28 July 2017: Behavioural insights for policy interventions: exploring the how and why?

Bhuvanesh Awasthi
Epistemic Consultants and Neuroscience Outreach

Abstract:
Human perception, emotion and decision making underlies all policy-making and implementation. In recent years, several organizations across the globe, such as the World bank, the European Commission, the OECD, governments in Australia, the UK, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Denmark, and the USA, are increasingly incorporating behavioural sciences in policy-making.

With the overarching goal of guiding the policy design, implementation and re-assessments that achieve their objectives at minimum cost, cognitive and behavioural insights has been crucial in legislation, regulatory and consumer protection interventions. In the proposed session, with examples from several countries, we shall explore the role of behavioural interventions in reshaping public policy in a wide range of domains, in particular employment, consumer protection, health and taxation.

Date: July 28, 2017
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:

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

25 July 2017: Cognitive and neural foundations of human decision making: implications for policy

Bhuvanesh Awasthi
Epistemic Consultants and Neuroscience Outreach

Abstract:
How do humans make choices? What are the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying risky decision making? What can public policy and administration learn from research on neuroscience of cognition and behaviour? Here, we shall explore insights from cognitive science of social perception, social conformity, empathy training and ethical behaviour with implications for public policy.

Date: July 25, 2017
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:

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

12 July 2017: 2017 India Policy Forum Lecture - "Avoiding the morning-after blues: Building state capability while times are good"

Lant Pritchett
Harvard Kennedy School

Date: July 12, 2017
Time: 06:30 P.M.

Venue:
The Royal Ballroom,
Imperial Hotel
Janpath Lane, Connaught Place,
New Delhi-110 001(India)

Location:


Note:
RSVP: Ms Sudesh Bala at sbala@ncaer.org or on +91-11-2345-2722.

14 July 2017: Book launch for "Where India Goes: Abandoned Toilets, Stunted Development, and the Costs of Caste"

Diane Coffey
and
Dean Spears
Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE)

Abstract:
Where India Goes is a new book about an old problem. The majority of rural Indians do not use a toilet or latrine. Open defecation kills thousands of children in India each year, stunts the physical and cognitive development of those who survive, and has consequences for everyone in India. With the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014, sanitation is not merely a human development emergency -- it is now also a policy priority. Yet, the history of sanitation policy proves that latrine construction is not enough to address the reasons why rural Indians reject the kind of affordable latrines provided by the government, and which have greatly reduced open defecation in other countries. Where India Goes challenges us to consider how health and human development can be advanced while social inequality remains so profound.

Date: July 14, 2017
Time: 07:20 P.M.

Venue:
Juniper Room,
India Habitat Centre,
Lodi Road,
New Delhi – 110 003(INDIA)

Location:

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Note:
For details: Please contact Ms. Sangita Vyas at sangita@riceinstitute.org

14 July 2017: Place-based Preferential Tax Policy and its Spatial Effects: Evidence from India’s Program on Industrially Backward Districts

Yi Jiang and Rana Hasan
Asian Development Bank

Abstract:
Indian government initiated a program in 1994 to promote manufacturing in districts designated “backwards”. The way the backwards districts were identified enables us to employ a regression discontinuity design to evaluate the impacts of the program. We find that the program’s 5-year tax exemption to manufacturers led to a significant increase in firm entry and employment in relatively better-off backward districts, particularly in light manufacturing industries. However, the program also resulted in negative spillover effects on districts which were neighbouring these backward districts and relatively weaker in economic activity. The findings emphasise that the spatial effects of place-based policies deserve greater attention from policy makers.

Date: July 14, 2017
Time: 03:30 P.M.

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

Location:

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Note:
RSVP at partha@cprindia.org

5 July 2017: Dinner conversation and Q&A with Rob Sherman

Rob Sherman
Facebook

Moderator:
Arun Sukumar, Observer Research Foundation 

Abstract:
The conversation will highlight global trends in privacy and data protection regimes, and the role of companies like Facebook in contributing – both through its platforms as well as policy interventions – to these trends. Facebook has over 184 million monthly users in India with 95% accessing the website through their mobile phones. WhatsApp has more than 200 million users in India, making the country its largest market in the world. Facebook will be a crucial interlocutor as India’s digital economy grows rapidly over the next few years -- with the growth in connectivity, the rolling out of public hotspots by Facebook across the country, and the government’s push for adoption of digital payments, privacy and data protection will need special attention. With Facebook and other online service providers expanding its user base and services in India, privacy and security features of their platforms will assume centre stage and even influence its future growth in the Indian market.

Date: July 5, 2017
Time: 07:00 P.M.

Venue:
Villa Medici
Taj Mahal Hotel,
1, Mansingh Road,
New Delhi-110 011(India)

Location:


Note:
Please RSVP to madhulika.srikumar@orfonline.org to reserve a seat for you.

Cancelled due to unforeseen reasons: 6 July 2017: Elements of Effective Macroprudential Policy: Lessons from International Experience

Dong He
International Monetary Fund

Abstract:
Experience with macroprudential policy is growing. A large number of countries have put in place dedicated institutional arrangements. Progress is being made also with the design and implementation of macroprudential tools, and an increasing body of empirical research is available that evaluates the effectiveness of macroprudential policy. Responding to a G20 mandate, a recent joint IMF-FSB-BIS paper takes stock of the experiences gained so far regarding elements and practices that can be useful for effective macroprudential policy making. The seminar will introduce the paper, covering institutional arrangements, including mandates and governance, powers, and arrangements for domestic cooperation, and review operational considerations, such as the selection of policy tools and how they are employed. It will also touch upon issues related to international consistency of macroprudential policy.

Date: July 6, 2017
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:

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