Thursday, December 26, 2019

31 December 2019: Workshop on "Unthinking Urbanisation: How Urban and Messy is India’s Urbanisation?"

Partha Mukhopadhyay
Centre for Policy Research

Organised by
Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and Centre de Sciences Humaines (CSH)

Abstract:
Recently, India’s urbanisation has been characterised as “messy”. At various times, it has been described as unplanned and chaotic. In this context, this talk will primarily engage with two questions. First, it asks if Indian cities are urban — are they urban in all dimensions, economic, social, political, and spatial? Second — and without prejudice to the answer to the first question and stipulating that an urbanisation process is underway — it asks what does it mean to say that Indian urbanisation is messy, that it is a thoughtless, unplanned sprawl? Is there another way of looking at the urbanisation process? Drawing upon multiple qualitative, quantitative, and spatial data sources, this talk will argue first, that in many respects, Indian cities may not yet be urban. Further, the apparent messiness is the result of shortcomings in the public response to relatively normal and predictable individual actions. Consequently, we need to discuss how the public response can be improved rather than adopt punitive measures that penalise rational individual behaviour.

Date: December 31, 2019
Time: 03:45 P.M.

Venue:
Conference Hall
Centre for Policy Research,
Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi–110021(INDIA)

Location:

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Tuesday, December 24, 2019

7 January 2019: Lecture on "Policy Capacity Matters for Capacity Development: Compairing Basic Education System in India and China"

Yifei Yan
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Organised by:
Institute of Chinese Studies

Abstract:
It is widely accepted that capacity development is central to development administration, but many of these initiatives have failed to demonstrate effectiveness in improving government effectiveness. This article argues that capacity development should be built upon possessing the policy capacity to perform the analytical, operational and political functions necessary to make it effective. Drawing on the case of capacity development in the basic education sector through a teacher survey, not only does the study reveal an extensive system of capacity development practices in India (Delhi) and China (Beijing), it also shows that variations on different dimensions of policy capacity have led to significant differences in the effectiveness of such arrangements as perceived by teachers. Therefore, without understanding and catering to the needs of the targets whose capacity is supposedly being built, capacity development initiatives meant to be supportive are likely to be dissatisfying and disappointing instead.

Date: January 7, 2019
Time: 03:00 P.M.

Venue:
Seminar Room
Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS)
8/17, Sri Ram Road, Civil Lines,
Delhi-110054 (India)

Location:

Monday, December 16, 2019

9 January 2020: A Conversation with Nobel Laureate, Richard H. Thaler, and Luis Miranda

Organised by
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Date: January 9, 2020
Time: 05:30 P.M.

Venue:
The Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML)
Teen Murti Marg,
New Delhi-110011(INDIA)

Note:
Register at: http://www.cvent.com/events/in-conversation-with-nobel-laureate-richard-thaler/event-summary-0f7643d3eb7744b7abb8b1d5ff8128f0.aspx

Location:

18 December 2019: Seminar on "Houses for Living, Not for Speculating: Affordable Housing in Shenzhen, 1998-2019"

Reeja Nair
Institute of Chinese Studies

Chair:
Sreemati Chakarbarti, Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS)

Organised by:
Institute of Chinese Studies

Abstract:
In August 2018, Shenzhen government announced the decision to provide 1 million units of subsidized housing by 2035. This move has been seen by many as an effort to retain skilled workers for whom high housing prices in the city had become a major cause of concern. According to a recent survey, Shenzhen had become one of the five most expensive cities in the world to buy a home. Property prices in the city had increased by 27 percent over the past decade. President Xi Jinping’s cautionary note that “houses are for living, not for speculating” at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2017, underscored government concern about property speculation and the issue of unaffordable housing. The decision to provide government subsidized housing could then be read partly as a response to this concern. Moreover, Shenzhen also forms a crucial part of the larger Greater Bay Area Plan that seeks to boost regional development in the area by 2035. Its role as the hub of innovation and public services within the Plan then implies ensuring better conditions, including better housing opportunities for skilled workers who form the backbone of its rise as the hi-tech capital of China.

