An autonomous research institute under the Ministry of Finance

 

Events

Seminar

Analysis of Intellectual Property Tax Planning Strategies of Multinationals and the Impact of the BEPS Project

  • Speaker Dr. Ranjana Gupta, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
  • Speaker profile

    Dr. Ranjana Gupta is a senior lecturer in taxation at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and her experience includes research and tax consulting to an accounting firm in Auckland besides teaching a range of taxation courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Dr. Gupta holds a PhD in Commerce and a Master’s degree majoring in taxation. 

    She regularly presents research papers at national and international tax and accounting conferences and publish refereed journal articles both in New Zealand and internationally. She regularly reviews papers for various leading tax journals including the publication, “Managing Your Business, Taxation and Legal Compliance”, published by Financial and Business Advisor. Since 2007, she has authored chapters in taxation publications by Thomson Reuters and CCH Wolters Kluwer NZ CCH.
     
    She has established a strong professional base in the field of taxation and retains high enthusiasm for the field of tax law. She confidently accepts higher challenges in her academic and professional career and is passionate about sharing her knowledge.
  • Date Wed, 13 December, 2017
  • Time 04:00 PM - 05:30 PM
  • Venue NIPFP Auditorium
  • Abstract

    This article investigates the complex group structures and intangible/intellectual property risk allocation techniques and arrangements used by Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) to adjust or defer their tax liability. MNEs tax planning in relation to cross-border transactions and risk allocation practices have been evaluated in light of the OECD’s (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) recent development and implementation of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) 15-point Action Plan (hereafter referred to as BEPS Action Plan). Specifically, Actions 8-10 which focus on Aligning Transfer Pricing Outcomes with Value Creation.

    To determine how MNEs follow commercial principles to adjust tax liability through intangible asset grouping structures and risk allocation techniques, recent European Commission investigations relating to Starbucks, Amazon and McDonald’s were analysed.
     
    The findings suggest that MNEs reduce or defer their tax liability by systematically moving intangibles within the MNE group and shifting income between related entities established in zero or low-tax jurisdictions in the form of royalty payments. The article demonstrates that the OECD’s recent transfer pricing guideline amendments and BEPS Action Plan are considered the benchmark and will prevent companies reducing their tax by using artificial transactions between associated parties that would not normally occur between independent parties. 
     
    Further, as evidenced by the suggested DEMPE function approach under the BEPS Action Plan there is a clear shift in focus from the legal form to the economic reality of transactions and the alignment of risk bearing outcomes in transfer pricing contracts with economic substance. This paper establishes that mere legal ownership of an intangible does not automatically confer rights to enjoy returns from exploitation of such intangible. This approach may force MNEs to reassess their existing structures and how do they conduct business.
  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

The Indian bankruptcy reform: A progress report

  • Speaker M. S. Sahoo
  • Speaker profile
    Dr. M. S. Sahoo, an acclaimed thought leader in the area of securities markets and a distinguished public servant, currently serves as Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India. He has served as a Member of the Competition Commission of India, Secretary of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Whole-Time Member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, Economic Adviser with the National Stock Exchange of India and held senior positions in Government of India as a Member of Indian Economic Service. He also had a brief, but eventful legal practice.
     
    Dr. Sahoo has substantially influenced reforms in India securities markets over the last two decades. He has conceptualized, designed and steered major reforms such as dematerialisation of securities (1995), architecture of regulator and regulatory tribunal (1995), trading of derivatives (1999), on-line examination for market professionals (2000), setting up National Institute of Securities Markets (2004), resolution of litigations relating to brokers' fee (2004), demutualization of stock exchanges (2005), trading of currency derivatives (2008), and the rule of law in securities markets. He is credited with a few landmark orders, including disgorgement, and settlement of securities market infractions, and significantly contributed to development of securities jurisprudence.
     
