28 April 2016: Why is India global No.1 in anaemia prevalence? How can we change it?

K Kalaivani
Nutrition Foundation of India

Abstract:
India is among countries with the highest prevalence of anaemia, and as a population billionaire, accounts for the largest number of anaemic persons in the world.

Indians have been in the forefront of research on anaemia and have helped in evolving guidelines for its prevention, detection and management. India was the first developing country to initiate a national programme for prevention and control of anemia in 1973, which has been successfuly adopted by several other developing countries as well.

While there has been reduction in the severity of anaemia in India over the last six decades, there has been no reduction in its overall prevalence. Despite detection, prevention and treatment protocols being in place, India continues to hold the global no. 1 position in prevalence of anaemia. At the seminar Dr. Kalaivani examines this paradox and explores how the iron plus initiative could be a game changeer.

Date: April 28, 2016
Time: 04:00 P.M.

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

Location:

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Note:
To register, please call +91-11-49495353, Extn. 1209 or mail nidhi.ralhan@giz.de

29 April 2016: Aadhaar by Numbers

Sunil Abraham
Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), Bangalore

Abstract:
This talk will reflect on several aspects of the Aadhaar project from a technical perspective. First, there will be a reflection on biometrics as a unique, identification and authentication technology. Second, there will be a critique of open washing by the UIDAI through their adoption of free software and open standards and finally there will be an analysis of alternative technical solutions and architecture which will allow India to harvest the benefits of identity management without the harms and risks of centralized biometrics.
 
Date: April 29, 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:

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

22 April 2016: Understanding the Slowdown in Capital Flows to Emerging Markets

Weicheng Lian
International Monetary Fund

Abstract:
Net capital flows to emerging market economies have slowed since 2010, affecting all regions. This chapter shows that both weaker inflows and stronger outflows have contributed to the slowdown and that much of the decline in inflows can be explained by the narrowing differential in growth prospects between emerging market and advanced economies. The chapter also highlights that the incidence of external debt crises in the ongoing episode has so far been much lower, although the slowdown in net capital inflows has been comparable in breadth and size to the major slowdowns of the 1980s and 1990s. Improved policy frameworks have contributed greatly to this difference. Crucially, more flexible exchange rate regimes have facilitated orderly currency depreciations that have mitigated the effects of the global capital flow cycle on many emerging market economies. Higher levels of foreign asset holdings by emerging market economies, and in particular higher levels of foreign re serves, as well as lower shares of external liabilities denominated in foreign currency (that is, less of the so-called original sin) have also been instrumental.
 
Details in chapter two of the recently released Spring 2016 IMF World Economic Outlook (attached and available at www.imf.org/weo )

Date: April 22, 2016
Time: 03:30 P.M.

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

Location:

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15 April 201: The Civilian Oversight of Police Reforms: The Canadian Experience

Ian Scott
Former Director, Special Investigations Unit, Ontario, Canada

Date: April 15, 2016
Time: 06:00 P.M.

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

Location:

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19 April 2016: Impact of regulatory structure on quality of medicines in India

Dinesh Thakur
Sciformix Corporation

Abstract:
Quality of medicines dispensed in the Indian market has been an area of concern for quite some time now. Prosecution of Ranbaxy Laboratories, once India's largest pharmaceutical company in the US bought issues of data integrity and product quality to light. Since that time, foreign regulators like the US FDA and the EMA have increased their focus on Indian manufacturers to make sure that the medicines made in India and sold in those markets are of high quality. Unfortunately, precious little has changed in India.

One of the key challenges to creating public awareness about this issue is the lack of think-tanks and research organizations which focus on this issue. This talk outlines the efforts undertaken to approach the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the legal framework that forms the basis of drug regulation with an intent to develop a better understanding among policy analysts.

Date: April 19, 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:

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

4 April 2016: International Comparative Household Finance

Tarun Ramadorai
University of Oxford

Abstract:
This paper reviews the literature on international comparative household finance. The paper presents summary statistics on household balance sheets for 13 developed countries, and uses these statistics to discuss common features and contrasts across countries. The paper then discusses retirement savings, investments in risky assets, unsecured debt, and mortgages.

Date: April 4, 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:

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

31 March 2016: How much does a bank account help the poor?

Sankar De
former Professor, Shiv Nadar University

Abstract:
A bank account is widely regarded as the first step toward financial inclusion of the poor. Among other benefits, funds deposited in a bank account are observed to lead to higher savings. However, the existing literature does not investigate whether the savings are productively used. Using nationally representative samples, to ensure generalizability of our findings, and exploiting special features of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) of India, our empirical tests consistently indicate that households that receive NREGS wages through bank spend significantly less on education than other comparable households that receive cash payment. The findings suggest that the poor face constraints in accessing their bank accounts regularly. Further, such constraints affect discretionary expenses, including educational expenses which are discretionary for the very poor, more than essential expenses such as food expenses. Additional tests for other discretionary and non-discretionary expenses provide corroborating evidence. The results are consistent between standard OLS and instrumental variable regressions designed to correct for omitted variable bias.

Date: March 31, 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:

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Note:
Those who are interested may please confirm your participation to Mr. Bins Sebastian at bins.sebastian@nipfp.org.in latest by Wednesday, 30th March 2016