This talk attempts to understand the rationale behind the recent policy initiative and locate the need for housing reform within the failures/ limitations of the first housing reform in Shenzhen in 1998. It will, thus, trace the trajectory of housing reform and examine the role played by the state and market forces in shaping the development of affordable housing in the city. Further, it will also explore the challenges posed in the implementation of the new policy as Shenzhen adopts the Singapore model of public housing.

Date: December 18, 2019
Time: 03:00 P.M.

Venue:
Seminar Room
Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS)
8/17, Sri Ram Road, Civil Lines,
Delhi-110054 (India)

Location:

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

11 December 2019: Seminar on "China In Zambia: Notes From The Field"

Veda Vaidyanathan
Institute of Chinese Studies

Organised by:
Institute of Chinese Studies

Abstract:
As a part of the 'China in the World' research programme at the ICS, Veda Vaidyanathan undertook a 2 week long fieldwork in Zambia to understand China's increasing engagement with the country. She along with her Chinese colleague visited Chinese owned and run farms in Chongwe and Chisamba in addition to the Agriculture Technology Demonstration Centre (ATDC) jointly run by Jilin Agricultural University and the University of Zambia in Lusaka.

She also travelled north to the Copperbelt province and interviewed Chinese investors and entrepreneurs working in the mining sector in Chongola, Kitwe and Ndola. During this time she also met several Zambian stakeholders to try and understand their perception of increasing Chinese overtures in the country.

In this talk, Veda will recollect her experiences from the field, discuss the multiple stakeholder perspectives that coexist and share the main takeaways from her interviews. She will also throw open the research questions that have emerged, collaborations that have been identified and discuss the format the resultant publication will take.

Date: December 11, 2019
Time: 03:00 P.M.

Venue:
Seminar Room
Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS)
8/17, Sri Ram Road, Civil Lines,
Delhi-110054 (India)

Location:

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

12 December 2019: Air Emergency: What is the Way Ahead?

Sunita Narain
Centre for Science and Environment

Moderator:
Isher Judge Ahluwalia, ICRIER

Organised by:
Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) in collaboration with India Habitat Centre

Date: December 12, 2019
Time: 07:00 P.M.

Venue:
Gulmohar Hall,
India Habitat Centre,
Lodi Road,
New Delhi 110003
(Entry from Gate No. 3)

Location:

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13 December 2019: Talk on Establishing Regulatory Capacity for the Real Estate Sector: The MahaRERA Experience

Gautam Chatterjee
Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority

Moderator:
Deepak Sanan, Centre for Policy Research

Organised by
Centre for Policy Research

Abstract:
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 was enacted by Parliament with the objective of bringing about transparency and financial discipline in the real estate business, and to protect the interests of home buyers. The law mandates states to set up real estate regulatory authorities; developers/builders are required to register projects with this regulatory authority before commencing bookings and sales. Builders are also required to deposit 70% of amounts collected from buyers into an escrow account, to ensure that these funds are used only for the specific project. The objectives of the Act include speedy dispute resolution, curbing the flow of black money, and ensuring timely completion of projects. Progress on the implementation of this law by states is encouraging. So far 29 states have set up regulatory authorities, and 24 have established appellate tribunals. Regulatory authorities of 24 states have set up their websites – which is critical for the implementation of the Act as it mandates online registration. A total of 46,695 real estate projects and 36,823 real estate agents have been registered under the Act across the country.

Maharashtra was the first state to set up its Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA). The state has one of the largest real estate markets in India. It reports more than half of all projects registered in the country and most real estate agents. Gautam Chatterjee is the first and current Chairperson of the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The talk will focus on his experience of establishing regulatory capacity and creating the conditions for transparency and market discipline in a difficult market.

Date: December 13, 2019
Time: 04:00 P.M.

Venue:
Conference Hall
Centre for Policy Research,
Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi–110021(INDIA)

Note:
Please RSVP at president.cpr@cprindia.org. The seating at the venue can accommodate up to 60 people on a first come first serve basis.