    Dr. Sahoo has been a Member / Chairman of several committees set up by Ministry of Finance, SEBI, RBI, IRDAI, and WDRA. These include Chairman of the Committees (Sahoo Committee I, II and III) on Depository Receipts, Domestic and Overseas Capital Markets, and External Commercial Borrowing. He has assisted in development and refinement of the Indian Financial Code (IFC) recommended by the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC). He has served on Boards of a few organisations, including Oriental Bank of Commerce, Management Development Institute, National Institute of Securities Markets, SEBI and CCI. Dr. Sahoo has post-graduation degrees in Economics, Law, Management and Company Secretaryship.
  • Date Mon, 11 December, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 is a watershed legislation in the economic history of the country. Coming, as it did, when the economy was struggling with mounting cases of unresolved non-performing assets, it strove to better the legal and institutional machinery dealing with debt default. Almost a year and half later, in late November 2017, an ordinance has been promulgated addressing concerns of non-compliance and misuse of the law. In this context, a stock taking of the law and its implications becomes imperative.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Public Policy Aspects of Elementary Education (BY INVITE)


Seminar

Asia’s Financial Services: Ready for the Cloud?

  • Speaker Lim May-Ann, Executive Director, Asia Cloud Computing Association
  • Speaker profile

    Ms. Lim May-Ann has over a decade of experience in technology and development public policy across the Asia Pacific. She was appointed to the World Economic Forum (WEF)'s Global Future Council 2016-2017, in light of her extensive work on technology-focused public policy in multiple, regional and global institutions, including the World Bank, the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), and the Singapore Internet Project. May-Ann also lectures on Internet and ICT Policy in the National University of Singapore (NUS). Her research interests include telecommunication networks and ICT policy, new media and communications, technology developments and applications, mobile platforms, disaster relief and development work in universal education, and access to finance.

     

    Discussant's profile: Mr. Sankarson Banerjee is the Chief Technology Officer (Projects) of the National Stock Exchange of India, the primary stock exchange in the country and one of the world's largest. He was earlier a Managing Director with Accenture in India, where he led Cloud and Mobility practices. He has twenty years of experience, over half of them in CxO level positions, and has worked extensively with startups and established companies in India and the USA, specializing in the financial sector, retail and the Internet.

  • Date Wed, 22 November, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    Many industries are ready to embrace cloud computing to reap the benefits of this new technology. However, perceived regulatory challenges often stymie adoption efforts, such as in the case of highly regulated sectors like the financial services industry (FSI). This seminar will present the work done by the Asia Cloud Computing Association, an industry association that represents the voice of the tech and cloud computing businesses in the Asia Pacific region, reviewing the current regulatory landscape and key regulatory challenges to the adoption of cloud services by FSIs in 14 economies in this region.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Is Bay of Bengal the next BRICS? An opportunity for India? Can it really do what SAARC could not?

  • Speaker Sourajit Aiyer
  • Speaker profile

    Sourajit Aiyer has written for 38 publications of 14 countries, as well as 2 books with UK & German publishers. He has presented his research in forums across 6 Asian countries. He has worked as AVP - Investor Relations & Corporate Strategy with Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd., Mumbai, and previously with UBS Investment Bank, London, Evalueserve Investment Research, Gurgaon & Grameen Bank, Bangladesh. He has received an Honorary Doctorate (D. Litt.) from International Economics University, Madurai. Since August 2017, he has started his own business publication start-up named "South Asia Fast Track".

  • Date Mon, 06 November, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    BRICS evolved as an economic asset class, despite being a disparate geographical group. Is BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal group) at a similar juncture now, where BRICS was a few years ago? Can BIMSTEC really do what SAARC could not, as it essentially replaces Pakistan with Thailand? How does it stack as an opportunity for consumption, investment & production? What if emerging markets of South East Asia like Indonesia & Vietnam were added to make it BIMSTEC + I + V? This presentation would look at these aspects, to see if BIMSTEC stands out?

    Discussant: Sumant Prashant

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Responding to Regulatory Failure: Financial Regulation in the US since the Global Financial Crisis

  • Speaker Adam Feibelman, Tulane University Law School
  • Speaker profile

    Adam Feibelman is Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Sumter Davis Marks Professor of Law at Tulane University Law School. His teaching and research focus on bankruptcy law, regulation of financial institutions, legal issues related to sovereign debt and international monetary law. His recent scholarship includes "Europe and the Future of International Monetary Law" (Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems, 2013), "Involuntary Bankruptcy for States" (Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy) and "American States and Sovereign Debt Restructuring" (in Skeel & Conti-Brown, eds., When States Go Broke). His current work explores the IMF's role in international financial regulation. He joined the Tulane faculty in 2009. Prior to that, he was a faculty member at the University of North Carolina School of Law and University of Cincinnati School of Law and taught as a Bigelow Fellow at the University of Chicago. He clerked for Judge Gilbert S. Merritt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. 

