospect merit considerable attention in context of w...

by Nilabja Ghosh | On 02 Mar 2016

Impact of China Slowdown on India

After three decades of double-digit growth, China is slowing as it is rebalancing its economy from export-driven to less-volatile domestic consumption driven economy. The paper looks at the impact of...

by Geetima Das Krishna | On 02 Mar 2016

Enhancing GCC¬ASEAN Relations via Non- ¬traditional Security

The past decade has seen economic links between the Gulf Arab region and Southeast Asia increase considerably – from just USD20 billion in 2002 to about USD100 billion in 2010. Notable factors driving...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 01 Mar 2016

Back to the Future: Is Rio+20 A 1992 Redux or Is There Cause for Optimism?

Rio+20, set for June 2012, offers an opportunity to review the current state of global environmental summitry. What can be expected of this latest round of global dialogue on sustainable development?...

by J. Ewing | 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

An Assessment of the International Legal Obligations Owed to the Rohingya Refugees

This paper considers the issue of migration of the Rohingyas from the lens of international law. It evaluates the responses of the countries that have been the destination of these migration flows – n...

by Ramandeep Kaur | On 01 Mar 2016

Developments in education in Palanpur, a village in Uttar Pradesh

This paper examines developments in literacy and education in Palanpur. We consider schooling facilities and other related services available in this village and its neighbourhood. Schooling levels ar...

by Ruth Kattumuri | 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

Will no One Plant a Tree in Indonesia? Yes, the Poor will, and on Islands not known for Their Forests: One Such is Timor

In this paper we explore an innovative approach to poverty reduction by the introduction of an agro-forestry variant of sustainable agricultural land technology among the rural farming population of a...

by Roger Montgomery | On 29 Feb 2016

Keeping Land Local: Reclaiming Governance from the Market

Land struggles in countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines

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

Understanding Land Grabbing, Land Rights in the 21st Century

Issues or problems associated with land have become more multi-layered in the 21st century. In the Philippines, a number of “pro-poor” land laws were enacted after the Marcos dictatorship. These laws...

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

Growth Pole Programme For Unorganised Sector Enterprise Development

Government of India constituted the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) in September 2004 as an advisory body and a watchdog for the informal sector to bring about im...

by National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorgan NCEUS | On 29 Feb 2016

Highlights of the Draft Budget of Japan for FY2016

Highlights of the budget of Japan for the year 2016.

by Ministry of Finance, Japan MOF, Japan | On 29 Feb 2016

Is the ASEAN plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) the Answer Tt Southeast Asia’s Food Security Challenges?

The recently launched ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) aims to safeguard the region’s food security in times of calamity, disaster, supply shock or extreme price spike. The region had...

by Sally Trethewie | On 27 Feb 2016

What is Title Guarantee Worth in Land Markets? Evidence from Bengaluru, India

Land reforms require urgent attention in emerging market economies, and there is a vast body of literature that deals with the economic impact land reforms, especially land titling (Acemoglu et al., 2...

by Madalasa Venkataraman | On 27 Feb 2016

Financing of Urban Local Bodies in India

The rising level of urbanisation in India draws attention to inadequate infrastructure levels in urban areas. While many factors play a role in infrastructure development, this paper examines the fina...

by Charan Singh | On 27 Feb 2016

Can Southeast Asia Afford to Wait? Coping with Floods and Humanitarian Emergencies

THE NEWS has been coming in thick and fast. Floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfalls in parts of Southeast Asia seem to have become normal occurrences. As if this is not enough, we also hear of...

by Mely Caballero-Anthony | On 26 Feb 2016

Diasporas Transforming Homelands: Nuancing ‘Collective Remittance’ Practices in a Western Indian Village

Diasporic communities that advance their ancestral homelands through forging links with it can be best examined in the context of the history of migration of these communities and the culture of devel...

by Sudeep Basu | On 26 Feb 2016

Budget 2016: Lagging Quality Education; Increase Public Investment to Improve Basic Infrastructure

In the Union Budget 2015-16, there was a reduction in the allocation for school education on account of more untied funds being given to States following the 14th Finance Commission recommendation. Ho...

by Provita Kundu | 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

Land Reform and Changes in Land Ownership Concentration: Evidence from Rice-Growing Villages

This paper examines the effect of land reform and land transfer actions of farmer beneficiaries on land ownership concentration. A case study of two rice-growing villages was used to track down owners...

by Marife M. Ballesteros | 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

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

Improving the Business Climate in NTT: The Case of Agriculture Trade in West Timor

Efforts to improve the business climate in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province are still facing significant obstacles. Moreover, a healthy business climate is needed to create conditions conducive to ha...

by Widjajanti Suharyo | On 24 Feb 2016

Assessing the Potential for Reintroducing the Cheetah in India

In this report 10 sites from seven landscapes are assessed located in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, for their potential to harbour viable reintroduc...

by Wildlife Institute of India | On 24 Feb 2016

National Hazardous Waste Management Strategy

National Hazardous Waste management Strategy has now been formulated to complement and strengthen the regulatory regime. This is based on the understanding and experience of diverse issues connected w...

by Ministry of Environment and Forest | On 24 Feb 2016

Modi’s Urban Initiatives – a Paradigm-shift?

A number of new initiatives announced by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi now, with the phased goal of transforming the overall quality of life in the country’s urban centres, have been conceptual...

by S Narayan | 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 Puzzle of Small Farming in Japan

Japan’s small farming represents a puzzle. Currently nearly three-quarters of farmland is operated by farmers whose farm size is well under optimal size. Being too small is the main reason for the hig...

by Yoshihisa Godo | 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

Up in Smoke: Peatland Fires in Russia and Indonesia

Russia’s peatland fires, like those in Indonesia, have been triggered by high global temperatures. The heatwaves behind the current Russian fires bear similarities with the Indonesian experiences in 1...

by | On 23 Feb 2016

Pakistan’s Floods: How Not to be Caught Off Guard

The Pakistani government and the international community’s response to the recent floods has been heavily criticised for being woefully inadequate. While a national disaster management framework is in...

by | On 23 Feb 2016

Non-Traditional Security Challenges, Regional Governance, and the ASEAN Political-Security Community

Much of the attention on institutional development within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has focused on the progress in establishing the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC)....

by | On 23 Feb 2016

Policy Reforms and Institutional Weaknesses: Closing the Gap

The World Bank (2005) reported that from 1985 to 2003, per capita gross domestic product increased only by about 0.7% per year, well below the 3.7% average of neighboring countries (Indonesia, Malaysi...

by Eduardo Gonzalez | On 23 Feb 2016

From Crisis to Recovery in Asia: Strategies, Achievements, and Lessons

This paper reviews and highlights lessons from the stabilisation and reform programme that Thailand, Malaysia and Korea implemented in response to the 1997 crisis. The three countries’ rapid recovery...

by Kanit Sangsubhan | On 23 Feb 2016

(Un)natural Disasters: Health Responses after Natural Hazards in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is certainly no stranger to natural hazards, having experienced some of the world’s worst. This paper argues that the occurrence of a natural hazard does not inevitably lead to a natura...

by | On 22 Feb 2016

Food Production and Environmental Health in Southeast Asia: The Search for Complementary Strategies

Growing food demands and escalating environmental stresses create a series of challenges throughout Southeast Asia. Projected population and consumption patterns strongly suggest that food production...

by J. Ewing | On 22 Feb 2016

Tamil Nadu Interim Budget Speech 2016-2017

Budget speech by the Hon’ble Minister for Finance and Public Works, Government of Tamil Nadu

by O Panneerselvam | On 22 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

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

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

Creating an Association of Southeast Asian Nations Payment System: Policy and Regulatory Issues

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to benefit from the significant growth in the Asia-Pacific payments market. Growth in economic activity would increase the size, scale, a...

by Tanai Khiaonarong | On 21 Feb 2016

Floods and Regional Disaster Preparedness: Too Little, Too Late?

As the floods in Thailand and Cambodia continue, the state of regional cooperation is proving critical in addressing the difficulties faced by affected countries. Disaster preparedness is increasingly...

by | On 20 Feb 2016

Thailand’s Floods: Political and Security Impact

The devastating floods in Thailand add another dimension to the range of security threats to the country. What are the political and security implications of the floods on Thailand?

by | On 20 Feb 2016

Feeding Southeast Asia in the 21st Century

Southeast Asia’s food security challenges are multifaceted and complex, with an estimated 14 per cent of the population suffering undernourishment. The recent International Conference on Asian Food Se...

by Sally Trethewie | On 20 Feb 2016

The US and Myanmar: Need for Rapprochement

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s ground-breaking visit to Myanmar signals a shift in US attitude towards that country. Quicker rapprochement could benefit both countries as well as Southeast Asia.

by | On 20 Feb 2016

Citizen Roles In Resilient Cities

This lecture focuses on the role of citizens in developing cities, and shows that without the right behaviour and an engaged population even with the best infrastructure, cities will not be resilient....

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

Addressing Global Land Challenges

This lecture is based on the realization that the current global approach to land systems cannot meet the needs of the majority of people in developing countries in regard to security of tenure and it...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

China’s Outbound Investment: The US Experience

U.S. policy expressly welcomes Chinese investment, and since 2000 Chinese companies have invested nearly $50 billion in the United States. Notwithstanding those facts, the U.S. regulatory environment...

by Mark Feldman | On 19 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

Penalising Environmental Violations: An Analysis of The Ministry’s Proposal

In October 2015, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released a Draft Environment Laws (Amendment) Bill 2015 proposing amendments to the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 and the Na...

by Shibani Ghosh | On 18 Feb 2016

Enhancing Forage Integration And Access For Smallholder Livestock Production

In the upland areas of Southeast Asia, most smallholder farmers keep animals. Buffalo provide a traditional source of draught power for land preparation or transport, and animal manure is often used t...

by Research Consultative Group on International Agricultural | On 18 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

Agriculture’s Contribution To National Emissions

Agriculture is an important source of greenhouse gas emissions globally, but how do emissions differ among countries? The relative contribution of agriculture to countries’ emissions budgets can infor...

by Meryl Richards | On 17 Feb 2016

A New Series – Indonesia’s Haze and Disaster Governance Deficit

The current Southeast Asian haze problem is not a function of the lack of commitment on the part of President Jokowi’s government. The ineffectiveness of forest fire prevention and response lies deepe...

by | 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

Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project in Bangladesh

The Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project in Bangladesh became the first initiative to successfully incorporate beneficiary participation into all aspects of managi...

by Asian Bank | On 15 Feb 2016

China Buys into Afghanistan

This article examines three elements of the popular narrative of China’s involvement in the development of Afghanistan’s vast natural resource wealth. It argues that Chinese companies invested in Afgh...

by Erica Downs | On 14 Feb 2016

Growth Diagnostics in Pakistan

Following the Hausmann, et al. (2005) methodology, an attempt is done to identify the constraints to growth in Pakistan. It is argued that governance failure and institutional shortcomings are the h...

by Abdul Qayyum | 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

Demystifying the Arctic

To this day, the general public thinks of the Arctic in visions of unspoiled ocean and landscapes, expansive ice, clean water, unique species and aboriginal cultures – essentially it reminds everyone...

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

Intelligent Assets: Unlocking the Circular Economy Potential

The impending digital transformation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution holds the potential to redefine the very basis of our materials-reliant industrial economy. Enabled by the internet of things,...

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

Exceptions to Patent Rights in Developing Countries

he present paper on Exceptions to Patent Rights in Developing Countries is a part of the efforts of the UNCTAD/ICTSD Project to contribute to a better understanding of the use of patent exceptions for...

by | On 10 Feb 2016

Mongolian Futures: Scenarios for a Landlocked State

During the decades of the USSR, the Mongolian People’s Republic was a somnolent client of Moscow with only token relations with the West. After the break with the Soviet Union in 1990, and democratiza...

by | On 09 Feb 2016

Life and Work in Jeedimetla: A Montage

The workers have to put up with poor housing and living conditions that cramp and disrupt their family lives. There is no government plan to house these workers when industrial areas like in Jeedimetl...

by Mithun Som | On 09 Feb 2016

The Challenges in Urban Planning to Overcome Health Inequities in India

India has 8,928 urban areas or towns as per the Census 2011, 53 are cities or metros having more than 1 million population. Till date, we had taken for granted that several health indicators were wors...

by Dhruv Mankad | On 09 Feb 2016

Trade and Sustainable Land Management in Drylands

This publication aims to provide a wide range of perspectives from various stakeholders on how trade policies and processes could contribute to advancing the objectives of sustainable land management...

by International Centre and Sustainable Development | On 08 Feb 2016

The Second Report on the State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

This report updates the global assessment provided in the first report on The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, published in 2007. It focuses particularly on chan...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 08 Feb 2016

2009 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development: Women's Control over Economic Resources and Access to Financial Resources, including Microfinance

The World Survey on the Role of Women in Development is the flagship publication of the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women. It is presented to the Second Committee of the General Ass...

by UN Women | On 08 Feb 2016

Leader Networks and Transaction Costs: A Chinese Experiment in Interjurisdictional Contracting

Do leader networks promote efficient intergovernmental contracts? We examine a groundbreaking policy in China where subprovincial governments freely traded land conversion quotas and investigate the r...

by Nancy H. Chau | On 07 Feb 2016

Ensuring An Efficient, Effective And Equitable Green Climate Fund

Today’s climate financing landscape poses a number of governance challenges. It is characterised by fragmentation and weak coordination, begging better clarity, connectivity and accountability for tho...

by Transparency International TI | On 07 Feb 2016

Corruption In The Land Sector

Unprecedented pressures on land and its governance have been created. As evident around the globe, where land governance is deficient, high levels of corruption often flourish. Under such a system, la...

by Transparency International TI | On 06 Feb 2016

Corruption Perceptions Index 2011

The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories according to their perceived levels of public sector corruption. It is an aggregate indicator that combines different sources of inform...

by Transparency International TI | 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

Budget Speech by BMC Municipal Commissioner-2016-17

Statement of Municipal Commissioner.

by Ajoy Mehta | On 05 Feb 2016

Explaining the de facto Open-access of Public Property Commons

Public property common pool resources in many developing countries are manage them in a sustainable manner. While this explanation may have some merit, it is certainly inadequate. Instead, we argue th...

by Junaid Memon | On 03 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

Understanding the Transboundary Karakoram-Pamir Landscape

The Karakoram-Pamir Landscape lies at the junction between the black Karakoram mountains, which mostly lie within Pakistan, and the grey Pamir mountains, which mostly lie within China. It is known for...

by Eklabya Sharma | On 02 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

Pensions at a Glance Asia/Pacific 2011

National pension provision in Asia/Pacific is very diverse. Nine economies have public schemes that pay earnings-related pensions. They are called “defined-benefit” (DB) schemes because the value of t...

by OECD Development Centre | On 01 Feb 2016

Massive, Globally Coordinated Fiscal Stimulus is Needed: Going From the Drawing Board to Swift Action

In just over a year, the mid-2007 sub-prime housing debacle in the United States has escalated into a global financial crisis and pushed the world economy into recession arguably the deepest since Wor...

by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs | On 31 Jan 2016

Multidimensional Climate Threats Require New Approaches and More Resources for Adaptation Challenge

Long-term planning and investment are essential to prevent increasing vulnerability to climate change in developing countries. Tackling only the impacts will fail: fragmented action are only partial s...

by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs | On 31 Jan 2016

Is Sustainable Recovery Possible for Haiti?

In Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, the earthquake of 7.0 on the Richter scale in early January 2010 had devastating effects. The Government estimates that more than 200,000 people (o...

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

Sri Lanka and the 13th Amendment: Tamil Disenchantment

In order to understand the policies and programmes of the present Government, it is necessary to highlight the basic transformation that has taken place in the Island Republic. Chandrika Kumaratunga a...

by Suryanarayan V. | On 31 Jan 2016

Integrating Urban Agriculture and Forestry Into Climate Change Action Plans: Lessons From Western Province, Sri Lanka And Rosario, Argentina

Climate change adds to the existing challenges faced by cities. Cities – as net consumers rather than producers of food – are already highly vulnerable to the disruption of critical food and other sup...

by Marielle Dubbeling | On 30 Jan 2016

How Would A Trade Deal On Cotton Affect Exporting And Importing Countries?

This paper assesses the likely implications for exporting and importing countries from a trade deal in cotton. The study estimates the price, production and trade effects of reforming cotton subsidies...

by | On 30 Jan 2016

Trade Facilitation, Information Technology and SMEs: Emerging Evidences from India

This paper looks into the key issues concerning trade facilitation and SMEs, particularly how information technology related measures have influenced SMEs. India undertook focused and dedicated trade...

by Sachin Chaturvedi | On 30 Jan 2016

Regional Cooperation for Regional Infrastructure Development: Challenges and Policy Options for South Asia

This paper discusses the emerging scenario in regional infrastructure development in South Asia, identifies the infrastructure challenges for the future, and provides some policy options in order to b...

by Prabir De | On 30 Jan 2016

A Report on the Status of Pardhis in Mumbai City

Owing to a dearth of government data and research studies on the urban existence of Pardhis, one of the principal aims of this study was to render visibility to the issue.

by Paankhi Agrawal | On 30 Jan 2016

Services Trade Agreement in South Asia Contours and Modalities

Available literature on regional trade integration in South Asia points to a variety of economic and non-economic factors that have slowed the integration process. The major non-economic factors inclu...

by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment SAWTEE | 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

Mainstreaming Community-Based Conservation in a Transboundary Mountain Landscape Lessons from Kangchenjunga

This paper draws recommendations for transboundary and participatory biodiversity conservation from ICIMOD’s pioneering Kangchenjunga Conservation Landscape Initiative. The Kangchenjunga landscape, sh...

by Karma Phuntsho | On 28 Jan 2016

An Integrated Assessment of the Effects of Natural and Human Disturbances on a Wetland Ecosystem: A Retrospective from Phobjikha Conservation Area, Bhutan

Phobjikha Valley, a wetland situated on the western slopes of Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, is an important wintering habitat for the vulnerable Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis). One of t...

by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Devel ICIMOD | On 28 Jan 2016

The Costs of Adaptation in Punakha, Bhutan: Loss And Damage Associated With Changing Monsoon Patterns

People in the Himalayan region are confronted with changes due to global warming. Glaciers are melting, leading to changing river flows and an increased risk of floods (Richardson and Reynolds, 2000;...

by Norbu Wangdi | On 28 Jan 2016

Promoting Land Development in India and China: Imperatives for Institutional Changes

This paper compares the experiences in India and China and draws lessons for policy formulation. The important lessons are: (a) self-financing nature of FLC/SWC is a crucial factor for achieving effec...

by Jeemol Unni | On 28 Jan 2016

Primary Health Care in Gujarat: Evidence on Utilization, Mis-Matches and Wastage

In order to provide adequate and quality primary health care, a multi-layered network of public health infrastructure has been created right from the district to the village level. But Health for All...

by B.L. Kumar | On 28 Jan 2016

Schools and Schooling in Tribal Gujarat: The Quality Dimension

In order to provide adequate and quality primary health care, a multi-layered network of public health infrastructure has been created right from the district to the village level. But Health for All...

by B.L. Kumar | On 28 Jan 2016

Infrastructure and Growth in a Regional Context: Indian States since the 1980s

The central focus of this paper is to underscore emerging patterns and issues in the availability of and access to physical infrastructure in major Indian states during the two decades since the 1980s...

by Keshab Das | On 28 Jan 2016

Promoting Agricultural Growth in Myanmar: A Review of Policies and an Assessment of Knowledge Gaps

This paper reviews the agricultural policy environment in Myanmar up until 2014 with an eye towards identifying policies that can help to accelerate productivity and profitability in the agricultural...

by Ulrike Nischan | On 28 Jan 2016

The 2014 US Farm Bill and its Effects on the World Market for Cotton

Under the 2014 US Farm Bill, US cotton producers will receive significant subsidies which will have trade-distorting effects irrespective of future cotton prices. At a futures market cotton price of U...

by | On 27 Jan 2016

Synthesis of Important Discussions on Microfinance and Livelihood Support to Small and Marginal Farmers

This publication incorporates all the discussions on marginal and small farmers such as micro financing for agricultural value chains, MahilaKisanSashaktikaranPariyojna, MF for small farmers through e...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 27 Jan 2016

Payments Banks: Support Policy Framework for Enhancing Viability and Inclusion

The paper reviews the payment guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India, global experiences for non-banks in payments and the lessons therefrom. It also outlines the recent developments in financ...

by | On 27 Jan 2016

Financing for Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)

The policy paper examines the financing for Farmer Producer Organisations and offers recommendations to initiate discussion by the policymakers, financiers and practitioners to design appropriate poli...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 27 Jan 2016

Migration of Indian Health Professionals to Selected European Nations: The Case of Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden

India’s comparative advantage in health care is due to a large resource pool and competence in English. Indian migration to the US, UK or Australia has been widely studied, but not much attention has...

by Ayona Bhattacharjee | On 27 Jan 2016

When the Hen Crows: Obstacles that Prevent Indigenous Women from Influencing Health-care Policies – A Case Study of Shillong, Meghalaya, India

Meghalaya is a landlocked and largely agrarian state in northeast India with an approximate population of three million. Various government surveys report that roughly half the state lives below the p...

by | On 26 Jan 2016

The Future of Knowledge Sharing in a Digital Age: Exploring Impacts and Policy Implications for Development

We live in a Digital Age that gives us instant access to information at greater and greater volumes. The rapid growth of digital content and tools is already changing how we create, consume and distri...

by John Brownlee | On 26 Jan 2016

Infrastructure Provision , Trade And Development Prospects: Potential Role And Relevance Of The WTO Agreement On Government Procurement (GPA)

The paper, nonetheless, acknowledges that delivering these benefits would involve significant practical and political challenges. It concludes that if the challenges can be overcome and the mutual ben...

by Kodjo Osei-Lah | On 26 Jan 2016

International Success Stories in Reducing Undernutrition: Strategic Choices, Policy Actions and Lessons

Thailand, Brazil and Vietnam are examples of developing countries that have successfully reduced undernutrition. While each country used its own set of policies, strategies and approaches to address u...

by Sheila Vir | On 26 Jan 2016

Overcoming the Challenges of Urban Food and Nutrition Security

Despite the high contribution of urban areas to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), urban poverty and nutrition security in India remains a challenge. Poor infrastructure, high unemployment, poor state...

by M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation | On 26 Jan 2016

Determinants of Farm-level Adaptation Practices to Climate Extremes: A Case Study from Odisha, India