Location:

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Monday, December 9, 2019

20 December 2019: Climate Change and Development in India

Navroz K Dubash
Centre for Policy Research (CPR)

Chair
Jairam Ramesh, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

Discussant:
Arunabha Ghosh, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW)

Organised by:
Carnegie India

Abstract:
Globally, the conversation around climate change has grown more urgent. While countries have reached a consensus on the dangers posed rising greenhouse gas levels, they disagree on the actions that need to be taken to reduce the extent global warming. On December 12, 2015, 195 nations entered into the Paris Agreement that set a goal to limit their individual carbon footprints and to restrict the temperature increase to 1.5-degree celsius. As India works toward meeting its commitments under this agreement, it faces development challenges that necessitate integrating climate concerns into development policies.

Date: December 20, 2019
Time: 4:00 P.M.

Venue:
Conference Room,
Carnegie India,5th Floor,
C5, Edenpark,
Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg,
New Delhi-110016 (India)

Note:
Please confirm your participation to Upasana Sharma at upasana.sharma@ceip.org.

Location:

13 December 2019: Discussion on 'Blackout: The Political Dynamics of Power Outages'

Discussants:
Brian Min
Department of Political Science, University of Michigan
Neelanjan Sircar and Ashwini K. Swain
Centre for Policy Research

Moderator:
Gilles Verniers, Trivedi Centre for Political Data, Ashoka University

Organised by
Centre for Policy Research & Trivedi Centre for Political Data, Ashoka University

Abstract:
Access to electricity in India has increased dramatically in recent decades. On the other hand, the quality of electricity remains uneven in some areas, characterized by blackouts, load shedding, and reliability problems. Brian Min introduce new data on power outages derived from satellite imagery captured nightly over each village since the 1990s. The data suggest that the rapid implementation of village electrification projects has often coincided with a decline in the quality of electricity service. The worst outages are in areas which most aggressively pursued new electrification efforts. The patterns are consistent with an electoral strategy that prioritizes more visible, short-term accomplishments over less visible longer-term investments jn service quality. The results support an electoral explanation for the quality deficit that characterizes the delivery of many public services in democracies across the world.

Date: December 13, 2019
Time: 02:00 P.M.

Venue:
Conference Hall
Centre for Policy Research,
Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi–110021(INDIA)

Note:
Please RSVP at president.cpr@cprindia.org. The seating at the venue can accommodate up to 60 people on a first come first serve basis.

Location:

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Friday, December 6, 2019

13 December 2019: Panel Discussion on "Housing, Externalities, Technology and the Long Run for Global Real Estate"

Richard K. Green
Brookings India

Chair:
Shamika Ravi, Brookings India

Organised by
Brookings India

Abstract:
This presentation discusses the macroeconomic impact of housing construction and house prices, the interrelationship between housing and agglomeration economies, the balance between positive and negative externalities arising from rapid urban growth, and how technology is changing industrial, office and retail space.

Date: December 13, 2019
Time: 11:00 A.M.

Venue:
Diwan-i-Khas,
The Taj Mahal Hotel,
1 Mansingh Road,
New Delhi-110001

Note:
Please confirm your participation to Ms. Shaonlee Patranabis at spatranabis@brookings.edu.

Location:

9 December 2019: Global Economic Outlook

Luis Breuer
International Monetary Fund

Organised by
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi

Abstract:
After slowing sharply in the last three quarters of 2018, the pace of global economic activity remains weak. Rising trade and geopolitical tensions have increased uncertainty about the future of the global trading system and international cooperation more generally, taking a toll on business confidence, investment decisions, and global trade. The talk shall provide an overview of the latest release of World Economic Outlook in October 2019 by the IMF which analysis the world economy and issues affecting industrial countries, developing countries, and economies in transition to market; and address topics of pressing current interest and implications for India.