     

    Detailed profile here.

  • Date Fri, 03 November, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    The global financial crisis of 2008-09 represented, among other things, a massive and broad-ranging regulatory failure in the United States. Regulatory regimes responsible for the safety and soundness of consumer financial transactions, the banking system, and capital markets all failed to avoid the financial collapse that occurred during that time and proved insufficient to resolve it quickly to avoid follow-on effects in the real economy and across the globe. Not surprisingly, the years immediately following the collapse and crisis brought significant reforms of financial regulation in the U.S. and elsewhere.  This talk will describe and assess these reforms as well as current proposals to revisit and reverse some of them.

     

    Discussant: Shri. Govind Mohan, JS (IER and Investment) (TBC).

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Anticipating the Function and Impact of India’s New Personal Insolvency and Bankruptcy Regime

  • Speaker Adam Feibelman, Tulane University Law School
  • Speaker profile

    Adam Feibelman is Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Sumter Davis Marks Professor of Law at Tulane  University Law School. His teaching and research focus on bankruptcy law, regulation of financial institutions, legal issues related to sovereign debt and international monetary law. His recent scholarship includes "Europe and the Future of International Monetary Law" (Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems, 2013), "Involuntary Bankruptcy for States" (Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy) and "American States and Sovereign Debt Restructuring" (in Skeel & Conti-Brown, eds., When States Go Broke). His current work explores the IMF's role in international financial regulation. He joined the Tulane faculty in 2009. Prior to that, he was a faculty member at the University of North Carolina School of Law and University of Cincinnati School of Law and taught as a Bigelow Fellow at the University of Chicago. He clerked for Judge Gilbert S. Merritt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

     

    Detailed profile here.
  • Date Tue, 31 October, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    In May of last year, India adopted a new regime for personal insolvencies and bankruptcies as part of a comprehensive Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.  The regime for individuals has not yet gone into force, and many fundamental questions about its purpose and likely impact remain largely unaddressed. This talk will describe the new personal insolvency and bankruptcy regime and the likely goals of policymakers who drafted and enacted it. It will also assess the design of the regime in light of those goals and anticipate the impact of the law on private parties who might utilize it and on the broader economy.

     

    Discussant: Ajay Shah, Professor, NIPFP

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

The IMF’s latest World Economic and Financial Outlook

  • Speaker Andreas Bauer
  • Speaker profile

    Andreas Bauer is the International Monetary Fund’s senior resident representative for India, Nepal, and Bhutan. During his 15+ year career at the IMF, he has worked as a mission chief and senior economist on a range of countries, mainly in Latin America and the Middle East. Before taking up his current position in New Delhi, he headed a unit in charge of international monetary and financial issues, and institutional strategy at the IMF’s Washington headquarters. Earlier in his career, Mr. Bauer was an emerging markets analyst for Credit Suisse and held senior positions in the Ministry of Finance of Chile, including chief of staff to the minister. He holds an economics degree from University of St.Gallen (Switzerland) and an M.A. in Applied Macroeconomics from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

  • Date Mon, 30 October, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    The presentation will provide an overview of the findings of the IMF’s World Economic Outlook, Global Financial Stability Report, and Fiscal Monitor, including the latest round of macroeconomic forecasts for the global economy. The implications of the external outlook for India’s economy will also be discussed.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Conference

New Thinking on Health Policy (by invite only)

  • Date Thu, 26 October, 2017 - Fri, 27 October, 2017
  • Venue India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi
  • Details

    The National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), New Delhi in collaboration with the Stanford Center on Global Poverty and Development (SCGPD) is organising the 'New Thinking in Health Policy' conference.

     

    The aim of this conference is to bring together legal, economic and public policy thinkers to discuss a variety of issues in the field of health policy in India. It will include topics related to air pollution; maternal and child health; health insurance; and health care providers.
     
    The conference is guided by an eminent steering committee constituting: Dr. Rathin Roy (Director, NIPFP), Dr. Ila Patnaik (Professor, NIPFP), Dr. Ajay Shah (Professor, NIPFP), Dr. Anjini Kochar (India Program Director, SCGPD),  Dr. Grant Miller (Director, SCGPD) and Jeffrey S. Hammer, (Princeton University). We have selected a variety of interesting papers for the conference.
     
    Shri. Rajiv Mehrishi, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, will deliver the key note speech of the conference. Prof. Kirk Smith, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (2007) will deliver a public lecture on 27 October, 2017.
     
    Please find the agenda here.
  • Contact email bins.sebastian@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Safety Trends and Reporting of Crime - A crime victimisation survey in four major cities of India

  • Speaker Avanti Durani
  • Speaker profile

    Avanti Durani is an Associate at IDFC Institute, a Mumbai based think/do tank, working on criminal justice systems and special governance zones. Prior to this, she worked as an Articled Clerk for M/s. Wadia Ghandy & Co., Mumbai, in several fields including Funds and Investments, Mergers & Acquisitions, Conveyancing and Civil Litigation in relation to property matters. Avanti holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Government Law College, University of Mumbai, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations, with a thematic concentration in the regional and comparative analysis of the Middle East and South Asia, from Tufts University, USA.

  • Date Tue, 17 October, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    Public safety and security are critical for good quality of life. While there seems to be an agreement on the weak performance of both the police and the courts, this has not yet translated into a large-scale attempt at reform. The official records on crime and response by the police are hugely insufficient in gauging the scale of the problem due to widespread under-reporting, among other deficiencies. Safety Trends and Reporting of Crime (SATARC), IDFC Institute’s flagship survey, is an attempt to marshal evidence, in a systematic way, about the extent and nature of crime, satisfaction with police, and perceptions of safety. The SATARC survey aims to bridge this gap in public data on safety and crime.

     

    Discussant: Anirudh Burman

     

     

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Other

India-US Symposium on "Building the Financial System of the 21st Century" (By invite)

  • Date Wed, 27 September, 2017 - Fri, 29 September, 2017
  • Venue Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi
  • Details

    Harvard Law School’s Program on International Financial Systems (HLS-PIFS), in partnership with NITI Aayog and National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), is organizing the India-US Symposium on “Building the Financial System of the 21st Century” in New Delhi on 27th- 29th September at the Taj Palace Hotel.

     

    The symposium will convene 120 invitation-only guests from the world of finance from the US and India, besides from other countries. 
     
    Instituted in 1986 by Prof. Hal Scott, Harvard Law School’s Nomura Professor, the HLS-PIFS symposia is a unique forum that convenes policymakers, distinguished academics and financial leaders to discuss the most pressing issues that affect the global financial systems and the international capital markets in an ‘off-the-record’ and ‘closed to the media’ settings. The symposiums are held in four regions/countries around the world, namely Japan, China, Europe and Latin America. Over the last 30 years, these symposiums have played crucial role in shaping financial reforms in these countries/regions. 
     
    The India-US Symposium was inaugurated in January 2016 in Mumbai. Supported by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, keynote speakers at the inaugural symposium included prominent leaders like Mr. Arun Jaitley, Union Finance Minister and Mr. Jayant Sinha, Union Minister of State for Finance.  
     
    The second edition of the Symposium will be held in New Delhi on 27th-29th September at the Taj Palace Hotel. The India Partners for the symposium are: 
     
    1. NITI Aayog – Institutional Partner 
    2. National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) – Academic Host Partner (Co-Host)
    3. PLR Chambers – Knowledge Partner.
  • Schedule
  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Identifying Earnings Management in Indian companies

  • Speaker Deep Narayan Mukherjee
  • Speaker profile

    Deep Narayan Mukherjee is a visiting faculty in finance with IIM Calcutta. He is also the Chief Product Officer, handling product design and analytics in an Indian credit bureau. He has over 14 years of experience in Risk Management and Credit Assessment. Prior to his current role, he was in structured finance team in Fitch. Prior to Fitch, he was with the American Express where he headed the Institutional Risk Management Team focusing on quantitative risk management. He also writes columns for several media houses. He graduated in engineering from IIT, Kharagpur (B.Tech., 1999) and obtained his management degree from IIM Lucknow (PGDM 2002).

  • Date Thu, 21 September, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, R&T building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    Studies on earnings management of Indian companies may not be frequently conducted, but there are quite a few substantial works on this topic in the literature. Most of them conclude that the problem of earnings management is quite rampant. However, earnings management related studies and their results are not mainstream among investors or regulators. That is despite the observation that in cases of big ticket NPA, banks often request for a forensic analysis of the defaulter's financial statement. In an effort to enable identification of companies with potential accounting issues, and thus requiring further in-depth analysis of those companies, our team has developed a score, the premise of the work being that earnings management is the start of financial manipulations. The team has made certain analytical enhancements to address shortcomings of existing approaches of accounting pertinent to growth economies such as India.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

The impact of the GST on Indian investment

  • Speaker Gaurav S. Ghosh
  • Speaker profile

    Dr. Gaurav S. Ghosh is an economist with EY’s Economic and Policy Advisory Group. He’s currently based in Bangalore. He joined EY in 2012 in Düsseldorf, Germany, after spending two years as a post-doctoral researcher in energy economics and policy at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. Gaurav provides transfer pricing and economic advisory services in diverse areas, including public policy, competition economics, inter-company financing, IP valuation, business restructuring, M&A and demand estimation. Gaurav has worked with clients in the automotive, steel, power, leasing and alcohol industries. Gaurav received his PhD in Environmental Economics from the Pennsylvania State University, USA. He also holds a Masters in Economics from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. Gaurav has spoken often at international research conferences and published papers in academic journals.  He used to write an economics column for The Economic Times.

  • Date Wed, 06 September, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, R&T building, NIPFP
  • Abstract
    The GST is the most far-reaching restructuring of the Indian tax regime since independence. Its impacts will ramify through all sectors of the Indian economy, from investment through production and consumption. This talk will focus specifically on the impact of the GST on incentives to invest in India. The speaker will share findings on the tax cost of investment in the pre-GST and post-GST environments, and compare these costs across sectors and at the all-India level. The metric used for the tax cost of investment is the Marginal Effective Tax Rate (“METR”), a statistic measuring the tax wedge imposed upon a marginal investment, where the tax wedge is defined as the difference between the gross-of-tax return on capital and the net-of-tax return on capital for a marginal firm. The use of METRs to evaluate tax systems has a long history in many countries, but this is the first implementation for the Indian economy. A finding of this research is that the GST improves investment incentives by moderately reducing the tax burden. Further improvements can be made by streamlining the GST system, primarily by unblocking input tax credits in core sectors of the Indian economy. Another finding is that METRs vary significantly across Indian industries, and that the impact of the GST on investment incentives in these sectors is also heterogeneous.
  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

The Cost of Distance: Geography and Governance in Rural India

  • Speaker Karan Nagpal, University of Oxford
  • Speaker profile

    Karan Nagpal is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Economics, University of Oxford.

  • Date Fri, 01 September, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    Rural economic outcomes deteriorate with distance from cities and towns. We use a spatial regression discontinuity design to provide causal evidence for one channel through which this effect operates: the geography of public administration. Using a rich spatial dataset on Indian villages and their local administrative capitals, we show that a greater distance from capitals reduces the provision of public goods. More distant villages also have lower literacy rates and reduced participation in non-farm activities. To estimate these effects causally, we exploit administrative boundaries that generate sharp jumps in distance to local administration capitals, but not in conventional measures of market access such as distance to towns and highways and population density. We discuss a number of mechanisms that explain these results, including monitoring and provision costs, information asymmetries and citizen voice.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Issues in State Finances – Analysis of State Budgets 2017-18 (BY INVITE/REGISTRATION)


Seminar

Behavioural Insights for Policy Interventions: Exploring the How and Why

  • Speaker Bhuvanesh Awasthi
  • Speaker profile

    Dr. Bhuvanesh Awasthi is a scientist of human consciousness, thought and emotions. His research focuses on the Cognitive Neuroscience of consciousness, perception, emotion and decision-making. As a scientist, he has worked in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Russia and Australia. His early training was from the University of Pune, a Consciousness Studies Masters from BITS Pilani and a PhD from Sydney, Australia. He has been invited to present his research to a variety of audience across United States (Harvard, San Diego), UK (Royal Society, London), Europe (Paris, Stockholm, Oslo, Moscow), Middle East (Dubai, Beirut), India (IIT Bombay, Gandhinagar; IISER Pune) and Australia (Melbourne, Sydney).

  • Date Fri, 28 July, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • 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.
  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Cognitive and Neural Foundations of Human Decision Making: Implications for Policy

  • Speaker Bhuvanesh Awasthi
  • Speaker profile

    Dr. Bhuvanesh Awasthi is a scientist of human consciousness, thought and emotions. His research focuses on the Cognitive Neuroscience of consciousness, perception, emotion and decision-making. As a scientist, he has worked in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Russia and Australia. His early training was from the University of Pune, a Consciousness Studies Masters from BITS Pilani and a PhD from Sydney, Australia. He has been invited to present his research to a variety of audience across United States (Harvard, San Diego), UK (Royal Society, London), Europe (Paris, Stockholm, Oslo, Moscow), Middle East (Dubai, Beirut), India (IIT Bombay, Gandhinagar; IISER Pune) and Australia (Melbourne, Sydney).

  • Date Tue, 25 July, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • 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.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

State of the police forces: Some insights on expenditure, personnel, infrastructure, and accountability

  • Speaker Dr. Mandira Kala and Anviti Chaturvedi
  • Speaker profile

    Mandira is Head of Research at PRS Legislative Research. She leads PRS' engagement with MPs, to provide them legislative and policy analysis on a range of sectors. Mandira has a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Previously, she has worked in the research team of Azim Premji Foundation, Bangalore and Centre for Social Policy, Boston, USA. Mandira was awarded the UNDP Asia- Pacific Human Development Academic Fellowship in 2008.  She was selected as an Emerging Leaders Fellow 2011-12 by the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne. 

     

    Anviti is a senior analyst with PRS Legislative Research. Her focus areas are security and strategic affairs, and environment. Anviti has published analysis on Bills related to compensatory afforestation, amendments to the Citizenship Act, and the Union Budget expenditure proposals with regard to the defence sector.  Anviti has a B.A. LL.B. from The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata.

  • Date Fri, 21 July, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    Policing and law order issues come primarily under the states.  However, the centre also maintains its police forces to provide states with assistance for matters that have wider internal security implications. This talk will address expenditure on police, and compare spending by various states and centre. It will provide an overview of how police is organised, and discuss issues faced by the police personnel. This will include an analysis of vacancies across centre and states, working conditions of police, and issues with crime investigation. We will also discuss findings of CAG audits and Bureau of Police Research and Development, with regard to availability of weaponry, vehicles, communication equipment, and funds for infrastructure modernisation. Lastly, the session will analyse the efforts being made by states to set up institutions for police accountability, and institution to protect police from political interference, in light of directions of the Supreme Court. The talk will be based on the findings mentioned in the PRS Analytical Report on Police Reforms.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Emerging Infectious Diseases in a City: Dengue and Chikungunya in Delhi

  • Speaker Olivier Telle
  • Speaker profile

    Olivier Telle, senior visiting fellow at the CPR, is an urban health geographer at Centre National de la Recherche Française (CNRS), UMR Géographie-cite (Paris-Sorbonne). He is currently associated with Sci Fi 2 project in which he is developing a research on diseases geography in Delhi (Dengue, Chikungunya and Diarrheal diseases). Before joining CNRS, Olivier conducted a 3 year postdoc at Institut Pasteur Paris at Functionnal Genetic of Infectious Diseases.

  • Date Tue, 18 July, 2017
  • Time 03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    This presentation will focus on the dengue and chikungunya viruses, which are two of the most common vector borne diseases affecting urban areas around the world. In India and Delhi, these two viruses are spreading rapidly, infecting lakhs of individuals every year. The aim of this study is to underline 1) the geography of these diseases over several years in Delhi 2) the factors that lead to continuous spread within endemic cities –from urban complexity to political organization of urban/epidemic responses. After presenting some short term solutions that can help in controlling disease diffusion, this presentation will be an opportunity to re-evaluate the links between evolution of cities, intra-urban environmental disparities and the issue of sanitation within urban areas.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Other

Presentation of India Development Update: May 2017 Unlocking Women’s Potential

  • Date Tue, 27 June, 2017
  • Time 03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
  • Venue NIPFP Auditorium
  • Details
    Chair Person:
    Rathin Roy, Director, NIPFP.
     
    Presentation of the Update:
    Frederico Gil Sander, Senior Country Economist, The World Bank, New Delhi Office.
     
    Discussants:
    N R Bhanumurthy, Professor, NIPFP.
    Sher Singh Verick, Deputy Director, ILO Decent Work Team for South Asia and Country Office for India.

     

    About the publication
     
    The India Development Update is the World Bank’s twice-yearly report on the Indian economy and its prospects. This edition has topical notes on the demonetization experiment (did it curb black money?), an analysis of recent fiscal policy developments (should we be worried about states’ borrowing?), and an update on trade policy and performance (is the talk of protectionism being translated into action?) 
     
    Each edition also includes timely thematic notes, and a focus chapter on an issue of structural importance for India’s long-term development. The theme of the May 2017 India Development Update is “Unlocking Women’s Talent”. India has one of the lowest female participation rates in the world, ranking 120th among the 131 countries for which data are available. Worse still, the rate has been declining since 2005, and even among highly educated women (those with a diploma or university degree) only 1/3 are in the labor market. The shallower talent pool – including managerial and entrepreneurial talent – comes at a cost to economic growth. Why are so few women in the labor market, and what can be done about it?
  • Contact email nrbmurthy@gmail.com

Seminar

What is the “state” of India’s public finances?

  • Speaker Sajjid Chinoy
  • Speaker profile

    Dr. Sajjid Chinoy is J.P. Morgan’s Chief India Economist. Prior to that, he worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington D.C. and was a Senior Associate at McKinsey & Company in New York. He served as a member of RBI's Expert Committee to Revise and Strengthen the Monetary Policy Framework, that proposed inflation targeting in India, and serves as a member of the Indian Banks Association (IBA) Monetary Policy Group. From 2014 to 2016, he was ranked as one of the “Best Individuals in Research in India” by Asset Magazine, and was awarded the Consensus Economics’ Forecaster Accuracy Award for 2013. He has authored several publications on the Indian economy including co-editing a book on Indian economic reforms titled, Reforming India's External, Fiscal and Financial Policies, with Dr. Anne O. Krueger. He received his Ph.D. in economics at Stanford University in 2001.

  • Date Tue, 13 June, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue NIPFP Auditorium
  • Abstract

    After becoming the epitome of fiscal discipline in the mid-2000s, India’s state finances have markedly worsened in recent years and risks have increased going forward. What has driven the deterioration? How pervasive is it? More importantly what are the implications? While there has been much analysis of how worsening state finances impact the consolidated deficit and debt dynamics, we focus on how worsening state finances have caused state bond spreads to spike and show how these higher borrowing costs spill-over onto corporate bond spreads. This, in turn, pushes up borrowing costs for the private sector, and risks crowding out of the corporate bond market, precisely when the banking sector is under stress. We discuss these developments in the larger macroeconomic context at the moment, and suggest policy and market measures to rein in state fiscal deficits.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Minerals as a shared inheritance: Implications for public finance

  • Speaker Rahul Basu
  • Speaker profile

    Rahul Basu is an activist and a member of Goa Foundation, Goenchi Mati Movement (GMM), and The Future We Need (TFWN).

  • Date Thu, 18 May, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    Mining drives corruption, mis-governance, crony capitalism, environment & human rights damage and conflict. Iron ore mining in Goa has become a contentious issue between civil society and the government. The Goenchi Mati Movement uses the Public Trust Doctrine and the Intergenerational Equity Principle to propose a ethical, fair & just resolution to the issue. The ramifications of the proposal are far reaching, including many aspects of public finance, capital markets and national income statistics.


Seminar

Word from the Frontlines of Demonetization: Perspectives & Lessons learnt from India’s largest cash management company

  • Speaker Rajiv Kaul
  • Speaker profile
    Rajiv Kaul is the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO  of CMS Info Systems Ltd. CMS is India’s largest Cash Management & Payment Solutions firm and the world’s fourth largest ATM cash management company. Its network covers more  than 100,000 ATMs and retail points in India. In 2009, Rajiv had partnered with The Blackstone Group which took a majority stake in the company. Over the last five years, Rajiv has led a radical restructuring and transformation of CMS Info Systems into a payments solutions company that processes and manages more than 50% of all cash in ATM circulation in India. It is the stated mission of the company to maximise velocity of cash in the Indian economy, making it reach the furthest corners of the country at the lowest cost possible. Under his watch, the company has expanded its service network to cover more than 95% of all the districts in India, reaching remote rural corners and border towns.  
     