A large number of rural households in the state of Odisha, India are dependent on agriculture for their basic livelihoods, which is affected by the frequent occurrence of climate externalities like cy...

by Chandra Sekhar Bahinipati | On 25 Jan 2016

Climate Change and Vulnerability in Bangladesh

It is predicted that climate change will aggravate the presence of sudden (e.g. cyclones, floods etc.) and chronic (e.g. drought, erosion) hazards to agrarian communities in Bangladesh. According to t...

by Md Maniruzzaman | On 23 Jan 2016

Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Bangladesh’s Balance of Payments: Some Policy Implications

This study reports high positive correlation between FDI inflows and Bangladesh’s aggregate exports and imports. The net impact on the current account balance and the balance of payments is positive....

by Muhammad Amir Hossain | On 23 Jan 2016

Prospects and Challenges of Bond Market Development in Bangladesh

The thin bond market in Bangladesh faces manifold challenges emanating from several sources including excessive reliance on bank credit, government debt instruments dominated by primary auction based...

by Md. Akhtaruzzaman | On 23 Jan 2016

Nepal after the Mega Earthquake

In Nepal the inability of the state to cope with the recent devastating earthquake was mitigated by help from India, China, and the United States. This points towards the urgency of enhancing the disa...

by | On 23 Jan 2016

India’s New Neighbourhood-Test

India’s political landscape is likely to be dominated by a new leader, Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in ways that the international community is yet to decipher. For now, as Mr Mo...

by | 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

Inclusive Growth In Hilly Regions: Priorities For The Uttarakhand Economy

In the recent past, the focus of economic policy in India has shifted to issues of equitable growth. This implies that the economy should not only maintain the tempo of growth but also spread the bene...

by Sabyasachi Kar | On 23 Jan 2016

Scenarios of Waste and Resource Management: for Cities in India and Elsewhere

The report identifies four future scenarios of this complex waste/resource management landscape using tools from Foresight methods and political economy analysis. We also identify the dynamics within...

by Ashish Chaturvedi | On 23 Jan 2016

SUMMARY OF INDONESIA’S PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

While Indonesia's rank in overall ease of doing business improved in 2015 according to World Bank's worldwide competitiveness ranking, overall ease of doing business still ranks unfavorably compared t...

by | On 22 Jan 2016

Results of the Methodological Studies for Agricultural and Rural Statistics

This report summarizes outcomes of collaboration between ADB and implementing agencies of Bhutan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Philippines, and Viet Nam to address gaps in the production of a...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 22 Jan 2016

Rising Powers in International Development

The setting up of the New Development Bank was first suggested by India in early 2012 in order to fund its domestic energy and infrastructure needs, namely power transmission, 11 roads and ports. Fina...

by Stephen Spratt | On 22 Jan 2016

The Impact of Digital Content: Opportunities and Risks of Creating and Sharing Information Online

The Global Agenda Council on Social Media white paper to be launched at the Forum's Annual Meeting 2016, The Impact of Digital Content: Opportunities and Risks of Creating and Sharing Information Onli...

by World Economic Forum [WEF] | On 22 Jan 2016

Urban Climate Change Resilience Policy Brief

India is witnessing rapid growth in the urban centers. Urbanization trend is expected to accelerate in coming decades as well. It is projected that the number of cities with a population of more than...

by Urban Climate Change Resilience UCCR | On 21 Jan 2016

The Coordination of Climate Finance In India

In India, institutional arrangements around climate finance have mostly followed national policy responses to climate change. This paper maps the emergence of climate change policy in India and subseq...

by Vyoma Jha | On 21 Jan 2016

Political Commitment In India’s Social Policy Implementation: Shaping The Performance of MGNREGA

This paper contributes to the empirical understanding of the concept of commitment and the role it plays in shaping India’s social policy implementation. Taking the case of the landmark policy, the Ma...

by Deepta Chopra | On 21 Jan 2016

Strengthening Public Health Nurition Education in India

Malnutrition remains a major challenge for public health and for human and economic development in India. A lack of adequately trained public health professionals and nutritionists means that this cha...

by Shweta Khandelwal | On 20 Jan 2016

Climate Change and Food Systems: Global Assessments and Implications for Food Security and Trade

This book collects the findings of a group of scientists and economists who have taken stock of climate change impacts on food and agriculture at global and regional levels over the past two decades....

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 20 Jan 2016

United Nations E-Government Survey 2014

E-government—digital interactions between governments and people—varies greatly among and within regions, but most countries are making progress on providing greater access, according to the 2014 UN E...

by United Nations (UN) | On 19 Jan 2016

Social Policies and Water Sector Reform

Increasing coverage and maintaining infrastructure are two of the biggest challenges confronting the water supply sector in both industrialized and developing countries. The last two decades have witn...

by | On 19 Jan 2016

Twelfth Plan Working Group on Disadvantaged Farmers, Including Women

This working group on Disadvantaged Farmers, including women is one of the key working groups for defining agricultural policy in the Twelfth Five Year Plan. Eighty-three percent of India’s farmers cu...

by Bina Agarwal | On 19 Jan 2016

Linkages between Internal and International Migrations: Policy Implications for Development

This paper is organized in three main sections. The first section provides some definitions of the key terms and describes how both internal and international migration impact on development. An under...

by | On 19 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

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

Raising Agricultural Productivity and Making Farming Remunerative for Farmers

The paper identifies five important aspects of agriculture that need immediate attention to bring economic advantages to millions of farm families. First, output per hectare, which is a common measu...

by Niti Aayog GOI | On 18 Jan 2016

Public Infrastructure, Location of Private Schools and Primary School Attainment in an Emerging Economy

The paper argues that access to public infrastructure plays a crucial role on the presence of private schools in a community, as it could not only minimise the cost of production, but also ensure a hi...

by Sarmistha Pal | On 15 Jan 2016

Public Infrastructure as a Determinant of Intertemporal and Interregional Productive Performance in China

This paper focuses on the question whether public infrastructure capital matters for labor productivity in China, both over time and across regions. It finds that public infrastructure is a significan...

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

Housing Policies in China: Issues and Options

This article consists in three parts. The first part deals with theory. We evaluate the pros and cons of government involvement in urban housing and of renting versus ownership. In the second part, we...

by Yves Zenou | On 14 Jan 2016

Perception of Workplace Discrimination among Immigrants and Native Born New Zealanders

Despite considerable research on differences in labour market outcomes between native born New Zealanders and immigrants, the extent of discrimination experienced by the foreign born in the workplace...

by Bridget Daldy | On 14 Jan 2016

Closing The Gender Gap In Climate-Smart Agriculture

In this brief review of recent approaches relevant to climate smart agriculture (CSA) programs, the researcher presents ideas on why emerging CSA policies and plans lack the attention to gender that w...

by Sonja Vermeulen | On 14 Jan 2016

Understanding Mandis: Market Towns and the Dynamics of India’s Rural and Urban Transformations

Our goal is to develop, over a period of time, a collaborative, multi-level and interdisciplinary project to generate and anchor a range of new research activities to help fill this gap. The idea is...

by | On 14 Jan 2016

Introductory Guide to Gender and Climate Change

For years, civil society organisations and researchers have highlighted that, as weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable and extreme events such as floods, heatwaves or storms become more c...

by A Otzelberger | On 13 Jan 2016

Climate Change Impacts in Drought and Flood Affected Areas: Case Studies in India

The focus of this report is on vulnerabilities in natural resources and rural livelihoods, which stand at the front line of climate change impact. The overarching objective of this report is to promot...

by World Bank [WB} | On 12 Jan 2016

The Perils of Counting Caste

While the unpublished findings of the ‘Caste Census’ in India might not receive serious attention if ever made public, some of the socio-economic data, made available by the same Census, can set the m...

by Ronojoy Sen | On 10 Jan 2016

Urgency of Understanding Sanitation Drivers in ‘Smaller Cities’ in India: National and International Relevance

The paper emphasises the fact that the fastest growth in India’s urban population is occurring in its smaller cities and towns. They have glaringly inadequate sewerage and public sanitation infrastruc...

by Shubhagato Dasgupta | On 09 Jan 2016

Trade and Environment Review 2013

Developing and developed countries alike need a paradigm shift in agricultural development: from a "green revolution" to a "truly ecological intensification" approach. This implies a rapid and signifi...

by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD | On 09 Jan 2016

South Asia’s Economic Changes and Diaspora Groups

The paper looks at the flow of ideas from the South Asian Diaspora groups to their original homelands. This is occurring in the areas of economic management and political change. As a result of the in...

by Shahid Javed Burki | On 09 Jan 2016

A Tortured History : Federalism and Democracy in Pakistan

The Pakistan Army’s ideological hegemony, especially in the country’s Punjabi-speaking heartland, the continuing focus on the state’s narrative of a religion-based unitary identity which is under a co...

by Aasim Akhtar | On 08 Jan 2016

Climate Change and its Impacts on Agriculture: Farmers’ Perception and Adaptation Measures

This study was carried out in Jagatpur VDC of Chitwan district. The study was done using quantitative and qualitative research methodology using Key informant interview, household survey and focus gro...

by Roshna Maharjan | On 08 Jan 2016

Livelihood Options of Dalit: An Analysis with Reference to Land Resources

Land is regarded as an important source of livelihoods to many people, especially rural people. For those people, access to and control over land resources is the source of livelihoods. Therefore, lan...

by Samana Adhikari | On 08 Jan 2016

Production Networks, Profits, and Innovative Activity: Evidence from Malaysia and Thailand

Cross-border production networks have been playing an increasingly important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries’ trade in recent years, but micro-level studies are ra...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 07 Jan 2016

Thailand Industrialization and Economic Catch-Up Country Diagnostic Study

This report identifies the main constraints to Thailand’s transition to a more modern industrial and service economy. Further major transformation is in order: this includes accelerating market reform...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 07 Jan 2016

Financing Development Cooperation in Northeast Asia

Infrastructure connectivity in Northeast Asia — comprising the northeastern People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and the Russi...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 07 Jan 2016

Modern Currency Wars: The United States Versus Japan

In 2013, through massive quantitative easing by the Bank of Japan (BOJ), the yen depreciated about 25% against the US dollar, stoking fears of Japan bashing by the US. However, this sharp depreciation...

by Ronald McKinnon | 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

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

Habitat III Issue Papers : 22 – Informal Settlements

Although some governments acknowledge the existence of slums and informal settlements, many do not. This lack of recognition and subsequent response directly undermines city-wide sustainable developme...

by | On 05 Jan 2016

Land Laws, Administration and Forced Displacement in Andhra Pradesh, India

The present study was taken up in this context with the objective of examining the land laws and administration in AP and see how the existing laws are implemented, forced acquisition of lands is ta...

by Ramachandraiah C | On 05 Jan 2016

2010 Survey of the Sri Lankan People: Findings from a Public Perceptions Survey

In late 2010 The Asia Foundation in Sri Lanka commissioned a public perceptions survey that aimed to capture the post-war mood of the nation. The survey sought to gauge public opinion about the overal...

by The Asia Foundation | On 02 Jan 2016

National Values Survey: Sri Lanka 2011

Sri Lanka is a multi-¬ethnic, multi-¬religious society with four major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Roman Catholicism. As the country emerges from decades of war, new ethno-¬religious...

by The Asia Foundation | On 02 Jan 2016

Survey on Good Local Governance

The Survey on Good Local Governance is a 38-item survey that aims to obtain a broader data to help set the agenda for local government reforms in the Philippines. It covers the following: citizen perc...

by The Asia Foundation | On 02 Jan 2016

Summary of Indonesia's Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environment Sector Assessment

Indonesia is a net importer of grains, horticulture and livestock produce. The instability of food prices since 2008 has led to a renewed emphasis on food security. Despite increasing food crop produc...

by Victor Pontines | On 01 Jan 2016

Empowering Women in Agriculture: Closing the Gender Gap through Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana

The policy paper reviews selected case studies of Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana, a sub-component of the National Rural Livelihood Mission. The paper provides key learnings to the practitioners...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 01 Jan 2016

Developing Myanmar’s Information and Communication Technology Sector toward Inclusive Growth

Myanmar is expected to grow at least 6.8% per year in the coming years. Accompanying this growth will be an increase in demand for infrastructure services, including ICT-related services, both for co...

by Kee-Yung Nam | On 01 Jan 2016

Open Educational Resources: Enhancing Education Provision and Practice

Open educational resources made their appearance in early 2002 as a promising tool for enhancing the quality of and access to education and were perceived to have the potential to reduce costs by reus...

by Jouko Sarvi | On 01 Jan 2016

Public–Private Partnerships in Information and Communication Technology for Education

A study of how PPPs have been employed by ADB developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific identified seven initiatives that adopted the underlying principles of PPP in developing and deliverin...

by Jouko Sarvi | On 01 Jan 2016

The Impact of Infrastructure on Trade and Economic Growth in Selected Economies in Asia

This paper examines the economic and trade effects of infrastructure in Asia. Infrastructure plays a key role in facilitating trade, especially since recent trade liberalization in Asia has resulted i...

by Jamilah Mahyideen | On 01 Jan 2016

Impact of Production Linkages on Industrial Upgrading in ASEAN, the People's Republic of China, and India: Organizational Evidence of a Global Supply Chain

This paper presents a simple model of industrial upgrading as a result of backward and forward information linkages between upstream and downstream relations. It also serves as an empirical investigat...

by Tomohiro Machikita | On 30 Dec 2015

Working of Forest Rights Act 2006 and Its Impact on Livelihoods: A Comparative Study of Odisha and Jharkhand

Clearly, the monograph addresses a set of critical issues related to the forest rights and livelihood and makes a sincere effort to draw attention to the plight of forest dependent communities. Policy...

by Tapas Kumar Sarangi | On 30 Dec 2015

Livelihood Transitions in Hilaungad Watershed

The Hilaungad watershed, a sub-catchment of the larger Lastargad basin, lies on the west bank of the Mandakini river which rises from the nearby snow covered peaks of the high Himalayas. For the purpo...

by Ravi Chopra | On 29 Dec 2015

The Impact of Infrastructure on Trade and Economic Growth in Selected Economies in Asia

Infrastructure plays a key role in facilitating trade, especially since recent trade liberalization in Asia has resulted in significant tariff reductions. This study quantifies the impacts of both har...

by Jamilah Mahyideen | On 29 Dec 2015

Global Increase in Climate-Related Disasters

Intense climate-related natural disasters—floods, storms, as well as droughts and heat waves—have been on the rise worldwide. Is there an ominous link between the global increase of these hydrometeoro...

by Ramón López | On 29 Dec 2015

Southeast Asia and the Economics of Global Climate Stabilization

Southeast Asia is vulnerable to climate change, yet is also on a carbon intensive development trajectory.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has analyzed the potential role the region can play in climate...

by Jindra Samson | On 29 Dec 2015

Strengthening Municipal Governance through Performance-based Budget Allocation in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, pourashavas are an alternative destination to large cities. With the influx of urban residents within the next decades, governments and development partners must lead pourashavas toward...

by Norio Saito | On 29 Dec 2015

Myanmar’s Agriculture Sector: Unlocking the Potential for Inclusive Growth

Myanmar’s agriculture sector offers substantial unexploited potential to underpin the country’s inclusive economic development. With extensive land, water, and labor resources, as well as proximity to...

by Jindra Samson | On 29 Dec 2015

Connecting South Asia to Southeast Asia: Cross-Border Infrastructure Investments

Most of the trade between South Asia and Southeast Asia is by sea. However, with improved infrastructure and easier border crossing procedures, land traffic could grow to boost trade in goods, service...

by Jean-Francois Gautrin Gautrin | On 29 Dec 2015

The Role of Sri Lanka in Enhancing Connectivity between South Asia and Southeast Asia

Improving physical connectivity between South and Southeast Asia has long been recognized as a key element in promoting greater trade and investment linkages within the region. As an island economy, S...

by Dushni Weerakoon | On 29 Dec 2015

Policies to Enhance Trade Facilitation in South Asia and Southeast Asia

This paper discusses trade facilitation in the context of enhancing trading links between South and Southeast Asia, in a manner understandable to the non-specialist. Presently, these two Asian regions...

by Anthony Bayley | On 29 Dec 2015

A Connectivity-Driven Development Strategy for Nepal: From a Landlocked to a Land-Linked State

Nepal's lackluster economic performance during the post-conflict period (that is, after November 2006) has been driven by remittances from the export of labor services and the improved performance of...

by Pradumna Rana | On 29 Dec 2015

Connecting South and Southeast Asia: Implementation Challenges and Coordination

With closer regional integration there is increasing interest within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and on the part of ASEAN's dialogue partners in the potential gains of closer co...

by Termsak Chalermpalanupap | On 29 Dec 2015

Enabling Women’s Contributions to the Indian Ocean Rim Economies

The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) represents one of the world’s most diverse and dynamic regional communities. This report identifies some of the key trends and critical issues for the Indian Oc...

by UN Women | On 28 Dec 2015

Why Do SMEs Not Borrow More from Banks? Evidence from the People's Republic of China and Southeast Asia

This study examines the relationship between firm characteristics and borrowing from commercial banks by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and five Sout...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 24 Dec 2015

Housing Policies for Asia: A Theoretical Analysis by Use of a Demand and Supply Model

The main objective of this paper is to give an overview of the most commonly used housing policies and to illustrate their economic impact. To facilitate the analysis, we first introduce a simple two-...

by Naoyuki Yoshino | On 24 Dec 2015

Assessing the Experience of South Asia–East Asia Integration and India's Role

This paper examines the gains for South Asian economies from integratingwith East Asia and India’s role in this process. Evidence of increased pan-Asian integration exists but the process is uneven. B...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 24 Dec 2015

Mainstreaming Environment and Climate for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development

This handbook is designed as guidance for policymakers and practitioners to mainstream pro-poor environment and climate concerns into planning, budgeting and monitoring. Mainstreaming is achieved by p...

by United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] | On 24 Dec 2015

Connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia: A Bangladesh Country Study

Economic integration is being inhibited by the poor state of transport connectivity between Bangladesh, and South Asia and Southeast Asia. This study reviews connectivity initiatives of Bangladesh and...

by Mustafizur Rahman | On 23 Dec 2015

An Impact Evaluation of Investment in Infrastructure: The Case of the Railway Connection in Uzbekistan

The objective of this paper is to examine the nature and magnitude of the effects of infrastructure provision on regional economic performance. The empirical evidence of our analysis is based on diffe...

by Umid Abidhadjaev | On 23 Dec 2015

Securing Land Rights For Women through Institutional and Policy Reforms

Rural women suffer double discrimination because they are female and poor. Though women are the biggest food producers, they earn only one-tenth of the world’s income and own less than 1% of the world...

by | On 23 Dec 2015

Policy Options for India in Afghanistan

This brief explores the potential future policy options for the Indian government and does not touch upon the initiatives already undertaken by New Delhi in Afghanistan. New Delhi must try to optimise...

by Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy | On 23 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

Thailand’s Investment in India’s Northeast: Strategies, Potentials and Risks

The imperatives for Thailand’s investment in the Northeast have come from two important considerations, reflecting longterm strategic objectives of the Look West Policy of Thailand. First, India’s nor...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

Lull in the Rice Fields: The Asian Experience

The strengthening of El Niño weather phenomenon has led to lower than average rainfall for India’s monsoon season, thereby raising concerns for paddy crops production.

by Aritra Chakrabarty | On 21 Dec 2015

Seaports, Dry ports, Development Corridors: Implications for Regional Development in Globalizing India

This paper highlights the emerging significance of newer and non-major ports and the consequent changes in the port system, both hierarchical and regional. The relevance of port focused development co...

by Gloria Kuzur | On 18 Dec 2015

Farm Household Typologies and Mechanization Patterns in Nepal Terai

Although Nepal formulated an agricultural mechanization promotion policy in 2014, there is still much to learn about tailoring mechanization policies to different types of farm households. The Terai b...

by | On 18 Dec 2015

China and Myanmar: Strategic Interests, Strategies and the Road Ahead

This research paper is divided into two parts to provide a more complete view of how both countries think in term of their ambitions and the methods they deem important to achieve them. This paper arg...

by | On 17 Dec 2015

Sri Lanka: Rising Sectarian Schism

Sri Lanka, home to a plethora of ethnically diverse communities, saw horrific communal bloodshed in July 1983. Over three decades down the line, history seems to be repeating itself as hordes of Budd...

by Chaarvi Modi | On 17 Dec 2015

Institutional Strengthening of the Office of Labour Attaché: Research Findings from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka

Although there is increased awareness of the need for effective migration governance in order to safeguard the basic rights and safety of migrant workers in destination countries, little research has...

by | On 16 Dec 2015

Enabling war and peace: Drugs, logs, gems, and wildlife in Thailand and Burma

In this policy paper, Vanda Felbab-Brown explores the relationship between conflict, peace dynamics, and drugs and other illicit economies in Thailand and Myanmar/Burma since the 1960s through...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 16 Dec 2015

Merchants of Labor: Agents of the Evolving Migration Infrastructure

The special focus of this paper are the merchants of labour, the public and private agents who move workers over borders. The ILO Convention 97 (1949) recommended that migrants move over borders with...

by Philip Martin | 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

Enhancing Early Warning Capabilities and Capacities for Food Safety

Worldwide, food safety incidents can have a significant impact on public health, economies, agrifood trade, food security, and public confidence in the food supply. The prevention, mitigation, and man...

by | On 15 Dec 2015

The Exposure, Vulnerability, and Ability to Respond of Poor Households to Recurrent Floods in Mumbai

This paper examines poor households in the city of Mumbai and their exposure, vulnerability, and ability to respond to recurrent floods. The paper discusses policy implications for future adaptive cap...

by | On 14 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

Understanding the Drought Impact of El Niño on the Global Agricultural Areas

During El Niño episodes the normal patterns of tropical precipitation and atmospheric circulation become disrupted triggering extreme climate events around the globe: droughts, floods and affecting th...

by | On 09 Dec 2015

Climate-Smart Agriculture: Smallholder Adoption and Implications for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

There are a wide range of agriculture-based practices and technologies that have the potential to increase food production and the adaptive capacity of the food production system, as well as reduce em...

by | On 09 Dec 2015

Notes on Land, Long Run Food Security and the Agrarian Crisis in India

These Notes are mainly about three interconnected themes; the international and Indian ‘take’ on control over land (and water); the distinction between an agricultural crisis and an agrarian crisis;...

by Sheila Bhalla | 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

Statistics Related to Climate Change - India 2015

Climate change has been the part of many discussions and to understand it causal factors behind it data is needed.

by Ministry of Statistics and Prog Implementation (MOSPI) | On 07 Dec 2015

The Future of Forests: Emissions from Tropical Deforestation With and Without a Carbon Price, 2016-2050

The future of tropical deforestation is projected from 2016-2050 with and without carbon pricing policies, based on 18 million observations of historical forest loss spanning 101 tropical countries.

by Jonah Busch | On 04 Dec 2015

Gender, Headship, and the Life Cycle: Landownership in Four Asian Countries

To inform the formulation of policies and interventions to strengthen women’s land rights, this paper analyzes nationally representative data from Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam to...

by Kathryn Sproule | On 02 Dec 2015

Global Increase in Climate-Related Disasters

Intense climate-related disasters—floods, storms, droughts, and heat waves—have been on the rise worldwide. At the same time and coupled with an increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atm...

by Vinod Thomas | On 30 Nov 2015

The Human Cost of Weather Related Disasters

Over the last twenty years, the overwhelming majority (90%) of disasters have been caused by floods, storms, heatwaves and other weather-related events. In total, 6,457 weather-related disasters were...

by | On 25 Nov 2015

The Journey: Essays on the Indian Railways 1853 - 2015: The Coming of the Railways

Tracking the the Indian Railways is as much an exercise in history as it is an excursion into the political and social debates of the period that determined the fate of a nation. This is the first i...

by Anuradha Kumar | On 21 Nov 2015

How Much is Enough?