Date: December 9, 2019
Time: 02:00 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:

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Wednesday, December 4, 2019

13 December 2019: Corporate Social Responsibility: Perspectives and Field Experiences

Priyanka Chhaparia
Centre for Responsible Business

Organised by
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi

Abstract:
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has evolved as an interdisciplinary concept, cross-cutting into fields of management, economics, law, sociology, and also social work. In India, with the introduction of Section 135 of the Companies Act 2013, expenditure on socially responsible activities has been made mandatory. This evolution and journey of CSR from a philanthropic activity to a mandatory multi-stakeholder concept is one full of debates and conflict. The talk aims to give an overview of the CSR landscape in India and present field experiences of some of the CSR activities that are undertaken by foundations managed by corporate entities.

Date: December 13, 2019
Time: 02:00 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:

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11 December 2019: Round-table on “Mobility and Tenure Choice”

Richard K. Green
Brookings India

Organised by
Brookings India

Abstract:
India’s rental market is evolving. Throughout the world, renting has been chosen by the young, the single and, more generally, the mobile over renting, even taking into account issues of affordability. To the best of our knowledge, there has been one previous empirical paper on the determinants of renting in India-a paper that was focused on Bangalore (Manaj, Verma and Nayyatha 2015). In this paper, we use district level data to draw inferences about the determinants of mobility and tenure choice throughout India, and whether these determinants are stable across time. We do find that those who have demonstrated mobility are more likely to be renters, but, unlike other countries, do not find that marital status generally influences tenure behavior (although widows are more likely to be owners, even after controlling for age).We also find that the determinants of renting are in flux, as a model fitted to 2001 data does not forecast 2011 outcomes well.

Date: December 11, 2019
Time: 12:00 Noon

Venue:
Brookings India
No. 6, Second Floor,
Dr. Jose P. Rizal Marg,
Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi-110021

Note:
Please confirm your participation to Ms. Shaonlee Patranabis at spatranabis@brookings.edu.

Location:

13 December 2019: Do Electronic Health Records systems inflate insurance costs?: A study of Medicare Reimbursements

Kartik Ganju
McGill University, Canada

Organised by
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi

Abstract:
Electronic health record (EHR) systems allow physicians to automate the process of entering patient data relative to manual entry in traditional paper-based records. However, such automated data entry may be exploited by hospitals to inflate reimbursement requests from Medicare by overstating the true complexity of patients’ diagnoses (termed “upcoding”). The primary EHR module that has been alleged to facilitate upcoding is the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system, which populates patient charts with default templates and allows physicians to copy and paste data from other patients’ records. To combat upcoding, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implemented the Recovery Audit Program, first as a pilot program in six states between 2005 and 2009, and then nationwide in the entire United States in 2010. We examine whether the adoption of CPOE systems by hospitals is associated with a proliferation in reported patient complexity to Medicare, and if the Recovery Audit Program helped to attenuate this relationship. We find that the adoption of CPOE systems significantly increased patient complexity reported by hospitals, corresponding to an estimate of $2 Billion inflation in Medicare reimbursements per year, until they were regulated by the Recovery Audit Program that helped to mitigate upcoding. Notably, those auditors who developed the ability to identify the use of default templates, copied-and-pasted data, and cloned records were the most effective in reducing upcoding. This implies that these IT auditors likely use the same data created by the CPOE systems to identify and combat upcoding. These findings have implications how to combat inflated Medicare reimbursements paid by taxpayer dollars with the Recovery Audit Program and how IT audit can prevent the misuse of information systems to create artificial business value from IT. Contributions to Information Systems and Healthcare research, practice, and public policy are discussed.

Date: December 13, 2019
Time: 03:30 P.M.

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

Note:
Those who are interested may please confirm your participation at latha.balasubramanian@nipfp.org.in

Location:

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Monday, December 2, 2019

3 December 2019: Learning about learning from learning about learning

Lant Pritchett
Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

Organised by:
International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie)

Chair:
Emmanuel Jimenez, 3ie

Discussant:
Ronald Abraham, IDinsight

Date: December 3, 2019
Time: 03:30 P.M.

Venue:
Lecture Hall 1, Annexe,
India International Centre,
New Delhi – 110001 (India)

Location: