5 Februry 2016: Lonely Journey: from Economics to Law and back

Frederic Jenny
Chairman, OECD Committee on Competition

Organised by:
CUTS International and Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF)

Chair:
Justice B N Srikrishna, former Judge, Supreme Court of India

Abstract:
The lecture is being organised against the background that as a result of deregulation, the development of competition law and trade liberalisation, there is an increasing number of economic issues which are now dealt with by the judiciary. This means that a number of legal decisions need not only to be well founded from the legal perspective but also to be economically relevant. Yet in many countries judges are not trained in economic matters, just like many economists are not trained in legal matters. This raises the question of what can be done to improve the mutual understanding between law and economics and between judges and economists.

Frederic Jenny, a professor of economics and antitrust enforcer who spent eight  years as a judge  on the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation), will address those issues in the light of his experience on the bench and of the experience of the OECD Committee which he chairs.

Date: February 5, 2016
Time: 06:00 P.M.

Venue:
Lecture Room 1, Annexe,
India International Centre,
40, Max Mueller Marg,
New Delhi 110003 (India)

Location:

View Larger Map

1 February 2016: The Problem of Sustainability in China’s Development

Pan Wei, Peking University 

Program Agenda

Chair:
Samir Saran, Observer Research Foundation

Abstract:
The Chinese growth model and developmental history are not only mainstay in public policy but are being emulated by countries seeking similar growth trajectories. The success of the model has propelled China not only as global superpower but the emerging example of an alternate growth strategy to the traditional western notions. Yet in recent years, a slight slowdown in the economy has been noticed. While the Chinese government is aiming to re-balance the economy, shifting the focus towards consumption and services, China’s growth model has faltered slightly for the first time in 25 years. This slight discrepancy in what has been a relatively strong growth trajectory has implications on the sustainability of the Chinese developmental agenda as well as the globe. As China moves forward it will have to play a precarious balancing act between maintaining a strong and robust economy and creating sustainable methods and strategies that can help it continue its development journey. What this balance looks like is still to be decided. 

Date: February 1, 2016
Time: 03:00 P.M.

Venue:
ORF Conference Room
Observer Research Foundation
20 Rouse Avenue Institutional Area
New Delhi-110002(INDIA)

Location:


Note:
Please confirm at prashantkumar@orfonline.org

29th January 2016: Patrilocality Norm & Household decision-making: Does the presence of in-laws affect married women in India?

Aditi Dimri
Universite catholique de Louvain and Paris School of Economics

Abstract:
This paper sheds new light on, if and how, the cultural norm of living with parent-in-laws after marriage affects the outcomes of the daughter-in-law in the household. To isolate the causal effect of the presence of an in-law in this highly endogenous setting, I use the death of the father-in-law or mother-in-law as an exogenous event changing the household composition. Using household level panel data, I estimate a double-difference model comparing groups that experience a death and those that do not between 2005 and 2012. First, I explore the allocation of household decision-making-say amongst the four members based on a framework allowing for gender spheres, and generational & spousal transfers. I find that the daughter-in-law is the worst-off, however, contrary to anecdotal evidence this is because of the household composition leading to stronger gender roles and patriarchy. Second, I find improvement in objective outcomes of the daughter-in-law like having cash in hand, her self-reported health, and frequency of visits to natal family. Such understandings of household decision-making can be important for targeting policies better, and shed light on the role of norms in determining socio-economic outcomes.

Date: January 29, 2016
Time: 11:30 A.M.

Venue:
Seminar Room 2
Indian Statistical Institute Delhi Centre,
7, S. J. S. Sansanwal Marg,
New Delhi-110016 (INDIA)

Location:

View Larger Map

29 January 2016: Turkey and Regional Security in the Middle East

Presenters:
Turkey, the Islamic State and the Emerging Power Balance in the Region
Alper Dede, Fatih University, Turkey and
Oguz Delik, Zirve University, Turkey

Challenges to Turkey's Domestic Security 
Andreas Kotelis, Bilkent University, Turkey

Anwar Alam, Zirve University, Turkey will also be joining for the discussion

Chair:
Nandan Unnikrishnan, Observer Research Foundation

Date: January 29, 2016
Time: 03:00 P.M.

Venue:
ORF Conference Hall
Observer Research Foundation
20 Rouse Avenue Institutional Area
New Delhi-110002(INDIA)

Location:


Note:
RSVP at kanchigupta@orfonline.org

25 January 2016: Why Does the Global Economy Fail to Pick Up?

Ashoka Mody
Princeton University

Chaired by:
Montek Singh Ahluwalia

Abstract:
Every IMF global forecast expresses disappointment that growth has come in lower than expected but then goes on to promise that a pick up is around the corner. This has now gone on for 7 years. Why? The story forecasters tell always centers around some exceptional event just before the forecast. That is no longer credible. Do other stories: such as financial disruption and secular stagnation hold up? Or is this a simpler tale of a long-term decline in global productivity growth that was obscured by a global bubble, which has yet to fully burst?

Date: January 25, 2016
Time: 04:30 P.M.

Venue:
Conference Hall, Ground Floor, R&T Building
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy,
18/2 Satsang Vihar Marg, Special Institutional Area,
New Delhi-110067(INDIA)

Location:

View Larger Map

Note:
Those who are interested may please confirm your participation to Mr. Bins Sebastian at bins.sebastian@nipfp.org.in latest by Wednesday, 24th January 2016

21 January 2016: Debating India's Reservation Policy

Ashwini Deshpande
Delhi School of Economics
Surjit Bhalla
Oxus Research and Investments
D. Shyam Babu
Centre for Policy Research
Cristina Dragomir
SUNY Oswego, New York
Britta Petersen
Observer Research Foundation

Abstract:
The unprecedented success of Hardik Patel led agitation demanding OBC status for his “influential” Patidar community in Gujarat has once again brought back the spotlight on India's most controversial public policy.  Does reservation policy need a major overhaul? Can one think of a set of affirmative policies that would be able to address numerous shortcomings/limitations of current reservation policy? Are there ways and means to address the growing resentment/backwardness of minorities particularly Muslims and economically backward people from among upper caste? Can one identify more forward looking affirmative action policies other than quotas that several countries around the world are currently following to answer deeply entrenched inequality in their societies? The panel will brainstorm some of the emerging questions. 

Date: January 21, 2016
Time: 10:30 A.M.

Venue:
ORF Conference Room
Observer Research Foundation
20 Rouse Avenue Institutional Area
New Delhi-110002(INDIA)

Location:


Note:
RSVP - Niranjan Sahoo (niranjansahoo@orfonline.org).

15th January 2016: The Role of Inflation Expectations, Core Inflation, and Slack in Real-Time Inflation Forecasting

Kundan Kishor
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Abstract:
Using a state-space approach, we extract information from surveys of long-term inflation expectations and multiple quarterly inflation series to undertake a real-time decomposition of quarterly PCE and GDP deflator inflation into a common long-term trend,cyclical components with common and idiosyncratic elements, and residualhigh- frequency noise components. We then explore alternative approaches to real-time forecasting of headline PCE and GDP inflation.We find that performance is enhanced if forecasting equations are estimated using inflation data that have been stripped of high-frequency noise. Performance can be further improved by including an unemployment-based measure of slack in the equations. The improvement is statistically significant relative to benchmark autoregressive models, and also relative to professional forecasters at all but the shortest horizons for headline PCE inflation. In contrast, introducing slack into models estimated using unfiltered PCE inflation data causes forecast performance to deteriorate. Finally,we demonstrate that forecasting models estimated using the Kishor-Koenig (JBES 2012) methodologywhich mandates that each forecasting VAR be augmented with a flexible state-space model of data revisions- consistently outperform the corresponding conventionally estimated forecasting models.

Date: January 15, 2016
Time: 11:30 A.M.

Venue:
Seminar Room 2
Indian Statistical Institute Delhi Centre,
7, S. J. S. Sansanwal Marg,
New Delhi-110016 (INDIA)

Location:

View Larger Map

21 January 2016: Regulatory Impact Assessment for Improving Regulation in India

Scott Jacobs
Jacobs, Cordova & Associates

Abstract:
Regulations have widespread impacts, which affect multiple stakeholder groups in different ways. A sub-optimal regulation has the potential to increase the cost of administration and compliance, raise complexity and uncertainty, and most importantly, limits the likelihood of achievement of its objectives. Therefore, estimating impacts of regulation is necessary.

Regulatory Impact Assessment is a process of systematically identifying and assessing the direct and indirect impacts of regulatory proposals, using consistent analytical methods. The talk will introduce RIA, its goals, and benefits experienced in countries that have successfully implemented the tool. The indispensible place of RIA in the regulatory reform package for India will be highlighted. The role of different stakeholder groups in promoting the adoption of RIA, building capacity and making India RIA ready will be discussed.

Date: January 21, 2016
Time: 04:30 P.M.

Venue:
Conference Hall, Ground Floor, R&T Building
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy,
18/2 Satsang Vihar Marg, Special Institutional Area,
New Delhi-110067(INDIA)

Location:

View Larger Map

Note:
Those who are interested may please confirm your participation to Mr. Bins Sebastian at bins.sebastian@nipfp.org.in latest by Wednesday, 20th January 2016

18 January 2016: Chennai Floods: Lessons for Urban Governance

Vikram Kapur
Prinicpal Secretary/Commissioner, Corporation of Chennai

Abstract:
The recent challenge of facing the Chennai floods and the government’s response to the same puts Mr Kapur in a unique position of being able to spell out how to build resilience in our cities against floods. He will speak from his knowledge and experience of facing the recent floods in Chennai and the associated governance challenges in responding to the situation. His brief talk will be followed by a conversation with the audience.

Date: January 18, 2013
Time: 07:00 P.M.

Venue:
Gulmohar Hall,
India Habitat Centre,
Lodhi Road,
New Delhi-110003(INDIA)

Location:

View Larger Map

14 January 2016: Why we Cheat: Experimental Evidence on Tax Compliance

Organised by:
Brookings India, New Delhi,
AURO University, Gujarat and
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi

Raymond Duch
Nuffield Centre for Experimental Social Sciences (CESS)

Date: January 14, 2016
Time: 04:30 P.M.

Venue:
Conference Hall, Ground Floor, R&T Building
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy,
18/2 Satsang Vihar Marg, Special Institutional Area,
New Delhi-110067(INDIA)

Location:

View Larger Map

Note:
Those who are interested may please confirm your participation to Mr. Bins Sebastian at bins.sebastian@nipfp.org.in latest by Wednesday, 13th January 2016