Post-7th Pay Commission recommendations, the pay being offered now should not be a disincentive for public-spirited people with ability. Can the government afford this hike?

by T.N. Ninan | On 21 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

An Impact Evaluation of Investment in Infrastructure : The Case of the Railway Connection in Uzbekistan

The objective of this paper is to examine the nature and magnitude of the effects of infrastructure provision on regional economic performance. The empirical evidence of the analysis is based on diffe...

by Naoyuki Yoshino | On 13 Nov 2015

Gender and Land Tenure Security: Challenges and Barriers to Women’s Entitlement to Land in India

Given the importance of securing women’s rights to land as India grows and develops and recognizing the dearth of available data to guide the design of gender-sensitive interventions, this study provi...

by | On 04 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

Skyrocketing Prices of Pulses and the Agrarian Crisis: Impact of Neo-liberal Policies

This interview with Vijoo Krishnan, Joint Secretary All India Kisan Sabha, on the agrarian crises leading to farmer suicides and rising prices of food grains traces backs the agrarian crises to the ne...

by Vijoo Krishnan | On 02 Nov 2015

Costs of Providing Sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services in Rural and Peri-Urban India

Water, sanitation and hygiene services are central to addressing poverty, livelihoods and health. They are also critical in addressing the needs of poor communities and in achieving the Millennium Dev...

by M.V. Ramachandrudu | On 29 Oct 2015

Meta - Study of Literature on Budget Private Schools in India

Despite lack of infrastructure and facilities, studies over the past decade has shown that learning outcomes in these schools are equal to or better than those of far more resourcefu...

by Centre for Civil Society CCS | On 29 Oct 2015

Infrastructure in India: Challenges and the Way Ahead

This study compares the levels of development of the social and physical infrastructure in India with those in other major emerging countries as well as developed countries. The study finds that India...

by Pradeep Agrawal | On 26 Oct 2015

Post Conflict Face of Poverty and Society: Understanding a Gandhian Initiative against Pauperization and Violence in Mushahari (Muzaffarpur, Bihar)

This is an analytical narrative about post-conflict dynamics of poverty in a block of villages in north Bihar known as ‘the Mushahari Project’. It is related with the socio-economic and political cons...

by Anand Kumar | On 20 Oct 2015

Aspirations and the Role of Social Protection: Evidence from a Natural Disaster in Rural Pakistan

This article uses Pakistan’s 2010 floods to identify the effects of a natural disaster on citizens’ aspirations. Aspirations were significantly reduced—especially among the poorest and most vulnerab...

by Katrina Kosec | 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

Investment in Agricultural Marketing and Market Infrastructure – A Case Study of Bihar

Bihar has lowest per capita income amongst the major states of India and high rate of persistent poverty with social structure fragmented based on caste lines. Therefore present study has been underta...

by | 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

Bihar Economic Survey 2014 - 15

Bihar clocked an economic growth rate of 9.92 per cent during financial year 2013-14, while its per capita Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) shot up to Rs 17,294 during this period from Rs 15,931 in...

by Government of Bihar | On 13 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

Soil Health: Issues and Concerns - A Review

This paper brings out the importance of soil fertility management (SFM) with respect to agricultural production and livelihood contribution to the rural people. It looks into the farmers' own knowledg...

by B. Suresh Reddy | On 08 Oct 2015

Strategies for Safe Motherhood in Tamil Nadu: A Note

While most states in India are grappling with the problem of high MMR, states such as Tamil Nadu have managed to reduce MMR levels to 79 deaths per 100,000 live births (SRS 2011–13). This review also...

by William Joe | 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

Rural Poverty Reduction Strategy for South Asia

Roughly 40 percent of the world’s poor live in South Asia, where poverty is basically a rural problem. Therefore, a significant gain in rural poverty reduction in this sub-region will be crucial to re...

by | On 30 Sep 2015

The Global Competitiveness Report 2015–2016

The Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016 presents the rankings of the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI). The GCI is based on 12 pillars that provide a comprehensive picture of the competitiveness...

by | On 30 Sep 2015

Food Security, Productivity, and Gender Inequality

This paper examines the relationship between gender inequality and food security, with a particular focus on women as food producers, consumers, and family food managers. The discussion is set against...

by Bina Agarwal | On 29 Sep 2015

Safe Cities and Gender Budgeting

Women in the communities make efforts to seek allocation under appropriate budget heads to identify streams of revenue, available revenue and the required expenditure. Town planners, policy makers and...

by Vibhuti Patel | 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

Impact of Climate Change on Yield of Major Food Crops in Tamil Nadu, India

This study uses panel data for 39 years and 13 districts to estimate the yield sensitivity of major food crops to climate change in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It first estimated the margina...

by V. Saravanakumar | On 25 Sep 2015

Leveraging Urbanization in South Asia

Urbanization provides South Asian countries with the potential to transform their economies to join the ranks of richer nations in both prosperity and livability, but a new World Bank report finds the...

by World Bank | On 25 Sep 2015

Housing Finance Mechanisms in India

India is home to over 1.1 billion people. With about one in every sixth person in the world living in India, housing perforce assumes significant importance. Successive Indian governments have regarde...

by UN-HABITAT | 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

What Explains Child Malnutrition of Indigenous People of Northeast India?

Household risk factors affecting child health, particularly malnutrition, are mainly basic amenities like drinking water, toilet facility, housing and fuel used for cooking. This paper considered the...

by Laishram Ladusingh | On 24 Sep 2015

What is Preventing Women from Inheriting Land? A Study of the Implementation of the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act 2005 in Three States in India

The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act 2005, an inheritance law that covers 83.6% of the population of India, corrected some of fundamental inequalities in the law bringing the women in equal status to...

by Sohini Pal | On 23 Sep 2015

India’s Worlds of Waste

The sheer magnitude of the social, political and technological challenges in implementing India’s new national priority of waste management, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has attracted global a...

by | On 23 Sep 2015

Food Security vs Nutritional Security: Need for Multi-Sectoral Convergence

The paper attempts to address the problem of undernutrition in India and its adverse effects on children and adults. Today, food security concerns include not only the problems of physical availabili...

by | On 22 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

Mobile Phones: The Next Step towards Healthcare Delivery in Rural India?

Given the ubiquity of mobile phones, their use to support healthcare in the Indian context is inevitable. It is however necessary to assess end-user perceptions regarding mobile health interventions e...

by | On 22 Sep 2015

Urban informal settlers displaced by disasters: challenges to housing responses

The growing frequency of urban disasters and the lessons learned from mega-events such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti have spurred the development of human rights gu...

by Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre | On 22 Sep 2015

Rural Health System in India: A Review

Rural Health is one of vital elements of rural life. India being a nation of villages requires an intensive approach towards rural health. Nearly 75 per cent of health infrastructure and other health...

by | On 22 Sep 2015

Migrant and Child Labor in Thailand’s Shrimp and Other Seafood Supply Chains: Labor Conditions and the Decision to Study or Work

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to strengthen the evidence base on child labor and labor conditions in the shrimp and seafood supply chain and within the communities engaged in the shrimp...

by ASIA FOUNDATION | 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

Assessment of State Implementation of Business Reforms

This report – “Assessment of State Implementation of Business Reforms” is a scorecard to take stock of what reforms have happened, and to identify the way forward for States. The report highlights the...

by World Bank | On 15 Sep 2015

Efficiency in Elementary Education in Urban India: An exploratory Analysis using DEA

Increasing literacy in the Indian states is possible by increasing enrolments in elementary education. This study explores the later by primary and upper primary enrollments for nineteen major Indian...

by Brijesh C. Purohit | On 14 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

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

Kerala Perspective Plan 2030

The Kerala Perspective Plan 2030 (KPP) is a Government of Kerala initiative that will serve as the basis for implementation of a series of initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable and inclusive grow...

by Government of Kerala Govt | On 04 Sep 2015

Income Inequality, Poverty and Labor Migration in Thailand

This paper explores the dynamics of economic growth, poverty, inequality and migration in Thailand, and evaluates the relevance of Lewis model to Thailand’s long-term development. Thai economy seems t...

by Somchai Jitsuchon | On 03 Sep 2015

Issues in Employment and Poverty

The paper analyses the nexus between growth, employment and poverty and points out situations where high economic growth may fail to bring about a commensurate rate of poverty reduction if simultaneo...

by | 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

Specialist Services in the Indian Rural Public Health System for Maternal and Child Healthcare – A Study of Four States

The present study attempts to examine the role of specialist services in rural public health system of India in the areas of maternal and child healthcare. The study uses primary data collected throug...

by Shreekant Iyengar | 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

Financial Market Regulation in India-Looking back, Looking Ahead

A broad assessment of the evolution of financial markets and the issues we are grappling with are given here. We can learn right lessons from other countries. There could be different view points and...

by Harun R Khan | On 31 Aug 2015

Global Estimates 2015 People Displaced by Disasters

Since 2008, an average of 26.4 million people have been displaced from their homes each year by disasters brought on by natural hazards- equivalent to one person displaced every second. Policy make...

by Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre | On 24 Aug 2015

Priorities for Primary Education Policy in India’s 12th Five-year Plan

This paper seeks to bridge the gap by summarizing the research, making policy recommendations based on this research, and suggesting an implementation roadmap for the 12th Plan. The main findings repo...

by Karthik Muralidharan | On 20 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

Deconstructing Indian Cotton: Weather, Yields, and Suicides

Cotton with coevolving pests has been grown in India more than 5000 years. Hybrid cotton was introduced in the 1970s with increases in fertilizer and in insecticide use against pink bollworm that caus...

by Andrew Gutierrez | On 17 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

Land Marked by Policy Distortions

Of all the markets in which politicians interfere with prices, the land market is probably the last that will be reformed.

by T.N. Ninan | On 08 Aug 2015

IT Governance and IT Strategy: Board's Eye View

Banking in India and globally is undergoing and there are many challenges that are lying ahead. The basic underlying theme that runs through this changing landscape is the ever increasing reliance on...

by Harun R Khan | On 04 Aug 2015

Resolving the Food Crisis – Assessing Global Policy Reforms Since 2007

The report looks beyond the proclamations and communiqués to assess what has really changed since the crisis erupted. While not exhaustive, the report looks at: Overseas Development Assistance, both i...

by | On 30 Jul 2015

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Ordinance 2014: A Process Perspective

This paper captures the policy processes leading to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Ordinance, 2014. It maps the role an...

by G. Raghuram | On 28 Jul 2015

Juvenile Justice in India: Policy and Implementation Dilemmas

The article tells us about what are the positive aspects of Juvenile Justice bill what it is lacking.

by Bharti Ali | On 23 Jul 2015

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Second Ordinance, 2015

An Ordinance further to amend the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. This ordinance, 2015 incorporates the amendments made by t...

by Ministry of Law and Justice GOI | On 21 Jul 2015

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015

This Bill amends the principal Act passed in 2013. The Bill enables the government to exempt five categories of projects from the requirements of social impact assessment, restrictions on acquisition...

by Ministry of Law and Justice GOI | On 21 Jul 2015

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015

This is a Bill to further amend the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land...

by Ministry of Law and Justice GOI | On 21 Jul 2015

Parliament Session Alert-Monsoon Session: July 21 – August 13, 2015

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will meet for the monsoon session between July 21 and August 13, 2015. The legislative agenda includes 7 legislative Bills currently pending in Parliament for consideration...

by Kusum Malik | On 21 Jul 2015

Integrating South and Southeast Asia through Services Value Chain: The Case of India and Thailand

The objective of this paper is to understand the prospects of enhancing services trade, investment and co-operation between South and Southeast Asia, taking the example of India and Thailand, by focus...

by | On 13 Jul 2015

The Sunday Edit: Different Strokes

The processes followed in estimating and adjudicating damage in arriving at the recent settlement in the five-year old BP oil well disaster are an object lesson in what should have happened in the cas...

by Sathinath Sarangi | On 12 Jul 2015

A Commons Story in the Rain Shadow of Green Revolution

The study is an attempt to bring to the fore a Commons perspective of agriculture, livestock and rural livelihoods in the dryland and tribal areas of India. Would agriculture, livestock and rural live...

by Foundation for Ecological Security FES | On 07 Jul 2015

National Land Use Policy: Protecting Prime Agricultural Lands

With only less than 10 million hectares of agricultural land that is threatened by a rapidly urbanizing economy, how would the Philippines be able to meet its growing demand for food, and continue pro...

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 06 Jul 2015

The Sunday Edit: The House that Constitution Built

The right to acquire/rent property anywhere in the nation is a fantasy fostered by the Constitution and the rhetoric of modernisation and urbanisation.

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 28 Jun 2015

Comprehensive Review of the Land Act of Bhutan, 2007 for Revision

The need for revision of the 1979 land legislation was being felt for a long time and hence the then Ministry of Agriculture started the work on it with the formation of a multi-sector committee in 20...

by Dasho Kinzang Dorji | On 26 Jun 2015

Fourth Report on Issues Concerning Flood Management, Compensation and Status of Ownership of Submerged and Eroded Land in the Country

Standing Committee on Water Resources (2014-15) took up this subject for a detailed examination and report. It includes flood affected area and damaged scenario, causes of flood, role of Union and Sta...

by Lok Sabha Secretariat | On 25 Jun 2015

Policy Issues on Street Vending: An Overview of Studies in Thailand, Cambodia and Mongolia

Street vending and urban space for micro enterprises constitute an important policy theme that needs to be advanced further in development literature and policy. In many countries, urban space tends t...

by Kyoko Kusakabe | On 24 Jun 2015

Impact of Climate Change on Food Production: Options for Importing Countries

This RSIS policy brief identifies possible implications of climate change disturbances on crops and livestock in world production centers by 2030, 2050 and 2080. Policy recommendations for importing...

by | On 22 Jun 2015

Mining Without Consent: Chromite Mining in Manipur

The recent identification of chromite deposits in two districts of Manipur, Ukhrul and Chandel, has led the government to grant mining clearances disregarding constitutional provisions. While environm...

by Franky Varah | On 21 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Forest Department of Tamil Nadu Government

Forest policy aims at ensuring environmental stability and maintaining the ecological balance, which help in sustenance of all life forms. One of the principal goals is to bring one-third of the land...

by | On 15 Jun 2015

Monetary Policy and Informal Finance

This article utilises state-level data for 1961–2012 to examine the interlinkage between informal finance and monetary policy. The analysis suggests that in response to a monetary contraction, borrowi...

by Saibal Ghosh | On 15 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Housing and Urban Development Department of Tamil Nadu Government

The Department of Housing and Urban Development works with dedication to implement the schemes prescribed in "Vision 2023", provide developed infrastructure, create self-sufficient urban life, encour...

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 10 Jun 2015

Policy Note on Transport Department of Tamil Nadu Government

This Policy note gives an account of organization structure, functions, functionaries financial and physical performance of the department. The document aims to provide safe, reliable, affordable and...

by V. Senthilbalaji | On 10 Jun 2015

Water for Food Security and Nutrition

This report is a report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security. Water is key to food security and nutrition. However there are many c...

by Food and Nutrition Division FAO | On 10 Jun 2015

Smart Urban Mobility: Road Less Travelled

The study attempts to analyse congestion problem with emphasis on having a policy incorporating realistic solution for having affordable, accessible, reliable and acceptable mobility. It has been fou...

by Tarun Mittal | On 09 Jun 2015

Implementation of Forest Rights Act: Undoing the Historical Injustices?

This paper is based on a critical literature review and looks into the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in India, with particular reference to the two states of Chhattisgarh and Gujarat....

by Madhusudan Bandi | On 09 Jun 2015

Annual Administration Report 2011-12

The report details the development in environment and Forests areas of Himachal Pradesh. There is a need to manage it properly and scientifically in order to fulfill ecological and environmental requi...

by Himachal Pradesh Government of India | On 08 Jun 2015

Scaling the Heights: Social Inclusion and Sustainable Development in Himachal Pradesh

This report peels through to many of the underlying drivers of Himachal Pradesh’s social inclusion. The paper tells us that commitment of the state and progressive policies are important, and that the...

by | On 08 Jun 2015

India and Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement

Attempts have been made to arrive at a comprehensive settlement of the land boundary between India and Bangladesh (the erstwhile East Pakistan) since 1947. The Nehru-Noon agreement of 1958 and the agr...

by Ministry of External Affairs, GoI MEA | On 07 Jun 2015

The Economics of Peace: A Nepalese Perspective

Understanding the importance of peace has been accorded high priority in many religions, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. In recent years, many economists have realized the monetary va...

by Hari Bansh Jha | On 05 Jun 2015

In Search of a Model Land Legislation the New Land Acquisition Bill and its Challenges

The draft Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on September 7, 2011 is one of the most important legislations waiting for Parliamentary appr...

by Niranjan Sahoo | On 05 Jun 2015

Can Better Houses Help Tackle Indoor Air Pollution - A Case Study of Sri Lankan Tea Pluckers

Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) is a major health hazard in many developing countries. The health impact of this type of pollution is obviously influenced by various facets of house design, such as room si...

by Ajantha Kalyanaratne | On 04 Jun 2015

'Look East through Northeast': Challenges and Prospects for India

This paper focuses on the considerable hurdles and limitations encountered in carrying forward India's 'Look East' through Northeast—problems caused by the nature of physical terrain, the history of v...

by Subir Bhaumik | On 04 Jun 2015

Making Indian Cities Liveable: the Challenges of India’s Urban Transformation

India’s urbanisation is a paradox of sorts. The country’s urban population is undoubtedly vast at 377 million (2011 Census). In international terms, however, India’s urban growth can hardly be describ...

by | On 03 Jun 2015

A Methodology for Community Mapping of Natural Resources: Forests and Revenue land in Bargarh District of Odisha

International experiences show significant opportunities in using GIS technologies and participatory methods to map community natural resource uses. In India, this has as far as is known only been don...

by Patrik Oskarsson | On 01 Jun 2015

Land Markets, Government Interventions, and Housing Affordability

Urban population growth and economic growth require cities to expand into the agricultural land on their periphery. How much land is required for this extension? How much planning and direct intervent...

by Alain Bertaud | On 01 Jun 2015

Report of the Working Group on Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Secondary Agriculture and Policy Required for Internal and External Trade for the Twelfth Five Year Plan

Objectives of the Working Group is to empower the farmers to get a higher realization for their produce and a better share of the consumers’ price; recommendations have been made to improve efficiency...

by Planning Commission | On 27 May 2015

Report of the Sub-Group on Environment for Twelfth Five Year Plan

With the increasing emphasis on need for development, coupled with increasing urbanization, it is becoming apparent that the natural resources are to be used judiciously and sustainably. This report h...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 27 May 2015

Report of Planning Commission Working Group on Horticulture and Plantation Crops for Twelfth Plan

This Report of  the Working Group  on Horticulture &  Plantation  Crops will give  renewed  impetus  to  measures  for  sustained  growth  of  India's  Horticulture  &  Plantation  Sector  along with ...

by Planning Commission | On 25 May 2015

Trial Balance: Private Sector Financing for Road Projects in India

India has developed and tested various mechanisms and processes for more effective public-private partnerships in the roads sector, with the goal of achieving an optimal balance of value-for-money and...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 22 May 2015

Report of the Sub Group III on Fodder and Pasture Management

Policy prescriptions for strengthening convergence of forestry, agriculture, watershed development programmes with pastures and grazing land management in forests, nonconventional forest areas, villag...

by Planning Commission | On 21 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

Report of the Working Group on Agriculture and Related Issues on Dryland / Rainfed Farming System Including Regeneration of Degraded / Waste Land, Watershed Development Programme

The report provides a strategy in the field of agriculture related issues on Dryland / Rainfed Farming System including Regeneration of Degraded / Waste Land, Watershed Development Programme.

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 13 May 2015

The Voices – Uncensored Nagaland State Youth Consultation on Employment

This paper takes into consideration of broad areas into consideration and the problems for youth employment should be viewed as a larger macroeconomic issue of the state. Greater participation, invol...

by YouthNet Nagaland | On 12 May 2015

YOJANA Volume 58, Issue 1- January 2014

The January 2014 issue of YOJANA contains the following articles - Tribal and Marginalized Communities, Constitutional Provisions, Laws and Tribes, Actualising Adivasi Self-Rule, The Food Bill, Wild F...

by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting MIB | On 11 May 2015

Annual Report: 2010-2011

This report of government details on challenges in agriculture sector. There is a need to address these issues as India faces a greater challenge, since with only 2.3% share in world’s total land area...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 07 May 2015

Report on the State of Food Insecurity in Rural India

This Report is an update of the Rural Food Insecurity Atlas of 2001 released by the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Since then, numerous new programmes...

by V B Athreya | On 06 May 2015

Southern Thailand: From Conflict to Negotiations?

It has been a decade since the outbreak of one of Asia’s most serious insurgencies, the conflict between Malay Muslims and the Thai state in Southern Thailand. Often ignored and unremarked upon by the...

by Duncan McCargo | On 30 Apr 2015

Thailand: The Evolving Conflict in the South

After a decade of separatist violence in Thailand’s Malay/Muslim-majority southern provinces, insurgent capabilities are outpacing state counter-measures that are mired in complacency and political co...

by International Crisis Group | On 30 Apr 2015

Reassessing Internal Displacement in South Asia

Displacement is by no means a new phenomenon in South Asia. As they emerged as independent states, at least half of the South Asian countries experienced mass displacement. In Bangladesh it is esti...

by | On 28 Apr 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

Infrastructure Gap in South Asia: Infrastructure Needs, Prioritization, and Financing

If the South Asia region hopes to meet its development goals and not risk slowing down or even halting growth, poverty alleviation, and shared prosperity, it is essential to make closing its huge infr...

by World Bank | On 27 Apr 2015

Why Democracy Struggles: Thailand’s Elite Coup Culture

Since the revolution of 1932 that ended absolute monarchy, Thailand has experienced sporadic military interventions, with 19 coups and coup attempts over those decades. This article explains these mil...

by | On 27 Apr 2015

Growing through Cities in Developing Countries

This paper examines the effects of urbanization on development and growth. It begins with a labor market perspective and emphasizes the importance of agglomeration economies, both static and dynamic....

by | On 24 Apr 2015

A Land Acquisition Bill With Many Faultlines

This paper discusses the problems with the much revised and much delayed Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, and how they may be addressed. A democratization of the land acquisitio...

by Prasenjit Bose | On 24 Apr 2015

National Agroforestry Policy - 2014

The National Agroforestry Policy, which deals with the practice of integrating trees, crops and livestock on the same plot of land, was launched February 10, the first day of the World Congress on Agr...

by | On 21 Apr 2015

The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.

An Act to provide for allocation of coal mines and vesting of the right, title and interest in and over the land and mine infrastructure together with mining leases to successful bidders and allottees...

by Ministry of Law and Justice GOI | On 20 Apr 2015

The Internet and State Intervention in Asia: A Comparative Study of Selected Countries

In context of contemporary debates about censorship, net neutrality and the role of the state in today’s globalising world, it becomes vital to examine the stand taken by various Asian governments tow...

by Nandini Bhattacharya | On 17 Apr 2015

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015

This is an an ordinance further to amend the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

by Ministry of Law and Justice GOI | On 17 Apr 2015

Towards a Water and Food Secure Future

The aim of this paper is to provide policy-makers with a helpful overview of the technical and economic aspects of water use in agriculture, with particular emphasis on crop and livestock production....

by Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN UN | On 15 Apr 2015

Network Neutrality – Hong Kong’s Perspectives

The next generation broadband infrastructure will provide access to two categories of content, applications and services – those delivered over the Internet and those provided on the managed networks...

by | 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

The Continual Breakdown of Democracy in Thailand: A Case Study on the Role of Elite Competition, Modernization and Political Institutions in the Democratization Process of Thailand

The paper provides an in-depth empirical analysis of Thai political history in an attempt to understand why democracy has failed to consolidate since the 1932 revolution that ended the absolute monarc...

by | On 08 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

Prospects of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

AIIB is expected to accelerate economic development and integration of Asia through the promotion of investment in the infrastructure sector. AIIB have several priority areas include transport, energy...

by Makmun Syadullah | On 03 Apr 2015

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014.

An ordinance to amend the right to fair compensation and transparency in land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement (amendment) ordinance, 2014.

by Ministry of Law and Justice GOI | On 26 Mar 2015

A Dynamic Economic Model of Soil Conservation Involving Genetically Modified Crop

This paper attempts to model the positive role of cultivation of Genetically Modified (GM) crop with its soil-anchoring root-characteristic and use of conservation-tillage technology, in saving orga...

by Amrita Chatterjee | On 23 Mar 2015

Migrant Workers’ Right to Social Protection in ASEAN: Case Study of Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand

The report concludes with key recommendations to address the situation where there is currently a concerning lack of social protection for migrants within the ASEAN region from which MFA, FES, Parliam...

by | On 20 Mar 2015

Bhutan: Making Progress on the Path to Prosperity

his country brief highlights how ADB operations have helped support Bhutan’s efforts in advancing socioeconomic development. Since Bhutan became a member in 1982, ADB has provided $486.29 million i...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 17 Mar 2015

Kerala Budget 2015-16

Budget speech of Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani.

by K.M. Mani | On 13 Mar 2015

LARR (Amendment) Bill, 2015: Amendments proposed on March 9, 2015

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015 was introduced in Lok Sabha on February 24, 2015 to replace an Ordinance. T...

by PRS Legislative Research | On 11 Mar 2015

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabitation and Resettlement Act, 2013

The Act aims to ensure a humane, participative, informed and transparent process for Land acquisition, industrialisation, development of essential infrastructural facilities and urbanisation with leas...

by | On 09 Mar 2015

Economic Survey 2014-15: Volume I

A flagship annual document of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, Economic Survey 2014–15 reviews the developments in the Indian economy over the previous 12 months, summarizes the performan...

by Ministry of Finance | On 28 Feb 2015

Indian Railway Budget Speech 2015-16

Speech of Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu introducing the Railway Budget for 2015-16

by Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu | On 26 Feb 2015

Citizens Charter on Drinking Water and Sanitation before Union Budget

Ahead of the Union Budget, Civil Society Organizations ask for policy strategies to support drinking water and sanitation for vulnerable sections. Civil society budget groups, collectively as a networ...

by Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability | On 26 Feb 2015

Gujarat Budget Speech: 2015-16

Gujarat Budget 2015-16.

by Saurabh Patel | On 26 Feb 2015

The Land Acquisition Ordinance

The ruling government’s Land Acquisition Ordinance is viewed with suspicion by most politically active groups, as well as the industry. Consent, compensation, relief and rehabilitation are some of the...

by Maitreesh Ghatak | On 25 Feb 2015

Politics, Paisa or Priorities: Where Would Children Fit into the 2015-16 Union Budget?

It is a well-known fact that children are not getting much attention in the Union Budgets. There are some schemes by the government for children. Many of them are not properly implemented or lack fund...

by Bharti Ali | On 25 Feb 2015

Road Infrastructure: Issues in Financing

Equity and efficiency are two issues that arise again and again the area of infrastructure finance. If the financing of infrastructure projects is to be sustainable the private sector must be entruste...

by Sudakshina Gupta | On 25 Feb 2015

China's Manufacturing Success: Lessons for India

This paper attempts to study the conditions under which China's manufacturing sector thrived in the last few decades. Some distinctive policies (such as in decentralisation, foreign direct investmen...

by Pravakar Sahoo | On 19 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

The Impacts of Infrastructure in Development: A Selective Survey

Development economists have considered physical infrastructure to be a precondition for industrialization and economic development. Yet, two issues remain to be addressed in the literature. First, whi...

by Yasuyuki Sawada | On 16 Feb 2015

Financing for Infrastructure Investment in G-20 Countries.

This study looks into various sources of financing infrastructure and the demands for infrastructure investments and highlights the mismatch between demand and supply of funds for infrastructure finan...

by Ramprasad Sengupta | On 11 Feb 2015

Report of the Working Group on Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Secondary Agriculture and Policy Required for Internal and External Trade

The report reviews existing agricultural marketing system. It deals with improving efficiency and reducing transaction cost in Agricultural Marketing by strengthening the physical markets, encouraging...

by Planning Commission | On 11 Feb 2015

Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement: Law and Politics

This working paper explores key issues in the new Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Bill’s attempt at ‘balance’ within the larger political context of land acquisition in India....

by Amlanjyoti Goswami | On 09 Feb 2015

Determinants of Regional Patterns of Manufacturing Exports: Indian Firms since the Mid-1990s

A preliminary analysis of the spatial determinants of firms’ export activities by Indian states has been undertaken in this study. Thus, the present study attempts to fill the gap by focusing on issue...

by Jaya Prakash Pradhan | On 06 Feb 2015

India Infrastructure Report 2013|14

A key measure of the social and economic development of a country is the health of its population. This year, in the India Infrastructure Report (IIR) series, it discusses some of the issues and chall...

by | On 05 Feb 2015

The Questions We Should be Asking Frequently about the Land Acquisition Act -And Answers From an Expert

A look at Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and the amendments to it from the perspective to those who live close to the land.

by Usha Ramanathan | On 02 Feb 2015

Historical Issues and Perspectives of Land Resource Management in India: A Review

This paper focuses on historical aspects of land resources, land evolution and management. Moreover, it describes land issues before and after the Ice age 5000 B.C. Pre-Vedic literature on origin of...

by M S Umesh Babu | On 21 Jan 2015

Creating Jobs in India’s Organised Manufacturing Sector

This paper attempts to study the factors holding back the growth of output and employment in this manufacturing sector. The creation of a large number of industrial jobs made possible by the rapid gro...

by Radhicka Kapoor | On 15 Jan 2015

Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2014

ASAR report has made a great contribution to the discussions on our primary education policy. On a few parameters, these surveys show that the overall learning levels have deteriorated over the years....

by PRATHAM | On 15 Jan 2015

Depeasantization in Punjab: Status of Farmers who Left Farming

The state of Punjab, earlier regarded as an agriculturally developed region of India, has been passing through a severe economic crisis. The capital-intensive mode of production, propagated by the gre...

by | On 24 Dec 2014

Will Indian Farmers Respond to the Call for Increased Biofuel Production-Evidence from Northeastern India

In India, biofuel has gained in popularity in recent years because of its potential as a clean energy source and a means to stimulate rural development. Yet, growth in Jatropha, a key bio-fuel crop,...

by Kishor Goswami | On 27 Nov 2014

Sustainable Agriculture: A Pathway out of Poverty for India’s Rural Poor

Millions of farmers in remote rural areas of India struggle to feed themselves and their families, while the resources on which they depend are deteriorating daily. This book shows how sustainable agr...

by Sustainable Agriculture Information Network | On 06 Nov 2014

Infrastructure Challenges in India: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships

Inadequate infrastructure was recognized in the Eleventh Plan as a major constraint for rapid growth. The Plan had, therefore, emphasized on the need for massive expansion on investment in infrastruct...

by Geethanjali Nataraj | On 16 Oct 2014

Voice and Agency: Empowering Women and Girls for Shared Prosperity

Despite recent advances in important aspects of the lives of girls and women, pervasive challenges remain. These challenges reflect widespread deprivations and constraints and include epidemic levels...

by Jeni Klugman | On 14 Oct 2014

Role of Financial Sector in Spurring Growth and Expanding Financial Inclusion in North Eastern Region

The present speech analyses the significant role which can be played by the financial sector in spurring growth and expanding financial inclusion in NER. [CII Banking Collagium in Kolkata].

by P. Vijaya Bhaskar | On 13 Oct 2014

Institutional Credit in Rainfed Areas: District Level Analysis in Southern States

Dryland regions of the country, poorly endowed as they are with natural resources including water are likely to be disadvantaged in terms of access to credit. Within the dryland areas too inter-pers...

by Satyasai K J S | On 08 Oct 2014

Notes on Land, Long-run Food Security and the Agrarian Crisis in India

These Notes are mainly about three interconnected themes; i) the international and Indian ‘take’ on control over land (and water); ii) the distinction between an agricultural crisis and an agrarian...

by Sheila Bhalla | On 01 Oct 2014

India's Double Challenge

While climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, traditional system of flood management through lakes and connected water channels has been forgotten. This makes flood and d...

by Sunita Narain | On 22 Sep 2014

Reducing Poverty by Closing South Asia’s Infrastructure Gap

“Reducing Poverty by Closing South Asia’s Infrastructure Gap” reveals that the region’s growing demands for infrastructure has enlarged an existing infrastructure gap. According to the report, address...

by Luis Andrés | On 22 Sep 2014

Background Paper on Issues related to Land Economics - Urbanisation, Development and Housing Requirements in the National Capital Region (NCR)

The mechanism adopted to keep the rise in property prices under check until 2000 was the active participation of the public sector in keeping supply ahead of demand. This seems to have worked well in...

by Jatinder S. Bedi | On 08 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

Child Well-Being in Rich Countries A Comparative Overview

The league table opposite presents the latest available overview of child well-being in 29 of the world’s most advanced economies. Five dimensions of children’s lives have been considered: material we...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 22 Aug 2014

Real Estate and Hosing-A Sensitive Sector or Samvriddhi Sector ?

The speech shows the investment government has done for the housing and real estate sector. There are recommendations on how the sector can be improved.

by R. Gandhi | On 22 Aug 2014

A BRIC Development Bank: A Dream Coming True?

BRICS leaders have approved creating a new development bank which would fund long-term investment in infrastructure and more sustainable development. This paper documents the scale of unmet needs in t...

by Stephany Jones | On 21 Aug 2014

A Study of Policies Related to Science Education for Diversity in India

This paper presents the findings of a study concerning educational policies related to science education and diversity in India which is a geographically and socio-politically diverse country. If the...

by Sugra Chunawala | On 28 Jul 2014

If Only Cities Can See Wetlands

Sixty people died in a building collapse in Chennai last fortnight. There is much more than the municipal incompetence that needs to be fixed to avoid such tragic incidents. This building was located...

by Sunita Narain | On 24 Jul 2014

If only cities

Wetlands are rarely recorded under municipal land laws, so nobody knows about them. Planners see only land, not water and greedy builders take over. It is due to this oversight that buildings are plan...

by Sunita Narain | On 24 Jul 2014

No Shortage of Money

The new government wants to increase investment in various sectors. The government has funds but the Finance Minister has said about lack of funds in the Budget. Public private partnerships (PPPs) can...

by T.N. Ninan | On 17 Jul 2014

PRS Legislative Research: Annual Policy Review-April 2013 – March 2014

The PRS Annual Policy Review aims to capture the key legislative and policy developments in India during the fiscal year 2013-14. The objective of this document is to summarise all the major devel...

by Parliamentary Research Service PRS | On 05 Jun 2014

Connecting South Asia to Southeast Asia: Cross-Border Infrastructure Investments

Most of the trade between South Asia and Southeast Asia is by sea. However, with improved infrastructure and easier border crossing procedures, land traffic could grow to boost trade in goods, service...

by Jean-Francois Gautrin Gautrin | On 02 Jun 2014

The Information and Communication Technology Sector in India: Performance, Growth and Key Challenges

The rapid emergence of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector has placed India on the global stage during the last one and a half decades. e sector has acted as a catalyst for growt...

by Organization of and Development | On 23 May 2014

Developmental Disability Index for Hill States in India

Tthe first objective of this study is to construct a cost disability index in provision of developmental infrastructure. The second objective is rooted in the poor state of developmental infrastructur...

by Ritu Pandey | On 20 May 2014

Higher Education in Asia: Expanding Out, Expanding Up

This report presents data and analysis to better understand the factors driving the expansion in undergraduate and graduate education across Asia. By looking at the system as a whole, the authors eval...

by David W. Chapman | On 16 May 2014

Soil Degradation : A Threat to Developing-Country Food Security by 2020?

This comprehensive paper explains why and when soil degradation should be of particular concern to policymakers interested in assuring food security. The inferences in this paper are based on research...

by Sara J. Scherr | On 05 May 2014

National Manufacturing Policy (2011)

The concern about the stagnant and low share of the manufacturing sector in India‘s GDP necessitated a dedicated policy for the sector with a view to accelerated development, inclusive growth and prov...

by Ministry of Commerce and Industry GOI | On 01 Apr 2014

Land Reforms in India: Unfinished Task

In India, over 70% of the population resides in rural areas with majority depending on land based activities for their livelihood. Studies have shown that owners of productive plots of land tend to be...

by Sita Devi | On 31 Mar 2014

Gender and Land Tenure Security : Challenges and Barriers to Women’s Entitlement to Land in India

The study seeks to understand women’s land rights by documenting how women acquire land, their feelings about tenure security to that land, exploring their knowledge of their land rights, and the exte...

by UN Women | On 14 Mar 2014

Financing Infrastructure in the Philippines: Fiscal Landscape and Resources Mobilization

This study assessed the sources and levels of infrastructure financing in the Philippines for the last five years (2008-2012). [PIDS Discussion Paper No. 2014-01].

by Adoracion M. Navarro | On 12 Mar 2014

Election 2014: What Political Parties Must Commit to Children

What children need are effective institutions, equitable services and adequate resources, combined with political will and accountable leadership. This is what political leaders can promise them. [H...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 20 Feb 2014

Can Government-Allocated Land Contribute to Food Security? Intrahousehold Analysis of West Bengal’s Microplot Allocation Program

Secure land rights are a critical, but often overlooked, factor in achieving household food security and improved nutritional status in rural areas of developing countries. This study evaluates the im...

by Florence Santos | On 17 Feb 2014

Land, Politics, Work and Home-Life at Adimalathura: Towards a Local History

This paper focuses on the fishing hamlet of Adimalathura located on the coast of the Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala, which has been identified as an area of extreme developmental disadvantage...

by J. Devika | On 11 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

Land, Politics, Work and Home-Life in a City Slum: Reconstructing History from Oral Narratives

This paper is a limited attempt at sketching the history of a prominent slum in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, using mainly the memories of residents collected as oral narratives. [CDS Working pape...

by J Devika | On 07 Feb 2014

Determinants of Clusters in Indian Manufacturing: The Role of Infrastructure, Governance, Education, and Industrial Policy

This paper investigates the determinants of spatial concentration and entry within manufacturing across states in India. Using an unbalanced panel of 180 industries spread across 16 major Indian sta...

by Ana M. Fernandes | On 30 Jan 2014

Urbanization beyond Municipal Boundaries: Nurturing Metropolitan Economies and Connecting Peri-Urban Areas in India

This study identifies three priority areas for India's policymakers as they try to harness economic efficiency and manage spatial equity associated with urbanization. First, to enhance productivity, i...

by World Bank | On 28 Jan 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

The Way Forward for Northeast India

This paper seeks to explain the idea of linking Northeast India to Southeast Asia, which gained popular imagination following the release of the North Eastern Region Vision 2020 document in 2008. Howe...

by Laldinkima Sailo | On 22 Jan 2014

Financing Infrastructure in Bangladesh – Some Options

This paper seeks to outline the infrastructure needs of Bangladesh with respect to domestic sources of finance. While infrastructure encompasses energy, transportation, telecommunications, water and...

by Ishraq Ahmed | 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

Emerging Geopolitical Trends and Security in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the People’s Republic of China, and India (ACI) Region

The rapid economic growth in the region consisting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and India has begun to change the strategic landscape of...

by C. Raja Mohan | On 21 Jan 2014

Governance and Development Outcomes in Asia

The relationship between governance and economic development is one of the most important areas of research in international development. Much of the previous literature has focused on whether better...

by Kunal Sen | On 20 Jan 2014

The Impact of Fiscal and Political Decentralization on Local Public Investments in Indonesia

The effects of the Indonesian decentralization and democratization process on budget allocation at the sub-national level is analyzed. Based on panel data for 271 Indonesian districts for the years...

by Krisztina Kis Katos | On 17 Jan 2014

Community Resilience and Critical Urban Infrastructure: Where Adaptive Capacities Meet Vulnerabilities

In many of Southeast Asia’s cities, critical infrastructure development is concentrated in affluent areas; and poor communities, lacking access to basic services, often resort to alternatives that may...

by Sofiah Jamil | On 15 Jan 2014

Maritime Territorial Disputes in East Asia: A Comparative Analysis of the South China Sea and the East China Sea

This article systematically compares maritime territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas. It draws on the bargaining model of war and hegemonic stability theory to track the record of confl...

by Andy Yee | On 02 Jan 2014

Reducing Vulnerability and Exposure to Disasters

The past two years have been challenging ones for the Asia-Pacific region in several respects, but 2011 has been particularly unforgettable for how it has focused the attention of so many people on th...

by ... CEHAT | On 13 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

A Review of Internal and Regional Migration Policy in Southeast Asia

This working paper provides an overview of migration policy analysis in academic and policy (‘grey’) literature for Southeast Asia, as well as a brief outline of the current migration policy environme...

by Maureen Hickey | On 27 Nov 2013

Diaspora Philanthropy from a Homeland Perspective: Reciprocity and Contestation over Donations in Central Gujarat, India

This paper deals with the philanthropic between Indian migrants and the local community in Gujarat from a homeland perspective. It is based on research in rural central Gujarat, one of the regions i...

by Natascha Dekkers | On 05 Nov 2013

Weather Sensitivity of Rice Yield: Evidence from India

This study estimates the weather sensitivity of rice yield in India, using disaggregated (district) level information on rice and high resolution daily weather data over the period 1969-2007. Compare...

by Anubhab Pattanayak | On 11 Oct 2013

Changing Leadership in Computer and Information Services, Emergence of India as the Current World Leader in Computer and Information Services

The paper analyses the changing leadership in Computer and Information Services (CIS). Leadership is measured in terms of export shares. The leadership appears to have changed from United States of ...

by Sunil Mani | On 10 Oct 2013

Model State Affordable Housing Policy for Urban Areas

The aim of this policy is to create an enabling environment for providing “affordable housing for all” with special emphasis on EWS and LIG and other vulnerable sections of society such as Scheduled c...

by Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation MOHUPA | On 09 Oct 2013

Governance by Denial: Forced Eviction and Demolition of Homes in Ejipura/ Koramangala, Bangalore: Report of a Fact-Finding Mission

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is responsible for providing infrastructure and services in the metropolitan area. From January 18 to 21, 2013, it bulldozed 1,512 homes (42 blocks) and...

by PUCL Karnataka | On 30 Sep 2013

Caste, Land, and Migration: A Preliminary Analysis of a Village Survey in an Underdeveloped State in India

This paper explores migration from Bihar, one of the most underdeveloped states in India, by paying particular attention to social class (caste) and landholdings. After describing details of individu...

by Yuko Tsujita | On 27 Sep 2013

Vital Stats: Parliament in the Monsoon Session 2013

The Monsoon Session ended with the passage of Bills on food security, land acquisition, companies, and pension. During the session, significant time was lost due to frequent disruptions over issues su...

by Kusum Malik | On 12 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

Do Open Sewers Lead to a Reduction in Housing Prices? Evidence from Rawalpindi, Pakistan

The Hedonic property value method is used to estimate how a dismenity, bad odor from an open sewer system, affects housing prices in the city of Rawalpindi in Pakistan. An estimate of the benefits of...

by Mohammad Irfan | On 05 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

Vulnerability of Migrants and Responsiveness of the State: The Case of Unskilled Migrant Workers in Kerala, India

The paper examines how the state and other agencies in the host state (Kerala) responded to reduce the vulnerability of inter-state migrant workers. The paper also makes an assessment of a pioneering...

by N. Ajith Kumar | On 26 Aug 2013

Schematic Natural Hazard Zonation of Bihar using Geoinformatics

The findings of the present study are being documented with an aim for invoking a paradigm shift in the attitudes and perceptions about natural hazards; this shift should make the state and the peopl...

by Tuhin Ghosh | On 12 Aug 2013

The Effects of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

When American troops arrived in Nagasaki and stumbled upon one of the cameramen, from the legendary film company Nippon Eiga Sha, shooting amidst the rubble, they promptly arrested him and confiscated...

by Motherboard TV MotherboardTV | On 10 Aug 2013

Draft National Land Reforms Policy

This policy outlines a very clear strategy of creating a large pool of land so that every family's right to land is fully honoured. The policy proceeds to suggest a just and equitable method of allott...

by Ministry of Rural Development GOI | On 06 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

Breaking New Ground: Enacting a National Land Use Policy

With only a total land area of 30 million hectares and a population of 92.3 million growing at an average rate of 2.12 percent, how should the Philippines allocate a very scarce and important resource...

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 24 Jul 2013

Land Degradation and Migration in a Dry Land Region in India

Migration literature has always considered environmental constraints as one of the prime movers of populations, especially from dry regions, where water rather than land is the primary limiting factor...

by Amita Shah | On 28 Jun 2013

Land, Labour and Migrations: Understanding Kerala’s Economic Modernity

This paper seeks to map out the historical trajectory leading to a series of migrations in and from the erstwhile princely state of Travancore during 1900-70 in order to acquire and bring land under c...

by V. J. Varghese | On 26 Jun 2013

Examining Private Participation in Embankment Maintenance in the Indian Sundarbans

This paper analyses the complementarities between land productivity and conservation investments in the context of river embankment maintenance in the Indian Sundarbans.[SANDEE]. URL:[http://www.san...

by Prasenjit Sarkhel | On 06 Jun 2013

Farm Productivity Loss due to Flood-Induced Sand Deposition: A Study in Dhemaji, India

It is widely believed that the decline in agricultural productivity in the Dhemaji district of Assam, India, is due to flood-induced sand depositions in paddy fields. Increased sand content reduces th...

by Kalyan Das | On 27 May 2013

Climate Change, Agriculture, Poverty and Livelihoods: A Status Report

This paper assesses the impact of climate change on Indian agriculture covering a cross section of crops, seasons and regions based on existing literature. The study notes that the impact of climate...

by K N Ninan | On 24 Apr 2013

Land Acquisition Bill: Past and Present

Land acquisition, which refers to the process of a government forcibly acquiring private property for public purpose, has been the cause of over a third of the legal conflicts in India in the past dec...

by iGovernment. in | On 19 Apr 2013

The Impact of NREGA on Rural-Urban Migration: Field survey of Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu

Migration can act as a negative force. It can lead to distress migration, which is what happens when people have to go to cities to find work because they cannot survive on what they can earn in thei...

by Naomi Jacob | On 17 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

Budget Analysis: Kerala Budget 2013-14

The Minister of Finance, K.M Mani , presented the General Budget 2013 to the State Assembly on March 15, 2013. In his address, he commented on the fiscal performance of the State in 2012-13 and laid...

by Vishnu Padmanabhan | On 09 Apr 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

Connecting the Dots: The Urban Informal Sector and Climate Vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia’s Megacities

In the megacities of developing Southeast Asia, the informal sector plays an important role in supporting economic development. Yet, in discussions of the ramifications of climaterelated natural haz...

by Sofiah Jamil | On 13 Feb 2013

Metabolism Of Mumbai- Expectations, Impasse and the Need For a New Beginning

As population and human activities expand they exert heavy environmental pressure through the resource requirement, their production and consumption. Hence, it is important to understand the resource...

by B. Sudhakara Reddy | On 12 Feb 2013

Juvenile Justice in Different Countries: Age of Criminal Responsibility and Treatment of Juvenile Offenders

In the world, there are three models that inspire administration of juvenile justice: • The Welfare Model • The Justice Model or Control model - Retributive • The Restorative Model The age of c...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 06 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

Land Acquisition for Industrialization and Compensation of Displaced Farmers

This paper addresses the question of how farmers displaced by acquisition of agricultural land for the purpose of industrialization ought to be compensated. Prior to acquisition, the farmers are leasi...

by Maitreesh Ghatak | On 22 Jan 2013

How to Tackle Food Insecurity in Asia

Review of the book Food Security in Asia, by Amitava Mukherjee Sage Publications India 2011 pp. xix+392, Rs 895/-.

by Rudra Narayan Mishra | On 04 Jan 2013

Kerala-The Land of Development Paradoxes

An attempt has been made to understand the paradoxes of Kerala's development like the state's per capita consumer expenditure is more than the per capita state domestic product. But the nutritional i...

by K.K. George | On 18 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

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

Examining the Effect of Household Wealth and Migration Status on Safe Delivery Care in Urban India, 1992–2006

Although the urban health issue has been of long-standing interest to public health researchers, majority of the studies have looked upon the urban poor and migrants as distinct subgroups. Another co...

by Prashant Kumar Singh | On 24 Sep 2012

Property Rights and Intra-Household Bargaining

This paper examines whether an individual-level transfer of property rights increases the individual's bargaining power within the household. The question is analyzed in the context of a housing ref...

by Shing-Yi Wang | On 18 Sep 2012

Gender Impact of Trade Reforms in Indian Plantation Sector: An Exploratory Ananlysis

This paper examines the potential gender impacts of the trade reforms in plantation agriculture in the emerging context of the two prominent FTAs, viz. the Indo-ASEAN and the proposed EU-India FTA....

by Viswanathan P K | On 14 Sep 2012

Revisiting the Devolution of ENR Functions

The devolution of environment and natural resource functions to local government units was a bold move in the history of environmental Management in the Philippines. However, the implementation of the...

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 28 Aug 2012

Nationalist Sentiments Run High in Asian Territorial Disputes

Spot fire disputes have sparked across Asia, with the winds of nationalism spurring them on. If one flares up it could ignite a region. Escalating tensions should have mediators vigilant and with pai...

by Elliot Brennan | On 24 Aug 2012

National Commission for Minorities: Communalising Assam Riots?

The Asian Centre for Human Rights has alleged that the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) is communalizing the riots in Assam. [ACHR]. URL:[http://www.achrweb.org/reports/india/NCM-2012.pdf].

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 24 Aug 2012

Situating Conflict and Poverty in Manipur

What is the relationship between social conflict and poverty in the context of Manipur? There is a need to recognize togetherness of the imperatives of economic well being, socio-cultural identity a...

by Anand Kumar | On 22 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

Mango Travellers Stealing Rural Jobs

Mangoes from Andhra Pradesh reach everywhere in India. This has caused the conversion of large tracts of paddy fields into mango farms in Andhra. It affects the rural employment. Use of chemicals to r...

by Alex George | On 14 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

Suicide and Property Rights in India

Is there an impact of female property rights on male and female suicide rates in India. Using state level variation in legal changes to women's property rights, it is shown that better property righ...

by Siwan Anderson | On 02 Aug 2012

Structuring the Dedicated Freight Corridor Project a Lost Opportunity

This paper explores the evolution of two dedicated freight corridors in India (covering a distance of around 3300 kilometers), and critique them from the perspective of delivering the intended rail...

by Sobhesh Kumar Agarwalla | On 31 Jul 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

Are Embankments a Good Flood-­-Control Strategy? A Case Study of the Kosi River

This paper makes a first pass at evaluating embankments. Using two years or more of data from 504 households in 28 villages in the floodplain of the Kosi river in north Bihar, a comparison of the agri...

by E Somanathan | On 25 Jul 2012

Evolution of Model Concession Agreement for National Highways in India

This paper discusses the evolution of Model Concession Agreement for National Highways, the vital framework on which the success of Public Private Partnership lies. The key learnings of this study wou...

by Ramakrishnan T S | On 18 Jul 2012

The Salween River Basin: Dam Cascades Threaten Biological and Cultural Diversity

F rom its headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau to its estuary in Burma, the Salween River supports over ten million people. For many decades, it was the longest free-flowing river in Southeast Asia. It...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 17 Jul 2012

Ensuring Food and Nutrition Security in a Green Economy

What are the implications of a green economy for the poor and hungry? How can the poor benefit from and thrive under a green economy? What role can agriculture play? What are the possible trade-off...

by Shenggen Fan | On 17 Jul 2012

Climate Change Mitigation and Green Growth in Developing Asia

Developing Asia is the driver of today's emissions intensive global economy. As the principle source of future emissions, the region is critical to the task of global climate change mitigation. Reflec...

by Stephen Howes | On 16 Jul 2012

Review of Philippine Migration Laws and Regulations Gains, Gaps, Prospects

The Philippines has often been cited as the global model in managing international labor migration. Despite the complexity of our management infrastructure, however, some gaps still remain. This pap...

by Julyn S Ambito | On 12 Jul 2012

Engaging Small and Medium Enterprises in Production Networks: Firm-level Analysis of Five ASEAN Economies

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are under scrutiny for their engagement in production networks following recent emphasis on increasing intra-reg...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 06 Jul 2012

Nagaland's Demographic Somersault

This study examines the reliability of the Census of Nagaland between 1981 and 2011 by testing the internal consistency of Census population estimates. It also tries to validate the Census estimates...

by Ankush Agrawal | On 06 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

The Military along the Security Development Frontrier: Implications for Non-Traditional Security in the Philippines and Thailand

This paper focuses on development missions carried out by the armed forces of the Philippines and Thailand in and out of conflict zones, and provides an analysis of the causes behind the re-emergence...

by Aries A Arugay | On 20 Jun 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

The Impact of Infrastructure on Agricultural Productivity

This paper provides an empirical basis for the perceived link between rural infrastructure and agricultural productivity. It validates the hypothesis that deficiencies in rural infrastructure e.g.,...

by Gilberto M Llanto | On 24 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

The Political Economy of Deforestation in the Tropics

Tropical deforestation accounts for almost one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and threatens the world.s most diverse ecosystems. The prevalence of illegal forest extraction in the tropi...

by Robin Burgess | On 08 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

Trans-boundary River Basins in South Asia: Options for Conflict Resolution

India's trans-boundary riparian policies affect four countries - Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh - on three river systems - the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra-Mehgna. China's riparian pol...

by Gopal Siwakoti Chintan | On 25 Apr 2012

Exports of Services: Indian Experience in Perspective

India’s experience with exporting services is examined. The country’s experience is distinctive in that services, especially modern tradable services, comprise a significantly larger share of GDP tha...

by Barry Eichengreen | On 23 Apr 2012

Philippine Economy: Sluggish in 2011, Bullish in 2012?

The Philippine domestic economy shrunk to 3.7 percent in 2011, after a growth of 7.6 per cent in 2010. Outlook for 2012 is relatively sanguine with the government hinging its optimism on robust ...

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 20 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

Voices from the Margin: Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Northeast Thailand: Pak Mun Dam

The protests against the Pak Mun Dam are amongst the longest running in the world. The dam is also one of the most studied, in part because it had all the features of a failed development policy: no...

by Katie Jenkins | On 18 Apr 2012

Development Trajectory, Emission Profile, and Policy Actions: Thailand

Thailand has made significant progresses toward green and low-carbon development; however, there is a need to further address the issue. The country has to focus on the implementation of no-regret pol...

by Qwanruedee Chotichanathawewong | On 16 Apr 2012

The Great Depression and the Great Recession: What have we Learned?

The Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 and the Great Recession of 2007-2009 are now in the past. Again there was the debt crisis of 2010-11. During the worst of the recent financial crisis/Great Recession...

by Michael D Bordo | On 13 Apr 2012

Gujarat Budget 2012-13

Budget Speech by Minister of Finance. [Government of Gujarat]. URL:[http://financedepartment.gujarat.gov.in/budget12_13_pdf/FM_Speech_English_Part_A_Final.pdf].

by Ministry of Finance Government of Gujarat | On 12 Apr 2012

The view, outside in

What India has to do to overcome the dents that India has suffered in its international image? India will have to play a delicate game of exercising autonomy in its pursuit of national objectives with...

by T.N. Ninan | On 10 Apr 2012

A Competitive Genetic Algorithm for Single Row Facility Layout

The single row facility layout is the NP-Hard problem of arranging facilities with given lengths on a line, so as to minimize the weighted sum of the distances between all pairs of facilities. Owing t...

by Uma Kothari | On 09 Apr 2012

Comparative Rating Index for Sovereigns (CRIS): A Report Based on “The Relativity of Sovereigns: A New Index of Sovereign Credit Ratings and an Analysis of How Nations Fared over the Last Six Years”

Major credit rating agencies give out the sovereign credit rating of each nation as an absolute grade. How other nations fare over the period under consideration does not matter in a particular nation...

by Kaushik Basu | On 02 Apr 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

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

Tamil Nadu Budget Speech: 2012-13

Speech of Thiru O. Panneerselvam, Hon’ble Minister for Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu, presenting the Budget for the year 2012-2013 to the Legislative Assembly on 26th March, 2012. [Government...

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 27 Mar 2012

Health Care Financing Reforms in India

The transfer system in India is discussed and analyses expenditure needs of States to provide essential health infrastructure. It also analyzes the fiscal space for health care in terms of stimulati...

by M Govinda Rao | On 19 Mar 2012

Annual Report (2011-12) on The Working of State Power Utilities and Electricity Departments

Major shifts in the policy initiated in the electricity sector are well documented, only then the effect of the policy change can be analyzed, especially from the point of view of laying down future p...

by Planning Commission | On 19 Mar 2012

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, GOI 2012-13

This brief uses Government reported data to analyse Sarva Shiksha Ahiyan performance along the following parameters: a) Overall trends in allocation and expenditures, b) Expenditure performance across...

by Accountability Initiative | 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

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

State of Indian Agriculture 2011-12

The report reviews the status and performance of agriculture, especially during the last two decades, and also presents what could be the way forward, given our objectives of accelerated growth, inc...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 14 Mar 2012

Towards Building A Happy, Prosperous and Caring Bangladesh: Budget Speech 2011-12

Budget speech 2011-12 by Finance minister. URL:[http://www.mof.gov.bd/en/budget/11_12/budget_speech/speech_en.pdf].

by Abul Maal Abdul Muhith | On 14 Mar 2012

Final Report-Water Security and Climate Change: Challenges and Strategies

The main objectives of this seminar has been to contribute to the understanding of the development processes and problems related to water security and climate change; to focus on studies relating t...

by Gursharan Singh Kainth | On 12 Mar 2012

Agricultural Insurance in India: Problems and Prospects

The challenges of providing insurance to Indian agricultural sector in a manner that is both meaningful and sustaining. Critical assessment of the existing initiative and present possible options fo...

by M J Bhende | On 09 Mar 2012

Asia’s Wicked Environmental Problems

The developing economies of Asia are confronted by serious environmental problems that threaten to undermine future growth, food security, and regional stability. This study considers four major envir...

by Stephen Howes | On 06 Mar 2012

Taiwan’s Role in the Breakout of the Taiwan Strait Crises: A Historical Perspective

The implications of the rule of Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo in Taiwan (1950–1988) for the Taiwan Strait Crises is examined, especially the third one af??ter the Cold War and potenti...

by Lu Jinghua | On 05 Mar 2012

On the Road: Access to Transportation Infrastructure and Economic Growth in China

This paper estimates the effect of access to transportation networks on regional economic outcomes in China over a twenty-period of rapid income growth. It addresses the problem of the endogenous pl...

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 02 Mar 2012

Failed Mechanism: How the CDM is Subsidizing Hydro Developers and Harming the Kyoto Protocol

Five years age, International Rivers started monitoring the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), concerned that funds marked for climate change mitigation would be used to encourage c...

by Barbara Haya | On 01 Mar 2012

Working of Livestock Exchange Markets in Rajasthan

Livestock sector is an integral part of India’s agriculture and an important part of the whole economy with reference to employment, income and earning of foreign exchange for the country. The growth...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | 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

Subsidizing the National Food Authority: Is It a Good Policy?

National Food Authority's (NFA) twin mandate of price stabilization and food security has cost the government billions of pesos in losses over the past few decades. As such, there is a need to ...

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 28 Feb 2012

Wastewater Irrigation, Heavy Metals and the Profitability of Rice Cultivation – Investigating the East Calcutta Wetlands in India

In India, as in many developing countries, wastewater is often used to irrigate crops. This undoubtedly helps to recycle useful nutrients through the food chain, but, as there can be toxic chemicals...

by Vivekananda Mukherjee | On 27 Feb 2012

Sri Lanka Budget Speech 2012

Budget speech 2012.

by Mahinda Rajapaksa | On 24 Feb 2012

Study on Impact of Micro Finance in Reduction of Domestic Violence Against Women

The main objective of the study is to investigate whether there is any evidence to support the view that the disbursement of micro finance to women reduces the incidence of domestic violence, and if...

by Institute of Social Studies Trust ISST | On 23 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

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

From REDD to Green: A Global Incentive System to Stop Tropical Forest Clearing

A prototype incentive system is developed for promoting rapid reduction of forest clearing in tropical countries. The proposed Tropical Forest Protection Fund (TFPF) is a cash-on-delivery system that...

by David Wheeler | On 09 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

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

More and Better Jobs in South Asia

This report investigates how more and better jobs can be created in South Asia. It does so for two reasons. First, this region will contribute nearly 40 percent of the growth in the world’s workin...

by Reema Nayar | On 30 Jan 2012

India’s Food Security Bill: A Waste or Win for the Hungry?

Home to over 25 per cent of the world’s hungry poor, India faces major food security challenges and the situation has barely improved in two decades. Will the National Food Security Bill that the Indi...

by Sally Trethewie | On 27 Jan 2012

Stop the 'Chindia' talk

While studying the economic growth of the two rising giants of Asia (India and China) it is seen that India is far behind China in many aspects. URL:[http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/t-n-ni...

by T.N. Ninan | On 23 Jan 2012

Inefficiency and Abuse of Compulsory Land Acquisition: An Enquiry into the Way Forward

This paper focuses on two issues: the problems with the compulsory acquisition of land, and the regulatory and institutional impediments that obstruct voluntary land transactions. It is argued that an...

by Ram Singh | On 19 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

State Focus Paper 2012-13: Karnataka

The State Focus Paper (SFP) consolidates the PLPs of all the 30 districts and highlights the potential for flow of credit to various sectors in agriculture and rural development. The credit potential...

by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Devt NABARD | On 06 Jan 2012

Can the Bill Bring Desired Outcomes?

The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill (LARR) is considered to be a flawed piece of legislation. An alternative method based on auction based pricing mechanism is suggested here.

by Maitreesh Ghatak | On 05 Jan 2012

An Adaptive Probabilistic Model for Broadcasting in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Ad hoc peer-to-peer mobile phone networks (phone MANETs) enable cheap village level telephony for cash-strapped, off-the-grid communities. Broadcasting is a fundamental operation in such manets and...

by Kavitha Ranganathan | On 04 Jan 2012

Twenty Years of CRC: A Balance Sheet- Volume 1

The report is a rich source with qualitative and quantitative data on the status of children in India from authentic and established sources. [HAQCRC report]. URL:[http://www.haqcrc.org/sites/default/...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 28 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

Redifining Food Security in the Face of Foreign Land Investors: The Philippine Case

This paper proposes to redefine food security in terms of protecting vulnerable populations from the structural violence of involuntary hunger. [NTS-Asia Research Paper No.6]. URL:[http://www.rsis.edu...

by Ben Shepherd | On 23 Dec 2011

High Level Expert Group Report on Universal Health Coverage for India

The recommendations that follow take cognizance of the extraordinary opportunities that India offers – and the possibility for India to take a lead in introducing a well-designed UHC system that i...

by Planning Commission | On 15 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

Toxicity and Profitability of Rice Cultivation under Waste- Water Irrigation: The Case of the East Calcutta Wetlands

The paper reports the results of an empirical study on the profitability of rice cultivation in the East Calcutta Wetlands region where untreated sewage water from the city of Calcutta, India, is us...

by Vivekananda Mukherjee | On 13 Dec 2011

National Urban Transport Policy

The objective of this policy is to ensure safe, affordable, quick, comfortable, reliable and sustainable access for the growing number of city residents to jobs, education, recreation and such other...

by Ministry of Urban Development GOI | On 30 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

Wrong Climate for Big Dams: Destroying Rivers will Worsen Climate Change

P roponents of large dams, hoping to capitalize on concern for climate change, are promoting a major expansion of large dams in developing countries. Yet large dams are highly vulnerable to climate ch...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 24 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

India’s Agricultural Development under the New Economic Regime: Policy Perspective and Strategy for the 12th Five Year Plan

The Eleventh Plan, which had attempted to reverse deceleration of agricultural growth during the Ninth and Tenth Plan, had some success in as foodgrains production has touched a new peak of 241.56 m...

by Vijay Paul Sharma | On 17 Nov 2011

Financing Infrastructure for Connectivity: Policy Implications for Asia

This paper discusses Asia’s infrastructure needs and its corresponding financing needs and challenges. It proposes ways to address financing gaps by identifying potential financing sources and instr...

by Biswa Nath Bhattacharyay | On 09 Nov 2011

Coordination Under Uncertain Conditions: An Analysis of the Fukushima Catastrophe

This paper analyzes the impacts of the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, which were amplified by a failure of coordination across the plant, corporate...

by Masahiko Aoki | On 03 Nov 2011

Agriculture, Food, and Water Nanotechnologies for the Poor: Opportunities and Constraints

This brief presents a review of the potential opportunities and challenges of using nanotech applications for agriculture, food, and water in developing countries. [IFPRI Policy Brief 19]. URL:[http...

by Guillaume Gruère | On 01 Nov 2011

Relation between Population, Gender and Reproductive Health

Review of the book 'Population, Gender and Reproductive Health'. F Ram, Sayeed Unisa and T V Sekher (eds.), Rawat publications, 2011, 416 pp, Rs 925

by K.S. James | On 20 Oct 2011

Size-class and Returns to Cultivation in India: A Cold Case Reopened

This paper investigates the relationship between returns to cultivation per hectare and size-class of land cultivated in India, using unit level data from the 59th round National Sample Survey, 2003....

by Sarthak Gaurav | On 18 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

National Telecom Policy-2011 (NTP-2011)

NTP-2011 has the vision Broadband on Demand and envisages leveraging telecom infrastructure to enable all citizens and businesses, both in rural and urban landscape, to participate in the Internet and...

by Ministry of Communication & Information Technology GOI | On 13 Oct 2011

Localization, Globalization and Networks of foreign Subsidiaries

This research is about multinational enterprises (MNEs) and their subsidiaries abroad. The specific focus of the research is on the foreign subsidiaries? local embeddedness, global integration and m...

by Filip De Beule | On 10 Oct 2011

One Hundred years of Economic Change in Bengal: Re-visiting the Economic Life of a Bengal District

Through the use of secondary data, field visits and focus group discussions, this study explores the dynamics of the evolution of the economic life in Greater Faridpur over the last 100d years (1910-2...

by Selim Raihan | On 04 Oct 2011

ASEAN Auto Market Growing in the Shadow of China and India

The automobile industry in the ASEAN countries has expanded rapidly over the last few years. The growth potential of the ASEAN auto market and its now very major absolute importance for the industr...

by Eric Heymann | On 03 Oct 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

Global Production Networks in Electronics and Intra-Asian Trade

The growth of East Asia’s intra-regional trade is driven largely by increased component trade within global electronics production networks. Data on both electronics trade and production elucidate a...

by Byron Gangnes | On 29 Sep 2011

Valuing the Recreational Uses of Pakistan’s Wetlands: An Application of the Travel Cost Method

This study applies a single-site truncated count data travel cost model in order to estimate the value visitors place on recreation in Keenjhar. The recreational use value associated with Keenjhar...

by Ali Dehlavi | On 27 Sep 2011

Pesticide Applications in Bt Cotton Farms: Issues Relating to Environment and Non-Tariff Barriers

This paper is undertaken to examine various aspects of farm level adoption of Bt cotton in Gujarat as well as explore issues relating to environment and non-tariff barriers affecting the cotton trade...

by N. Lalitha | 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

Does the System of Rice Intensification Outperform Conventional System? A Case Study of Gujarat

The paper examines the farm level performance of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of paddy cultivation as against the traditional method. The role of NGOs in raising awareness among farmers...

by Jharna Pathak | 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

History of Monetary Policy in India since Independence

An SIIO paradigm, based on structure and ideas that become engraved in institutions and affect outcomes, is developed to examine and assesses monetary policy in India after independence. Narrative h...

by Ashima Goyal | On 16 Sep 2011

Agrofuels – A Boost of Energy for the Mekong Region?

This background paper seeks to brief readers on the extent of the development, production and consumption of agrofuels, particularly liquid fuels for transport, in the Mekong region. The area of focu...

by Rebeca Leonard | On 12 Sep 2011

The Land Acquisition Bill: A Critique and a Proposal

The new Bill on land acquisition recently tabled in Parliament is well intentioned but seriously flawed. Its principal defect is that it attaches an arbitrary mark-up to the historical market price to...

by Maitreesh Ghatak | On 12 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

The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011

A bill to ensure a humane, participatory, informed consultative and transparent process for land acquisition for industrialisation, development of essential infrastructural facilities and urbanisa...

by Parliamentary Research Service PRS | On 08 Sep 2011

Research Study on Role of Tribal Women Wage Earner in Ensuring Family Food Security in Scheduled Areas of Rajasthan in Changing Environmental and Economic Scenario

The project aimed to find the reasons for bottlenecks in the present system that deprive the tribal community of the benefit of schemes. Five villages from each block have been selected to make tot...

by Maharana Pratap Adhyayan Evam Jan Kalyan Sansthan Jaipur | On 02 Sep 2011

The Seed and Agricultural Biotechnology Industries in India: An Analysis of Industry Structure, Competition, and Policy Options

This paper examines the structure of India’s cereal seed and agbiotech industries, its potential effects on innovation and social welfare, and the policies that may improve both industry performance a...

by David J Spielman | On 31 Aug 2011

Agricultural Practice and its Relation to Poverty and Food Security in Selected River Basins in Bangladesh: A Situation Analysis

Poverty and food security in the context of Bangladesh has become a major concern over time. While efforts have been intensified to increase crop yield through increased land use, using inorganic fe...

by Shyamal C Ghosh | On 30 Aug 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

The Gender Implications of Large-Scale Land Deals

Whether viewed as “land grabs” or as agricultural investment for development, large-scale land deals by investors in developing countries are generating considerable attention. However, investors,...

by Julia Behrman | On 29 Aug 2011

Agriculture’s Role in the Indian Enigma: Help or Hindrance to the Undernutrition Crisis?

In this paper agriculture’s role in the Indian enigma is reassessed by exploring two key pathways, an income–consumption pathway and an employment–time use pathway, linking agricultural conditions to...

by Derek Headey | On 29 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

The Costs of Achieving the Millennium Development Goals through Adopting Organic Agriculture

This paper provides estimates of the costs of organic agriculture (OA) programs, and sets them in the context of the costs of attaining the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It anal...

by Anil Markandya | On 19 Aug 2011

Urbanization in India: Evidence on Agglomeration Economies

The paper examines the urbanization pattern with context of India. The paper deals with various demographic aspects of urbanization. Also the paper focuses on characteristics and classes of cities, an...

by Arup Mitra | 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

Fertilizing Nature: A Tragedy of Excess in the Commons

Globally, we are applying excessive nitrogen (N) fertilizers to our agricultural crops, which ultimately causes nitrogen pollution to our ecosphere. The atmosphere is polluted by N2O and NOx gas...

by Allen G Good | On 17 Aug 2011

Identifying Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs)

In this study the analytical framework for identifying and benchmarking systemically important financial institutions is discussed. First, the main concepts underlying the SIFI definition are laid out...

by Christian Weistroffer | On 12 Aug 2011

Bond Market Development in Asia: An Empirical Analysis of Major Determinants

This study attempts to identity the major determinants of bond market development in Asian economies, through examining its relationship with selected key financial and economic factors, and to provid...

by Biswa Nath Bhattacharyay | On 10 Aug 2011

The Draft National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011

The draft Bill puts in place a new institutional mechanism to ensure that the Rehabilition and Resettlement (R&R) provisions are implemented effectively as an integral part of land acquisition.

by Ministry of Rural Development GOI | On 10 Aug 2011

High-Value Agriculture in India: Past Trends and Future Prospects

Given the declining share of traditional agricultural commodities in production, consumption and trade, horticulture and other non-traditional high-value agriculture represent an important area of p...

by Vijay Paul Sharma | On 09 Aug 2011

Audit Report on XIXth Common Wealth Games 2010

The current audit builds on the recommendations of the Stuy Report of 2009. It covers the period of May 2003 to December 2010 after the conclusion of the Games. It also covers hosting of the Games dev...

by Parliamentary Research Service PRS | On 09 Aug 2011

Distress Situation in Dryland Areas Impacts on Livelihood Pattern and the Coping Strategies: A Review

This paper is a review of the different coping mechanisms adopted by the households in different dryland area of India. The primary focus of the present paper is to understand the coping mechanisms...

by Nikhil Govind | On 05 Aug 2011

Chronic Poverty in South West Madhya Pradesh: A Multidimensional Analysis of its Extent and Causes

The structuralist perspective envisages poverty, especially in rural India, as a long duration phenomenon. Over time, most of the structural features of poverty have remained more or less intact. As a...

by Amita Shah | On 02 Aug 2011

Enhancing Women Empowerment through Information and Communication Technology: A Report

Information and Communication Technology (ICT’s) bring lot of opportunities to women in the work situations and small business. Teleporting, flexi time and work from home arrangements are some of t...

by Government of India Ministry of Women and Child Development | On 29 Jul 2011

Health Care Systems and Conflict: A Fragile State of Affairs

Health care systems are necessary in all countries, the importance of strong health care systems to fragile nations, and the damage done to these systems during conflict, receive less attention t...

by PLoS Medicine Editors | 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

Proposals of Working Group for Consideration of NAC-II: Suggestions for Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill 2009 and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill, 2009

Land acquisition and involuntary displacement continue to result in great distress and resistance – and often violence – in many parts of the country. NAC-I had reflected carefully on these issues, an...

by National Advisory Council NAC | On 26 Jul 2011

Consultation Paper on Mobile Value Added Services

TRAI has initiated this consultation paper suo-motu focusing on future looking regulatory framework for provisioning of Mobile Value Added Services. URL:[http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/trai/uplo...

by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) | On 26 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

India's Drylands and Emerging Challenges

In order to tackle the issues of desertification, land degradation and droughts, 22 major programmes are being implemented in the country, including, the “Mission for Green India”, one of the Missio...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 21 Jun 2011

The Global AIDS Transition

This landmark essay proposes a new paradigm for combating AIDS and a new objective around which international donors and recipient governments can coordinate their efforts. CGD senior fellow Mead Over...

by Mead Over | On 20 Jun 2011

Evolution of Land Distribution in West Bengal 1967-2004

This paper uses data from a household survey to estimate changes in land distribution in rural West Bengal between 1967-2004 and decompose these into contributions of different factors. There was a...

by Pranab Bardhan | On 09 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

Beyond Aid: Migration as a Tool for Disaster Recovery

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes can devastate people’s lives and a country’s economy, particularly in the developing world.This policy brief explores the various legal ch...

by Michael Clemens | On 07 Jun 2011

Procedural Changes Required for Making Local Self Government's Role Effective in Rural Housing in Kerela

This study analyses the implementation of housing schemes for the poor through the Panchayats in Kasargod District of Kerala. It brings to light the severity of the housing problem in this part of t...

by Centre for Development Studies | On 06 Jun 2011

Analysis of Technical Options for Mitigating Environmental Emissions from the Urban Transport System in Selected Asian Countries: Case Study of Delhi and Mumbai

India has been facing rapid urbanization. There is a two-fold increase in urban population during 1971-2001, registering a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8%. Among all the problems caus...

by Sudhakar Yedla | On 03 Jun 2011

Impact of Dry land Salinity on Agriculture and Drinking Water: A Study from the Coastal Gujarat

The present paper is a study of the impact of salinity ingress on the rural households in the coastal regions of Gujarat. The paper throws up some important insights which appear policy relevant.

by Jyothis Sathyapalan | On 02 Jun 2011

China’s Housing Markets: Regulatory Interventions Mitigate Risk of Severe Bust

A closer look at the developments in 35 cities across China, looking for potential regional real estate bubbles. An assessment is done about the success of the various policies and their potential n...

by Ulrich Clemens | On 02 Jun 2011

Community Forestry in Nepal Management Rules and Distribution of Benefits

In the last decade, far reaching policy reforms in Nepal have allowed local communities to regain control over the management of vast tracts of lands. Community forestry is widely believed to be a maj...

by Bhim Adhikari | On 01 Jun 2011

Thailand’s Development Strategy and Growth Performance

Thailand’s development strategy has been strongly market-oriented and open to trade and investment flows with the rest of the world. Since the late 1950s, its growth performance has been outstanding...

by Peter Warr | On 31 May 2011

Leasing of Degraded Forest Lands

One of the most critical aspects of information about non-forest wastelands pertains to ownership. Not all may be owned by Government. In addition to uncultivated lands which were historically part...

by Planning Commission | On 27 May 2011

Infrastructure Investment in Rural China: Is Quality Being Compromised during Quantity Expansion?

Good public infrastructure management means more than increasing the quantity of infrastructure stocks; it also involves improving the quality of infrastructure. This study seeks to document the...

by Chengfang Liu | On 25 May 2011

Hedonic Demand for Rented House in Kohima, Nagaland

The objective of this study is to show how the demand for a rentable house can be quantitatively expressed. The data set is obtained by a primary (sample) survey of 209 households randomly selecte...

by S.K. Mishra | On 18 May 2011

Guidelines for National Lake Conservation Plan

Lakes are an important feature of the Earth’s landscape. They are not only a significant source of precious water, but often provide valuable habitats to plants and animals, moderate the hydrologica...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests | On 11 May 2011

Infrastructure in the North Eastern Region of India

Depending upon the criterion of ownership (whether private or public/social), infrastructure may be classified into: (i) social infrastructure or social overhead capital and (ii) private infrastru...

by S.K. Mishra | On 11 May 2011

Trafficking of Women into Hong Kong for the Purpose of Prostitution: Preliminary Research Findings

The trafficking of women for the purposes of prostitution into certain parts of Asia, in particular into Thailand, India and Japan, is now relatively well-documented. However, there is very little in...

by Robyn Emerton | On 11 May 2011

Socio-economic Exclusion of Different Religious Communities in Meghalaya

Meghalaya is one of the prosperous states in the North Eastern region of India. Before Meghalaya was separated from Assam in the early 1970’s, its leading city, Shillong, was the capital of the er...

by S.K. Mishra | On 10 May 2011

Report of the Task Force on Plantations Sector

Today there is no credible alternative facility available to a grower to meet the risks of price movements and the art of price risk management is unknown to the small growers. (In this entire report,...

by Ministry of Commerce and Industry GOI | On 02 May 2011

Issues for Approach to the 12th Five Year Plan

GDP growth likely to average 8.2 per cent over 11th Plan: short of the 9% target, but remarkable given the global crisis and drought. Basic objective : Faster, More Inclusive, and Sustainable Growth ...

by Planning Commission | On 25 Apr 2011

Local Knowledge and Agricultural Sustainability: A Case Study of Pradhan Tribe in Adilabad District

The paper presents some empirical data from the Pradhan Tribe of Andhra Pradesh which highlights the community's indigenous agricultural knowledge and the changes over time. These custodians of indi...

by Anil Kumar K | On 25 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

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

Are Private Defensive Expenditures against Storm Damages Affected by Public Programs and Natural Barriers? Evidence from the Coastal Areas of Bangladesh

This paper introduces a theoretical model combining household production with an endogenous risk framework in order to understand how ex-ante private spending by coastal households would evolve agai...

by Sakib Mahmud | On 01 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

Socio-Economic and Ecological Benefits of Mangrove Plantation: A Study of Community Based Mangrove Restoration Activities in Gujarat

A comprehensive assessment of the multiple benefits of mangrove ecosystems and their restoration efforts in Gujarat is made. The study is important and contextual as there are very limited empirical...

by P.K. Viswanathan | On 29 Mar 2011

Was Tsunami Aid Well Targeted? An Examination of Disaster Assistance in Sri Lanka

As countries in South Asia ready themselves for climate change and the possibility of increased frequency in natural disasters, it is useful to understand how well post disaster operations work to...

by South Asian Network for Development SANDEE | On 28 Mar 2011

A Veteran's Asia Reflections

The report reflects on a wealth of impressions from the emerging continent. Political and economic developments from the Hindukush to Japan are assessed and put into a global context. The issues addre...

by Norbert Walter | On 22 Mar 2011

Role of Critical Infrastructure and Incentives in the Commercialisation of Biotechnology in India: An Analysis

Commercialization is a process by which the new knowledge is converted to products and services of commercial value. The model for commercialization of biotechnology is not a linear one. Due to emer...

by S. Visalakshi | On 18 Mar 2011

Political Economy of Tribal Development: A Case Study of Andhra Pradesh

The paper delineates the situation of the Scheduled Tribes in the background of various policies of the state during the successive plan periods and its impact on their socio-economic mobility. Pol...

by M. Gopinath Reddy | On 16 Mar 2011

Overview of PRC in East Asian Trade

PRC’s economic emergence over the last two decades, and in particular its recent WTO accession initiative, portend a dramatically changed landscape of East Asian trade. This has aroused concern arou...

by David Roland Holst | On 15 Mar 2011

The Global Impact of the Southern Engines of Growth: China, India, Brazil and South Africa

This Policy Brief focuses on links between the developing countries of Brazil, India, China and South Africa and the global economy, with a special emphasis on the implications of China’s spectacular...

by Amelia U. Santos Paulino | 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

Women Safety in Delhi

This study focuses on the nature of safety violence in Delhi, the perceptions of safety among women and men, infrastructure to redress their causes and their outcomes. URL: [http://wcd.nic.in/].

by Society for Development Studies | On 08 Mar 2011

Ground Water Pollution and Emerging Environmental Challenges of Industrial Effluent Irrigation: A Case Study of Mettupalayam Taluk, Tamilnadu

Industrial disposal of effluents on land and subsequent pollution of groundwater and soil of surrounding farmlands – is a relatively new area of research. Environmental and socio-economic aspects of i...

by Sacchidananda Mukherjee | On 08 Mar 2011

Indian Railway Budget 2011-12

Railway Budget 2011-12.

by Mamata Banerjee | On 25 Feb 2011

Review of the Economy 2010/11

The Economic Advisory Council in its review of the economy has predicted a continued high growth but has suggested steps to sustain this growth, chief among them:Containing inflation by focusing both...

by C. Rangarajan | On 21 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

Mixed Duopoly and Environment

They show under general demand and cost conditions that in a mixed duopoly with pollution the government can (and will) implement the socially optimal outputs and abatements by a tax-subsidy scheme...

by Rupayan Pal | On 16 Feb 2011

Evolving Regional Financial Architecture in East Asia

Ten years have passed since the Asian financial crisis that devastated not only the currency values and the financial systems of Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand, but also t...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 16 Feb 2011

Infrastructure and Asia’s Trade Costs

Infrastructure services play a significant role in trade costs by reducing distribution margins, lowering prices, and raising consumer welfare. They also lower transaction costs, add value, and inc...

by Douglas H. Brooks | On 11 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

Quantifying Vulnerability to Climate Change: Implications for Adaptation Assistance

The effects of climate change have been and will be worse in poor countries and small-island states, those least able to adapt to the climate-related disasters. In this paper, senior fellow David Whee...

by David Wheeler | On 01 Feb 2011

Before the Deluge: Coping with Floods in a Changing Climate

Improving our ability to cope with floods under current and future climates requires adopting a more sophisticated set of techniques -- the "soft path" of flood risk management, which aims to understa...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 31 Jan 2011

Estimation of the Affordability, of Land for Housing Purpo Lucknow City, Uttar Pradesh (India): 1970-1990

It is in the early 1990s that we come across studies on some Third World cities that have begun to address the question of land affordability for housing purposes in greater details than what have bee...

by ., Amitabh | On 28 Jan 2011

Cost-benefit Analysis of CFPR

This paper presents a cost-benefit analysis of the first cohort (2002-03) of selected ultra poor (SUP) households of BRAC’s CFPR. The analysis calculates benefit of the programme using primary data...

by Sanjay Sinha | On 20 Jan 2011

Economic Reforms and Infrastructure Spending: Evidence from China and India

This paper examines the country specific effect of policy reform on infrastructure spending in China and India. In China we have examined how marketization and decentralization has affected the co...

by Pinaki Chakraborty | On 10 Jan 2011

To Develop or to Conserve? The Case of the Diyawanna Oya Wetlands in Sri Lanka

The Diyawanna Oya wetland ecosystem has proven to be an important recreational site in the greater Colombo area in the face of the growing demand for urban recreational amenities. It provides a wide s...

by Thusita Dilhani Marawila | On 06 Jan 2011

Microcredit Programmes: Who Participates And To That Extent?

Land ceilings, occupational criteria and asset valuations are commonly used for targeting purposes by credit agencies aiming to direct resources to the rural poor. However a mixture of demand and sup...

by Hassan Zaman | On 28 Dec 2010

The Political Economy of Urban Poverty in Developing Countries: Theories, Issues, and an Agenda for Research

The implications of urban development for overall economic prosperity are well known. Employment, housing, policing, infrastructure and social policies in cities have been shaped and institutionalized...

by Raj M. Desai | On 21 Dec 2010

Size Matters: The Impact of Aid on Institutions

This paper proposes that aid flowing to smaller (less populous) countries has a negative impact on the quality of institutions in terms of performance and policy as opposed to that flowing to larg...

by Chakriya Bowman | On 20 Dec 2010

Access to Utilities by the Poor

This paper presents a global perspective on infrastructure coverage and the poor that many people will think they have seen before but they have not. In this paper they introduce a new data source for...

by Kristin Komives | On 08 Dec 2010

'Slippage': The Bane of Rural Drinking Water Sector (A Study of Extent and Causes in Andhra Pradesh)

Slippage is one of the main bottlenecks of achieving full coverage of water and sanitation services in India. This paper makes an attempt to identify the causes of slippage in a systematic manner. T...

by V. Ratna Reddy | On 02 Dec 2010

Getting Infrastructure Priorities Right in Post-Conflict Reconstruction

In this paper, an attempt is made to identify some key challenges for infrastructure sectors in post-conflict reconstruction. In spite of the Hague and Geneva Conventions, infrastructure can be da...

by P. B. Anand | On 01 Dec 2010

Thailand’s Commercial Banks’ Role in Financing Dams in Laos and the Case for Sustainable Banking

This paper puts forward the case for Thailand’s commercial banks to move towards more sustainable banking practices that proactively contribute towards socially and environmentally sustainable and j...

by Carl Middleton | On 25 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

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

Does Partial Privatization Improve the Environment?

This paper shows that, in case of differentiated products mixed duopoly, environmental damage increases (decreases) with the level of privatization, if the level of privatization is less (more) than ...

by Rupayan Pal | On 03 Nov 2010

Skills, Informality and Development

This paper makes an attempt to estimate the index of informal sector employment which can be attributed to the supply-push phenomenon. Factors which explain the inter-state variations include the...

by Dibyendu S. Maiti | On 02 Nov 2010

Regional Cooperation, Infrastructure, and Trade Costs in Asia

International trade has played an essential role in Asia’s remarkable growth, development, and integration in recent decades. Infrastructure, both hard and soft, has played an integral part in facil...

by Douglas H. Brooks | On 28 Oct 2010

Linking Asia’s Trade, Logistics, and Infrastructure

Infrastructure services, from both hard and soft infrastructure, play a vital role in facilitating Asia’s export-led growth by keeping the prices of delivered goods in export markets competitive. Ef...

by Douglas H. Brooks | On 28 Oct 2010

Global Determinants of Stress and Risk in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Infrastructure

This study analyzes the determinants of stress in public-private partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure investment. While project failures seldom occur, there are many stresses that hinder success. O...

by Renato E. Reside, Jr. | On 27 Oct 2010

Accelerating Economic Growth and Reducing Poverty: The Road Ahead

It outlines the broad framework and the strategy for poverty reduction based on four pillars: (a) accelerating economic growth while maintaining the macroeconomic stability; (b) improving the govern...

by Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, | On 19 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

Emerging Market Economies Leading Global Growth

The three issues laid out in today’s agenda are particularly relevant at this juncture and how we answer them in the months ahead will determine how the world regains and then sustains economic grow...

by Duvvuri Subbarao | On 18 Oct 2010

A Macro Policy for Poverty Eradication through Structural Change

This paper argues that poverty originates in the structural injustices of a social order which incapacitates the poor from participating in the growth generating sectors of the economy and leaves th...

by Rehman Sobhan | On 13 Oct 2010

Critical Evaluation of Cross-Border Infrastructure Projects in Asia

This paper attempts to fill gaps faced by policymakers and practitioners in the evaluation of cross-border infrastructure projects. It first defines what constitutes cross-border infrastructure projec...

by Manabu Fujimura | On 07 Oct 2010

Tackling Water Scarcity in Bangladesh – A Lesson from the Country’s Rice Fields

In many parts of Bangladesh water scarcity is a seasonal problem. An assessment is done to understand whether water is being used efficiently for the cultivation of one of the most important food c...

by Nasima Tanveer Chowdhury | On 05 Oct 2010

Assessing Socioeconomic Impacts of Transport Infrastructure Projects in the Greater Mekong Subregion

This study attempts to quantify the links between infrastructure investment and poverty reduction using a multi-region general equilibrium model, supplemented with household survey data for the Greate...

by Susan Stone | On 05 Oct 2010

Asia’s Role in the Global Financial Architecture

The global economic and financial landscape has been transformed over the past decade by the growing economic size and financial power of emerging economies. The new G20 summit process, which includes...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 05 Oct 2010

Trends in National and Regional Investors Financing Crossborder Infrastructure Projects in Asia

This study examines a range of crossborder infrastructure development issues related to the Asian countries. Despite active pursuit of private investment in infrastructure by most developing count...

by Prabir De | On 01 Oct 2010

Public Debt Management in Sri Lanka-Performance in 2009 and Strategies for 2010 and Beyond

The information included in this publication covers the public debt management strategies adopted in 2009, the movements in debt stock during the year and the related costs and risks and the primar...

by Central Bank of SriLanka CBSL | On 30 Sep 2010

Estimating Demand for Infrastructure in Energy, Transport, Telecommunications, Water and Sanitation in Asia and the Pacific: 2010-2020

This paper estimates the need for infrastructure investment, including energy, transport, telecommunications, water, and sanitation during 2010-2020, in order to meet growing demands for services and...

by Biswa Nath Bhattacharyay | On 27 Sep 2010

Supply Responses in the Livestock Economy of Kerala

The quantitative and qualitative changes taking place in livestock population over the years would be due to the changes in demand for livestock products. The changes in lives...

by K. Narayanan Nair | On 16 Sep 2010

Feeding Southeast Asia: Mekong River Fisheries and Regional Food Security

This paper reviews the available literature that links regional food security to the Mekong River’s wild capture fisheries, and argues for recognition of the existing contribution that the fisheries...

by Brooke Peterson | On 08 Sep 2010

ICTs and Urban Microenterprises: Identifying and Maximizing Opportunities for Economic Development

The research reported here was guided by three questions: (1) What are the current and potential patterns of mobile phone, landline, PC, and Internet café use among urban microentrepreneurs? (2) Are m...

by Vigneswara Ilavarasan | On 06 Sep 2010

History Institutions and Economic Performance: The Legacy of Colonial Land Tenure Systems in India

This paper analyze the colonial institutions set up by the British to collect land revenue in India, and show that differences in historical property rights institutions lead to sustained differences...

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 03 Sep 2010

Natural Resources and Chronic Poverty in India: A Review of Issues and Evidence

Natural resources perform multiple functions as a driver, maintainer, potential exit route, and also an effective escape mechanism in the context of poverty dynamics, especially in a predominantly agr...

by Amita Shah | On 17 Aug 2010

Chinese Mercantilism: Currency Wars and How the East was Lost

The world changed on July 2, 1997 when Thailand floated the baht. Explanations abound on the origins of the crisis - indeed it is a growth industry. This study is part of that explosion. It has seve...

by Surjit S. Bhalla | On 10 Aug 2010

Encouraging Cooperation in Ad-hoc Mobile-Phone Mesh Networks for Rural Connectivity

This paper proposes a rating based scheme for encouraging user participation in adhoc mobile phone mesh networks. These networks are particularly attractive for remote/rural areas in developing coun...

by Kavitha Ranganathan | On 06 Aug 2010

Roof above the head - A qualitative assessment of rural housing in India

This paper is based on a set of village visits carried out by the authors as part of a study on rural housing sponsored by Holcim Limited. The views expressed here are those of the authors. [Working...

by Shashanka Bhide | On 03 Aug 2010

Radio drug advertisement situation and regulation in Thailand

Drug consumption in Thailand is high in comparison with other countries. A key factor influencing this over consumption is advertising. Radio is the media that can easily reach a lot of people, in...

by Tanattha Kittisopee | On 23 Jul 2010

Quantifying the Impact of Chikungunya and Dengue on Tourism Revenues

Health economists have traditionally quantified the burden of vector-borne diseases (such as chikungunya and dengue) as the sum of the cost of illness and the cost of intervention programmes. The obje...

by Dileep V. Mavalankar | On 21 Jul 2010

Implications Of The Economic Rise Of The PRC For Asean and India: Trade and Foreign Direct Investment

An important and vigorous policy debate ongoing in Asia concerns the impact of the economic rise of the PRC on the rest of the region. This paper examines the relative performances of the PRC, selec...

by Sadhana Srivastava | On 20 Jul 2010

Institutions for Asian Connectivity

To make Asia more economically sustainable and resilient against external shocks, regional economies need to be rebalanced toward regional demand- and trade-driven growth through increased regional co...

by Biswa N Bhattacharyay | On 09 Jul 2010

Assessing the Economic Vulnerability of Small Island Developing States and the Least Developed Countries

Macro vulnerability of the small island developing states (SIDS) as well as of least developed countries (LDCs) has been an increasing concern for the international community. This concern has led...

by Patrick Guillaumont | On 30 Jun 2010

The Benefits of Regional Infrastructure Investment in Asia: A Quantitative Exploration

Capitalizing on recent estimates of infrastructure financing requirements in Asia, this paper frames a scenario for infrastructure development in the region and estimates the external effects of infra...

by Fan Zhai | On 30 Jun 2010

The Question of Land and Infrastructure Development in India: Urgently Required Reforms for Fairness and Infrastructural Development

In this paper an analytical critique of the law and restrictions as also of the framework of urban planning and a justification for why major change is required in the approach to land markets, lan...

by Sebastian Morris | On 29 Jun 2010

How Long Can The G20 old Itself Together?A Power Analysis

Since its emergence before the Cancun Ministerial in September 2003, the Group of 20 developing countries (which includes South Africa, India, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Pakistan) has become an im...

by Prabhash Ranjan | On 21 Jun 2010

The Currency and Financial Crisis in Southeast Asia: A Case of 'Sudden Death' or Death Foretold'?

Almost all existing studies on the causes, consequences and policy implications of the economic and financial crisis faced by East Asia have provided only a cursory discussion of broad data at best,...

by Ramkishen Rajan | 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

Public Works Department Delhi Government

Public Works Department is engaged in planning, designing, construction and maintenance of government assets in the field of built environment and infrastructure development. This paper talks about...

by Sabith Ullah Khan | 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

Quantifying Transport, Regulatory and Other Costs of India-Bangladesh Trade, Transaction Cost, and Corruption

The present study shows that informal barriers/para-tariff in India-Bangladesh trade are already high and further trade liberalisation without improving the infrastructure and reducing corruption woul...

by Samantak Das | On 14 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

Urban Governance and Finance in India

Over 330 million people live in India’s cities; 35 cities have a population of over a million and three (Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata) of the 10 largest metropolises in the world are in India. India’s...

by M. Govinda Rao | 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

Commonwealth Games 2010: Displacement of Persons

This research paper analyses Government policy with regard to Jhuggi-Jhopri clusters- a particular type of housing present in Delhi. These colonies are perceived to be illegal by the Government. Wit...

by Eshaan Puri | On 13 Apr 2010

Vulnerability and Coping to Disasters: A Study of Household Behaviour in Flood Prone Region of India

This paper attempts to understand the various risks faced by households living in disaster prone regions of rural India and specifically examine the effectiveness of coping mechanisms adopted by ho...

by Unmesh Patnaik | On 12 Apr 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

Drivers of Inequality in Millennium Development Goal Progress: A Statistical Analysis

It is examined whether differential progress towards health MDGs was associated with economic development, public health funding (both overall and as percentage of available domestic funds), or health...

by David Stuckler | On 08 Apr 2010

North East: Fallen off the Media Map?

Report from the 11th Media Dialogue ’North East: Fallen off the Media Map? or Why Does the Media Give so Lettle Space to this Vast Region?

by Shambhu Ghatak | On 07 Apr 2010

The Impact of the Commonwealth Games 2010 on Urban Development of Delhi -An Analysis with a Historical Perspective from Worldwide Experiences and the 1982 Asian Games

The paper raises some hard questions that need to be answered before one can conclude that events such as Common Wealth Games has a positive effect on the host community. Can the financial requirement...

by Vinayak Uppal | On 23 Mar 2010

The Impact of Slum Resettlement on Urban Integration in Mumbai: The Case of the Chandivali Project

The paper studies the socio-economic impact of the shift of slum dwellers to new rehabilitation site of Chandivali. It also discuses the issue of availability and choice of employment as a key driver...

by Damien Vaquier | On 18 Feb 2010

Nuclear Deterrence in Second Tier Nuclear Weapon States: A Case Study of India

The study examines the manner in which India is engaged in constructing a credible and stable deterrence relationship with two of its nuclear armed adversaries, Pakistan and China with an arsenal mu...

by Manpreet Sethi | On 16 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

Can Mangroves Minimize Property Loss during Big Storms? An Analysis of House Damage due to the Super Cyclone in Orissa

This paper estimates the storm protection benefits due to mangroves during the super cyclone of 1999 in Orissa. By combining GIS data with census information, the paper examines the mangrove mediate...

by Saudamini Das | On 25 Jan 2010

Cuba: A Country Profile on Sustainable Energy Development

A concise overview of the energy related aspects of sustainable development programmes and declarations, followed by a short summary of events and documents explicitly devoted to energy matters are gi...

by International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA | On 25 Jan 2010

Productivity of Pesticides in Vegetable Farming in Nepal

This paper examines the effectiveness of damage control mechanisms to reduce crop losses from agricultural pests. It uses data from a sample of Cole crop (Cauliflower and Cabbage) growing households...

by Ratna Kumar Jha | On 22 Jan 2010

Market-Based Approaches to Environmental Management: A Review of Lessons from Payment for Environmental Services in Asia

Market-based approaches to environmental management, such as payment for environmental services (PES), have attracted unprecedented attention during the past decade. PES policies, in particular, hav...

by Bhim Adhikari | On 20 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

Contract Farming in Thailand: A View from the Farm

The study presents an initial assessment of the situation and to raise the main issues in terms of farmers’ and workers’ rights. It is part of a long term process involving farmer movements, trade un...

by Isabelle Delforge | On 15 Dec 2009

The Effect of Direct Foreign Investment on Domestic Firms: Evidence from Firm Level Panel Data in Emerging Economies

This paper uses firm level panel data to investigate empirically the effects of direct foreign investment (DFI) on the productivity performance of domestic firms in three emerging economies of Centr...

by Jozef Konings | On 11 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

The Limits of Intellectual Property Rights: Lessons from the Spread of Illegal Transgenic Cotton Seeds in India

This paper examines these difficulties of regulation in the context of spread of unapproved transgenic Bt cotton seeds in India. This paper also examines the impact of the cultivation of approved and...

by Bharat Ramaswami | On 08 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

GenNext Banking: Issues and Perspectives

The speech covers the macro setting for GenNext banking by way of discussing the demographic composition of India’s population and the nexus between low dependency ratio and saving. It also provides...

by Chakrabarty K C | On 30 Nov 2009

Girls' Eductaion, a continuing Challenge: Interview with Hemlata James

Hemlata James is the principal of the Government middle school in Haat Pipaliya in Madhya Pradesh and is credited with making the school one of the best in the area: since she has taken over the numb...

by Rinchin Rinchin | On 26 Nov 2009

HIV Prevention in Vulnerable Indian States: Lessons from the Chayan Project

This document highlights the results and associated processes from Chayan’s implementation experience under the RACHNA program. The programmatic framework, designed for low-prevalence contexts in In...

by CARE India | On 20 Nov 2009

Kyoto Protocol Reference Manual on Accounting of Emissions and Assigned Amount

This manual is provided as a reference tool to assist Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereafter referred to as the Convention) (Annex I Parties) in the implementa...

by UN Framwork Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC | 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

Sustainable Urban Development In India: Some Issues

This paper aims at discussing some of the important issues relating to sustainable urban form that would lead to sustainable urban development with possible references to India. The paper is based on...

by Basudha Chattopadhyay | On 17 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

Should Asian Countries Adopt Gm Crops Despite Trade Regulations

This brief summarizes a study evaluating the potential economic effects of introducing genetically modified (GM) food crops in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines in the presence of trad...

by Guillaume Gruère | On 11 Nov 2009

Cost and Time Overruns in Infrastructure Projects: Extent, Causes and Remedies

Various issues related to delays and cost overruns in publically funded infrastructure projects are investigated. The study is based on, by far, the largest data-set of 850 projects across seventeen i...

by Ram Singh | On 11 Nov 2009

Government vs Weather The True Story of Crop Insurance in India

The government of India started offering widespread crop in insurance in 1985, with the Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme. The CCIS has been replaced by the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme....

by Jennifer Ifft | On 06 Nov 2009

Delegation and Emission Tax in a Differentiated Oligopoly

How product differentiation as well as strategic managerial delegation affects optimal emission tax rate, environmental damage and social welfare, under alternative modes of product market competiti...

by Rupayan Pal | On 04 Nov 2009

Drug Regulation and Incentives for Innovation: The Case of ASEAN

The focus of this paper is to examine the ways in which regulatory framework affect the pharmaeutical innovations in developing countries using member countries of the Association of South-east Asian...

by Sauwakon Ratanawijitrasin | On 16 Oct 2009

Telecommunications Infrastructure and Economic Growth: Evidence from Developing Countries

Simultaneous relationship between telecommunications and the economic growth, using data for developing countries are examined. Using 3SLS, a system of equations that endogenize economic growth and...

by Kala Seetharam Sridhar | On 15 Oct 2009

Kerala Fights Clock in ASEAN Free-Trade Deal

The paper discusses the impacts of free-trade policy on the agricultural exports of Kerala.

by Ranjit Devraj | On 08 Oct 2009

New Financiers and the Environment: Ten Perspectives on How Financial Institutions can Protect the Enviornment

This new report discusses the experience with environmental standards and how it can be useful for new financiers. It contains ten papers written by experts from civil society, financial institutions...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 01 Oct 2009

A Social Cost Approach to Choice at Technology in Building Construction: A Study of Some Alternative Technologies in Kerala

This paper is an attempt to apply the technique of social cost - benefit analysis to the problem of choice of technology in building construction in Kerala. [WP No. 30].

by K P Kannan | On 21 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

State-Led or Market-Led Green Revolution? Role of Private Irrigation Investment vis-a-vis Local Government Programs in West Bengal’s Farm Productivity Growth

This paper estimates respective roles of private investments in irrigation and local government programs (land reforms, extension services, and infrastructure investments) in the growth of farm prod...

by Pranab Bardhan | On 14 Sep 2009

UCLG Policy Paper on Local Finance

The Policy Paper seeks to give voice to a local government vision on financing and stems from a shared understanding of the challenges we face. The Policy Paper contains 25 concrete recom- mendations...

by UCLG Committee on Local Finance and Development UCLG | On 12 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

Equity for Open-Access Journal Publishing

Open access journal publishing is currently at a systematic disadvantage relative to the traditional subscription-based journal publishing. A simple, cost effective remedy to this inequity is propose...

by Stuart M. Shieber | On 31 Aug 2009

Crossed and Crucified Parivar's War Aganist Minorities in Orissa

The report attempts to contextualize the exploitation of those who are aafected by the one of the worst communal riots in history and document how dominant interests have used this situation of chron...

by People's Union of Civil Liberties PUCL | On 31 Aug 2009

Swine Flu Casts its Spell across the Globe

The swine flu has come to India also. What measures have been taken by the government to fight against the pandemic?

by Rajeev Mavani | On 12 Aug 2009

Restoring the Asian Silk Route: Toward an Integrated Asia

Lack of full regional connectivity is one of the major constraints hindering regional growth and integration in Asia, as well as with the rest of the world. One of the conclusions of this paper is tha...

by Biswa N Bhattacharyay | On 11 Aug 2009

Assets and Poverty Traps in Rural Bangladesh

This paper applies Carter and Barrett’s theory of assets poverty traps to a unique longitudinal survey from rural Bangladesh. Non-parametric and parametric methods are used to examine the shape of the...

by Agnes Quisumbing | On 06 Aug 2009

Village Development Boards (VDBs) in Nagaland

The article describes the constitution and functions of Village Development Boards (VDBs) in NAGALAND where VDBs are considered as “Financial Intermediaries” or “Non-Banking Financial Intermediaries”....

by Karmakar K G | On 06 Aug 2009

Budget Reactions

Budget reactions from various sectors and by various people in the industry

by Leena Chandan | On 10 Jul 2009

Union Budget-First Cut Analysis 2009-2010

The thrust of this budget on the expenditure side is twofold. Continue with the fiscal stimulus measures and extend these for another six months or one years as the case maybe. Significant among these...

by IRIS India IRIS | On 09 Jul 2009

Basic Infrastructure for a Nuclear Power Project

This publication was produced as a direction to increase the capability of Member States to plan and implement nuclear power programmes and to establish and enhance national nuclear infrastructure....

by International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA | On 19 Jun 2009

A Roof Over One's Head

Owning a house has become very costly now. If more land were thrown into the market, home ownership will not be a deam for the majority.

by T.N. Ninan | On 19 Jun 2009

Regulation of Organ Transplantation in Thailand: Does it Work?

End stage organ failure is very distressing condition. Initially, there was only palliativetreatment for end stage organ failure such as hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Later on, the advancement...

by Viroj Tangcharoensathien | On 04 Jun 2009

An Assessment of the Impacts of Floods on Sanitation in Rural Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces multiple challenges in the sanitation, hygiene and water sector. This study aims to review the damage to sanitation facilities during floods. It also explored the possibilities of ove...

by Shamim Ahmed | On 03 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

Barso Mhare Des… Children's Perception of Drought

The chronic drought in Rajasthan affects everyone. But people are affected in different ways. This may be because of locality, form of livelihood, caste and class.This report carries the voices of gir...

by ECHO Save the Children (U.K) | On 31 May 2009

Managing Prolonged Low Fertility: The Case of Singapore

This paper analyzes Singapore’s multi-pronged approach to managing prolonged low fertility which has led to population aging, labor force shortages, increasing elderly dependency ratios, and feminizat...

by Mukul. G Asher | On 15 May 2009

Agricultural Impact of Climate Change: A General Equilibrium Analysis with Special Reference to Southeast Asia

Capitalizing on the most recent worldwide estimates of the impacts of climate change on agricultural production, this paper assesses the economic effects of climate change for Southeast Asian countrie...

by Fan Zhai | On 14 May 2009

Promoting Sustainable Agriculture: Experiences from India and Canada

Agriculture sector, world over, has experienced a phenomenal growth since the mid-twentieth century. The growth, driven by Green Revolution technology, has made a significant dent on aggregate supply...

by Amita Shah | On 02 May 2009

Balika Shikshan Shivir, Lok Jumbish

Evaluations of Balika Shikshan Shivir of Lok Jumbish Rajasthan was carried out with the objective of capturing the tangible and intangible outcomes, areas of concern thrown up by this experience and...

by Vimala Ramachandran | On 29 Apr 2009

Water-Forest Management, Law And Policy In Uttaranchal Issues, Constraints, Opportunities

The Study aims at reviewing legal, policy and institutional provisions for the management of natural resources-water and forest in the State of Uttaranchal with a special focus on how the laws actuall...

by Videh Upadhyay | On 27 Apr 2009

Genetic Engineering in Indian Agriculture An Introductory Handbook

The handbook is prepared to create an informed public debate on Genetic Engineering in agriculture and this Introductory Manual is a contribution to this debate – a debate not just on GE in agricultur...

by Kavitha Kuruganti | On 21 Apr 2009

Report of The National Children’s Consultation on Their Right To Housing

A consultation with about 40 children who have faced violations of their housing rights in some form or the other was organized on 13th November 2006 from 9 – 12 am on the National platform of India S...

by India Social Forum ISF | On 14 Apr 2009

Macroeconomic Effects Of Public Invesment In Infrastructure In India

This paper attempts to build an aggregative, structural,macroeconometric model for India. Investment and output in the model are disaggregated into four sectors namely(a) agriculture including forestr...

by K.N Murty | On 02 Mar 2009

Andhra Pradesh Budget Speech 2009-10

Speech of Sri K. Rosaiah

by Government Andhra Pradesh | On 23 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

Homelessness is not just a Housing Problem

Political will, imaginative and collaborative solutions from across the spectrum of health and social care providers are needed to address the needs of homeless individuals.

by Plos medicine Editors | On 06 Jan 2009

The Economic Impact of Forest Hydrological Services on Local Communities: A Case Study from the Western Ghats of India

Building upon a larger research project at four sites in the Western Ghats of peninsular India, this study examines the link between stream flow, agricultural water use and economic returns to agric...

by SHARACHCHANDRA LELE | On 02 Jan 2009

Interactive Food and Beverage Marketing: Targeting Children and Youth in the Digital Age

The paper discusses the poor health statistics for children in the age group of 11-19. The main reasons for deteriorating health are identified as reduction in cost of food products, lack of physical...

by Jeff Chester | On 22 Dec 2008

The Interface Between Economic Development, Health and Environment in India : An Econometric Investigation

This paper analyses interrelationships between ‘economic development’, ‘health’, and ‘environment’ in a simultaneous equations framework. The endogenous variables chosen for the model are GDPPC (per c...

by A L Nagar | On 17 Dec 2008

Idealistic Images of Watershed Development- Constructive Engagement with Critiques on the Common Guidelines

This paper identifies the idealistic images driving the watershed programmes as a major stumbling block in sustainable natural resource management. It calls for building on the existing governance ins...

by Saravanan S | On 02 Dec 2008

Contemporary International and Domestic Banking Developments and the Emerging Challenges

A broad overview, from the Indian perspective, of the factors underlying the credit market crisis in the west, the implications of the crisis for the financial sector, lessons learnt from it, the var...

by Leeladhar V | On 25 Nov 2008

Development of Corrugated Fiber Board Cartons for Long Distance Transport of Tomato in India

Tomotaoes which are produced in Gujarat, north west India are small, so the growers were not organized enough to raise funds to sponsor research at public R&D institutions in the area. That task was t...

by Girja Sharan | On 25 Nov 2008

Changing Interface Between Agriculture and Livestock: A Study of Livelihood Options under Dry Land Farming Systems in Gujarat

The present paper tries to empirically examine the changing profile of distribution and ownership of livestock across different regions of India and specifically for Gujarat. Besides, primary data col...

by Amita Shah | On 21 Nov 2008

Semi-Feudalism and Perpetual Indebtedness

The implications of removing some of the restrictive assumptions of a model of semi-feudalism formulated by A.Bhaduri are examined. [WP no. 16].

by N. Krishnaji | On 10 Nov 2008

Electricity and Rural Development Linkages

This paper discusses the criticality of electricity the vital modern economic infrastucture concerning its role in and nexus with rural development. Introducing broad issues in rural infrastructure an...

by Keshab Das | On 06 Nov 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

Disaster in Bihar: A Report from the TISS Assessment Team

This report is prepared on the basis of a 5-day visit to the flood affected parts of Bihar, caused by the changing of the course of the river, Kosi, by a four-member team from the Tata Institute of...

by Manish K Jha | On 06 Oct 2008

Carrying Over: Analysing Female Utopias and Narratives of Education from 17th-century France to 18th-century Britain and 20th Century India

The paper carries the reader across and over great spans of space and time, with an Indian feminist woman academic journeying back to seventeenth-century ancien regime France, to 1770s Scotland, to 17...

by Bagchi B | On 01 Oct 2008

Who Wins If We Get a Free Trade With US?

The paper discuses the effects free trade with United States of America will have on New Zealand, and its economy.

by Bill Rosenberg | On 29 Sep 2008

Payment and Settlement System in India

The lecture is about the payment system in India, which is an important element of the financial sector infrastructure. The lecture also shows the evolution and objectives of the Indian payment system...

by Leeladhar V | On 25 Sep 2008

Food Processing in Andhra Pradesh Opportunities and Challenges

The study is taken up in the state of Andhra Pradesh with the following objectives: 1. To study the opportunities and challenges in processing of rice, fruits and vegetables, oilseeds and livestock...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 17 Sep 2008

Another Look at Renewables on India’s Sagar Island

Much existing literature champions renewables implementation on India’s Sagar Island as an unqualified rural electrification success story. Photovoltaic (PV) and wind systems put in place by the West...

by Sam Shrank | On 25 Aug 2008

Does Tourism Contribute to Local Livelihoods? A Case Study of Tourism, Poverty and Conservation in the Indian Sundarbans

This study examines the contribution of tourism towards improving the livelihoods of local people in a remote island village of the Indian Sundarbans.

by Indrila Guha | On 18 Aug 2008

What Constrains Indian Manufacturing

India has undertaken extensive reforms in its manufacturing sector in the last two decades. However, an acceleration of growth in manufacturing, and a concomitant increase in employment, has eluded...

by Poonam Gupta | On 11 Aug 2008

Equity in Financing Healthcare: Impact of Universal Access to Healthcare in Thailand

This paper exploited five different data sets of the national household survey in pre- (years 2000 and 2001) and post- (years 2002 and 2004) universal health care coverage (UC) periods to analyse tren...

by Supon Limwattananon | On 26 Jul 2008

Book Review: Tales of the Displaced in India’s North-East

Review of: Internal Displacement in South Asia: The Relevance of the UN’s Guiding Principles Edited by Paula Banerjee, Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Samir Kumar Das, Sage Publicatons, New Delhi;...

by Ratna Bharali Talukdar | On 22 Jun 2008

Radical Journal of Health, Vol I, no.1: June 1986

In this Issue: Amar Jesani writes about the problems and process affecting health in Nicaragua; Malini Karkal discusses the population policy in China and Padma Prakash draws attention to the changes...

by Radical Journal of Health RJH | On 01 Jun 2008

Differential Impact of Development Interventions on Multiple Ethnic Groups

This paper looks at the effects on livestock of silvi-pasture development on common lands in relation to (a) ruminant systems and (b) livestock numbers and ownership patterns in Rajasthan, India. [SDC...

by Czech Conroy | On 14 May 2008

Improving the Economic Condition of Farmers

The Official Group would like to recommend a set of policy initiatives for the consideration of the Government of Karnataka. The recommendations of the Official Group are grouped under the following h...

by Government of Karnataka GoK | On 04 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

Newsletter on Regional Economy: A bi-monthly four state update from IRIS India

A monthly compilation by IRIS.

by IRIS India IRIS | On 09 Apr 2008

Goa Budget 2008-09

Budget presented by Goa finance minister for the year 2008-09.

by Goa Government | On 01 Apr 2008

Risk, Inequality and the Economics of Disaster

The discipline of economics tends to gloss over the central role of power and violence in the creation of wealth, the distribution of opportunity and the fact that suffering and well-being are tightl...

by Marcellus Andrews | On 24 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 2008-09 and Children A First Glance

Budget for Children (BfC) is not a separate budget. It is merely an attempt to disaggregate from the overall budget, the allocations made specifically for programmes that benefit children. From 2000-0...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 04 Mar 2008

Introducing the Railway Budget 2008-2009

Speech of Lalu Prasad

by Lalu Prasad | On 27 Feb 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

The Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2007

A bill to provide for the rehabilitation and resettlement of persons affected by the acquisition of land for projects of public purpose or involuntary displacement due to any other reason, and for mat...

by Lok Sabha | On 07 Feb 2008

Municipal Finance in India:An Assessment

This study, entitled “Municipal Finance in India – An Assessment”, undertaken for the Development Research Group (DRG), Reserve Bank of India examines the performance of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in I...

by P K Mohanty | On 29 Jan 2008

Newsletter on Regional Economy A bi-monthly four-state update from IRIS

A monthly compilation by IRIS.

by IRIS India IRIS | On 11 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

Outline of a Joint Lecture on Action Agenda for Transition to a Just, Equitable, Regenerative and Prosperous Society

The outline of an action agenda to address issues regarding barriers to creating an equitable society that we urgently need to take up. [at XXXI ISSC at SNDT women's University].

by Datye K R | On 28 Dec 2007

‘Inclusive Citizenship’ for the Chronically Poor: Exploring the Inclusion-Exclusion Nexus in Collective Struggles

The promotion of ‘inclusive citizenship’, through which the disadvantaged engage in collective struggles for justice and recognition, has been attracting growing attention as a solution to chronic p...

by Katsuhiko Masaki | On 19 Dec 2007

PPP at Work

Two years later Delhi will have an airport that can handle 40-50 million passengers-making it one of the 10 largest in the world. And it will have been built in barely half the time that it took Singa...

by T.N. Ninan | On 19 Dec 2007

Determinants of Choosing an Airline by a Traveller -An Analysis from New Zealand Perspective

The important determinants that have influence on travellers to choosing a particular airline are analysed. Data from primary and secondary sources have been used for this paper. A field survey was co...

by Ershad Ali | On 12 Dec 2007

Enhancing Rural Livelihoods

The Overseas Development Institute in the UK recently carried out a study on ICT for rural livelihoods, commissioned by InfoDev. The study included a literature and donor review in collaboration with...

by Paul Matthews | On 26 Oct 2007

Non Deliverable Foreign Exchange Forward Market: An Overview

Recognising the growing activity in the non deliverable forward (NDF) market in the recent years, the paper attempts to present a detailed analysis of the NDF market with special focus on Indian rupee...

by Sangita Misra | On 22 Oct 2007

A Review of Trends in Banking Indicators in North Eastern Region of India

The rapid growth in banking indicators in the North Eastern region of India following nationalisation of 14 major banks in 1969 and another six in 1980 based on social banking was sustained or not are...

by Amarendra Sahoo | On 16 Oct 2007

Recent Financial Market Developments and Implications for Monetary Policy

The nature of the financial turbulence that happened recently in US and Europe, why it happened, where it happened, and the implications for central banks. Some of the forces that led up to and charac...

by Rakesh Mohan | On 12 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

Human Tragedy in Majuli: Can Anything Be Done?

Majuli was once the largest river islands and the cultural home of the Asomiya community. Today, repeated floods of the Brahmaputra have ensured that the community has lost home and hearth to erosion...

by Apurba K. Baruah | On 07 Oct 2007

Review of Rural Non-farm Sector in India: Recent Evidence

During the period 1972-73 to 2004-05 in rural India, the total number of workers expanded more in the non-farm sector than the farm sector with the rise in male workers being sharper than that of fema...

by Sharad Ranjan | On 30 Sep 2007

Post-Autistic Economics Review: Issue No.43, September 15, 2007

Growing inequality in the neo-liberal heartland George Irvin ................................................................................. 2 - Science, ideology and development: Is there a ‘Sust...

by PAER Post Autistic Economic Review | On 16 Sep 2007

Price Incentives, Nonprice factors, and Crop Supply Response: The Indian Cash Crops

Agriculture as a source of growth was sorely neglected in the early development strategies of the currently developing countries. Realisation of this shortcoming prompted public policy in these countr...

by Sunil Kanwar | On 06 Sep 2007

Health e-newsletter Vol 1, Issue 8, September 2007

UP HIV Education: Practice yoga for a cure. Polio Watch: No polio drops for children in flood-hit areas. Privatising Health: Peoples' health in private hands. Kousalya's Story: Life can begin after HI...

by Health eNewsletter | On 04 Sep 2007

Can Horticulture be a Success Story for India?

In spite of being one of the largest producers of fruits and vegetables in the world, the export competitiveness among the Indian producers remains low. But with new marketing initiatives, the post-ha...

by Surabhi Mittal | On 24 Aug 2007

Potential for Sharing Nuclear Power Infrastructure Between Countries

The introduction or expansion of a nuclear power programme in a country and its successful execution is largely dependent on the network of national infrastructure, covering a wide range of activities...

by International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA | On 21 Aug 2007

Tal Makeshift Camp: No One Should Have to Live Like This

There seems to be no place for the stateless Rohingya people fleeing discrimination and persecution in their own country, Myanmar. They run away from a country that does not recognize them as citizens...

by Médecins Sans Frontières MSF | On 11 Aug 2007

Report of the Task Force on Medical Education for the National Rural Health Mission

Some of the major problems in primary healthcare relate to training and capacity building of health service providers in foreseeable future. It is in this background that government set up a Task Fo...

by Task Force on Medical Education | On 21 Jul 2007

Building an International Financial Centre in Mumbai

Earlier this year, the Indian government’s High Powered Expert Committee (HPEC) put forward its recommendations on how Mumbai could be made into an International Financial Center. The HPEC’s report co...

by Sanjeev Sanyal | On 19 Jun 2007

Three Essays on the Economics and Finance of Terrorism

Aa framework for the analytical treatment of terrorist problems is suggested and then brings out the importance of financial and socio-economic factors. The framework classifies the various causes of...

by Siddhartha Mitra | On 31 May 2007

Infrastructure Development in India An Appraisal

Infrastructure is generally defined as the physical framework of facilities through which goods and services are provided to the public. a strong correlation exists between per capita GDP and availabi...

by P. Nayak | On 29 May 2007

SEZ Policy: Ceiling on size will limit growth

The government’s recent decision of putting a ceiling limit for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) may well result in defining a ceiling on equitable economic growth harming not just industrial development...

by Savita Kulkarni | On 17 Apr 2007

Agricultural Development In Maharashtra: Highlights Of Growth Patterns And Policy Implications

The growth performance of agriculture in Maharashtra was highly impressive is the early part of the green revolution period but deteriorated after 1980-81. the severe set back to growth in yield per h...

by Sawant S D | On 22 Mar 2007

Trends in Growth of Agriculture Sector of the Indian Economy

Growth in the agriculture sector may well be judged by the increase in agricultural production over time. In economic terms, relative changes in prices of different crops also may effect substitution....

by S.K. Mishra | On 12 Mar 2007

Corporate Farming in India:Is it Must for Agricultural Development?

Indian agriculture is under policy reforms for some time now. One of the issues it faces is that of lack of viability of smallholdings and lack of international competitiveness of its produce. In this...

by Sukhpal Singh | On 07 Mar 2007

Agriculture: A Perspective from History, the Metrics of Comparative Advantage, and Limitations of the Market to Understand the Role of State in a Globalising World

Multilateral agencies and economists with much influence have been urging laissez-faire in agriculture. While success with the rich countries has been minimal despite the commitments under the WTO, ma...

by Sebastian Morris | On 07 Mar 2007

Natural Resource Conservation, Use and Sustainability in Drylands

This keynote address of the conference on Natural Resource Conservation Use and Sustainability in Drylands, focuses mainly on some new concepts of resource assessments in dry areas, some recent debate...

by Yoginder Alagh | On 30 Jan 2007

Is There a Global Bioethics? End-of-Life in Thailand and the Case for Local Difference

As developing countries build allopathic medical systems, what should their bioethics be? In this essay, we explore possible answers to this question, ultimately arguing that Western bioethics is insu...

by Scott Stonington | On 03 Jan 2007

Impact of Reservations of Panchayat Pradhans on Targeting in West Bengal

The effect of randomized reservations of Pradhan (chief executive) positions in West Bengal local governments (panchayats) for women and members of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) following t...

by Pranab Bardhan | On 27 Dec 2006

Women’s Right To Land, Assets, And Other Productive Resources: Its Impact On Gender Relations And Increased Productivity

It is often assumed that poverty reduction would lead to gender equality. Research however, points to the opposite, namely, that increasing prosperity can have perverse gender effects . It is therefor...

by Nitya Rao | On 26 Dec 2006

Unbound Savagery: Brutal Repression of Farmers by UP Police

This report brings out again sharply the perennial question, which the poor in the country are asking – Development for Whom? A big business company has been allotted land disproportionate to the requ...

by People's Union of Civil Liberties PUCL | On 26 Dec 2006

Emerging Megalopolis: Bangalore, From ‘Boiled Beans’ Town to Advanced IT City

Historically, Bangalore’s growth and physical spread had been dictated by the location decisions of certain important industrial, institutional and residential activities, rather than as an outcome...

by G.S. Sastry | On 04 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

FEER: The October Issue

Singapore’s Founding Myths vs. Freedomby Garry Rodan The Charade of Meritocracyby Michael D. Barr Financial Center Pipedreamsby Hugo Restall Thailand:Bangkok’s Elitist Coupby Michael H. Nelson Put...

by FEER | On 03 Nov 2006

Valuation of Urban Air Pollution: A Case Study of Kanpur City in India

This study estimates the monetary benefits to individuals from health damages avoided as a result on reductions in air pollution in the urban industrial city of Kanpur in India. A notable feature of t...

by Usha Gupta | On 31 Oct 2006

Surat 2006 Floods: Citizen's Report

The paper is a study with the purpose of exploring the flood time position of citizens in Surat city and to check aspects associated with flood warning system of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The...

by Akash Acharya | On 21 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

Chinese Rural Industrialisation in the Context of the East Asian Miracle

This paper synthesises the different explanations and presents an overview of the development and characteristics of the Chinese rural enterprises (REs). The rural industrialization history of the Chi...

by Justin Yifu Lin | On 18 Oct 2006

Book Review: Historical Experiences and Modern Encounters with Law

This book attempts to address how the tribes in India have perceived the State and its law. The tribes stand apart from the general population, and are made to stand outside the law, characterises the...

by Mayur Suresh | On 16 Oct 2006

Women's Equality in Transition: North of Ireland's Equality Legislation

Intersectional analysis is required if the approach to women’s equality in Northern Ireland/ the North of Ireland is to benefit the most marginalized women and thereby improve the prospects of build...

by Eilish Rooney | On 29 Aug 2006

Report of the Sardar Sarovar Project Relief and Rehabilitation Oversight Group on the Status of Rehabilitation of Project-affected Families in Madhya Pradesh

In the light of the observations of the Supreme Court in its order dated 17th April 2006, the Prime Minister constituted the Sardar Sarovar Project Relief & Rehabilitation Oversight Group. The manda...

by V.K. Shunglu | 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

WCD Working Paper: Human Health and Dams

Decisions on infrastructure development that may be critical to people's health status are, however, made without proper consultation of health authorities and experts. When negative health impacts oc...

by World Health Organisation (WHO) | On 01 Jun 2006

WCD Working Papers: Dams and Cultural Heritage Manaagement

Recognising that the construction of large dams has also led to incalculable loss, destruction, and damage of cultural resources ranging from shrines of local communities to world heritage monuments,...

by Steven A. Brandt | On 01 Jun 2006

The limits of tolerance and equality,or towards a 'new tolerance' and equality

Women's Equality in Transition: Intersectionality in Northern Ireland's/ North of Ireland's Equality Legislation Women have been invisible in mainstream analyses of the Northern Irish conflict. The...

by | On 23 May 2006

Estimating the Value of Agricultural Cropland and Pasteurland in India

The main aim of this study is to develop an accounting framework that reflects the real contribution of agricultural land and pastureland to society. The more specific objectives are to: 1 estimate...

by Haripriya Gundimeda | On 23 May 2006

Integrating poverty reduction in IMF-World Bank Models

This paper outlines the Fund-Bank analytical frameworks and presents a critical appraisal indicating the importance of both demand and supply constraints in the countries undertaking Fund adjustment p...

by Brigitte Granville | On 27 Apr 2006

Minimal Visible Inequality is Human Development

The urgent task ahead is the reduction of the visible inequalities in education, health and housing, thus contributing to a broad based evolution of human capabilities. As for the macroeconomic envir...

by Bhanoji Rao | On 11 Apr 2006

American housing market: a source of relief or weakness?

In late March the release of data on sale of new homes in the US showed that it had dropped 10 per cent, the biggest drop in nine years. In the immediate aftermath of this report, the US currency gav...

by V. Anantha Nageswaran | On 07 Apr 2006

Two Kinds of Activism: Reflections on Citizenship in Globalizing Delhi

The paper examines two of the most pressing concerns in Delhi: housing and the environment. The paper reviews the activities of Resident Welfare Associations, Sajha Manch, and Delhi Janwadi Adhikar Ma...

by Sanjeev K. Routray | On 14 Jun 2013

Economic Survey 2005-06, Chapter 9

Infrastructure

by Ministry of Finance | On 27 Feb 2006

Economic Survey 2005-06, Chapter 8

Agriculture

by Ministry of Finance | On 27 Feb 2006

Role of Japan in BIMSTEC

The main objective of the paper is to explore the role of Japan in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC). The analysis suggests that BIMSTEC-Japan cooper...

by Mukul Asher | On 26 Feb 2006

Attracting Export-Oriented FDI:Can India Win the Race?

Why has India has performed poorly in attracting export oriented foreign direct investment (EFDI) as compared to its peer groups such as China. The empirical literature on the location of EFDI indic...

by Jaya Prakash Pradhan | On 20 Feb 2006

Elementary Education: Rising Expenditure, Poor Quality: Book Review

Review of 'The Economics of Elementary Education in India: The Challenge of Public Finance, Private Provision and Household Costs' edited by Santosh Mehrotra; Sage, New Delhi; 2005, pp.328.

by P. Geetha Rani . | On 20 Jan 2006

Agrarian Reform for a Liberal Pattern of Society? Karnataka's Land Policy and the New Dispensation

It is puzzling how much the discourse of development has backed away from the seemingly central question of rural poverty: land. Elaborate rules concerning its distribution, rights, regulation, prot...

by Ronald Herring | On 12 Jan 2006

Consultation Paper on Issues Relating to Convergence and Competition in Broadcasting and Telecommunications

This Consultation Paper, being issued with a view to making recommendations to the Government under section 11(1)(a)(iv) of the TRAI Act, focuses on the need to bring about convergence in all aspects...

by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) | On 04 Jan 2006

September 2005

Minimum Employment at less than Minimum Wages Indo-US Nuclear Deal: Dancing with the US Devil Nanavati Report: Getting Away with Murder Bihar: EC order on NBWs Bombay Floods West Bengal Land Refo...

by CPI (ML) | On 16 Sep 2005

Draft National Policy For Tribals:Suggestions For Improvement

The draft tribal policy (hereinafter referred as draft or DTP) prepared by the Ministry of Tribal affairs appears to be a mere reiteration of the existing policies and programmes. The paper suggests t...

by Naresh C. Saxena | On 12 Sep 2005

Tribal Evictions From Forest Land

During the last few years, there has been a devastating wave of forced evictions of tribal communities from forest land around the country, which needs to be stopped as soon as possible. Unfortunately...

by Jean Dreze | On 10 Sep 2005

Negotiating Reproductive Health Neds In A Conflict Situation In The Kashmir Valley

The years of turmoil in the Kashmir valley have resulted in a breakdown of the state machinery, especially the health infrastructure, with the breakdown of peripheral facilities and the migration of d...

by Zamrooda Khanday | On 10 Sep 2005

LIBERATION September 2005

Editorial:Minimum Employment at Less than Minimum Wages commentary: Dancing with the US Devil. Nanavati Commission Report: Getting Away With Murder EC Must Deter Criminals, and not Disenfranchise...

by CPI (ML) | On 03 Sep 2005

The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Bill, 2005: LOK SABHA DEBATE

The National Common Minimum Programme of the Government, among other things, seeks to give complete legal equality for women in all spheres, by enacting a new legislation that gives equal rights of ow...

by Lok Sabha | On 31 Aug 2005

Property Legislation In Kerala: Aspects And Policy Challenges

This note takes stock of relevant gender aspects of contemporary personal laws and land legislation in Kerala, sums up the shift to marriage as the dominant site of property relations for women; and i...

by Praveena Kodoth | On 31 Aug 2005

Towards Bank Financing of Urban Infrastructure

Provision of quality urban infrastructure is an area of major concern for the Indian Economy. The financing of this component of infrastructure may turn out to be a somewhat tractable problem, even in...

by Abhay Pethe | On 05 Aug 2005

Infrastructure Finance In The Time Of Revenue Crunch: Exploring New Avenues for Urban Local Bodies

Infrastructure in general and urban infrastructure in particular has proved to be a pons asinorum of economic development. Whilst infrastructure is an umbrella term, provision of many of its component...

by Abhay Pethe | On 05 Aug 2005