    Prior to CMS, he was a Partner at Actis Capital in their London office. Before joining Actis, Rajiv spent a decade with Microsoft Corporation, in various leadership roles in India and the U.S., including Country Manager for India (2001-2005). His stint in Microsoft India coincided with an industry-defining period for the Indian IT industry. During his leadership, the India business grew three fold, and his strategic push led to the company investing an unprecedented $400M in India in 2001, including setting up of the Microsoft Research Center and the Product Support Centers in India. He was also the architect of Microsoft’s largest philanthropic effort in India: Project Shiksha, in which the company invested Rs. 100 Cr towards capacity building in thousands of government schools across India. He continues his passion for improving education in India, and is the Founder & Trustee at The Art1st Foundation, which is driving a fresh pedagogy in Indian education, promoting creativity and innovation in leading private and municipal schools across India. Rajiv has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from XLRI, Jamshedpur, with a Gold Medal in Marketing. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Computer Science) from the Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra.
  • Date Mon, 15 May, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Research and Training Centre, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    Nov 8th, 2016 will go down in the Indian Economy as a red letter day, when literally overnight the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 banknotes were demonetised. The first two weeks, and then the prolonged aftermath affected us at an individual, industry, sectoral and economic level. As India’s largest ATM cash management company, handling more than 50% of all ATM cash replenishment, and the largest retail cash collection service, with a presence across 95% of all the districts in India, CMS was at the frontline of managing this exercise in evacuation, recalibration and replenishment of ATMs. This presentation delves into the company's singular experience in handling and surviving Demonetisation, leadership lessons in coping with an increasingly chaotic ecosystem, while giving some insights into the cash cycle of our country, how the multiple entities that affect it moved in cohesion or otherwise.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Money & Medicine: the odd couple - An overview of the complexities of health system financing

  • Speaker Margaret Faux
  • Speaker profile

    Margaret Faux is a lawyer, registered nurse and Ph.D. candidate who has worked in the health sector for over 35 years. The subject of her Ph.D. integrates a 20-year career in medical claiming, compliance and administration. A regular contributor to peer review journals, public health blogs and radio forums, Margaret is considered as one of Australia’s leading experts on the legal and administrative structure and operation of Australia’s health care system, Medicare. In addition, Margaret has vast clinical and corporate experience in both hospitals and community based settings and draws on this experience to teach, inspire and foster future leaders in health system financing and public health administration.

  • Date Thu, 20 April, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    With a hundred years of health systems behind us we know a great deal about what works and what doesn’t work in the health market. Countries such as India are perfectly positioned to benefit from this vast body of knowledge, but it’s complex! In this seminar we will consider key questions such as who should pay for health? Why is the health market unique and why are countries, with very different health systems, facing the same challenges controlling health expenditure? What is universal healthcare and why is the USA the only developed country that has been unable to achieve it? We will look at important health system drivers including information asymmetry, the operation of the moral hazard, the social determinants of health, the codification of health services and the ways in which doctors around the world are paid. We will also compare and contrast some successful but very different health care systems, before concluding by considering the core legal infrastructure required for a health system to succeed.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

April 2017 IMF World Economic Outlook: Presentation of Analytical Chapters

  • Speaker Malhar Nabar and Zsoka Koczan
  • Speaker profile
    Malhar Nabar is a Deputy Division Chief in the World Economic Studies Division of the Research Department at the IMF. Previously he worked in the Asia Pacific Department, where he covered China and Japan and was mission chief to Hong Kong SAR. Mr. Nabar’s research interests are in financial development, investment, and productivity growth. He holds a Ph.D. from Brown University.
     
    Zsoka Koczan is an Economist in the World Economic Studies Division of the Research Department at the IMF, having worked previously in the European Department. Prior to joining the IMF in 2013, she worked at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Her research interests include applied microeconomics, inequality and migration.
  • Date Wed, 12 April, 2017
  • Time 03:30 PM
  • Venue NIPFP Auditorium
  • Abstract
    Chapter 2. ROADS LESS TRAVELED: EMERGING MARKET AND DEVELOPING ECONOMY GROWTH IN A COMPLICATED EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
     
    Presenter: Malhar Nabar
     
    Chapter 3. UNDERSTANDING THE DOWNWARD TREND IN LABOR INCOME SHARES
     
    Presenter: Zsoka Koczan
  • Schedule
  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Regulatory framework for IFSC in India: The experience of GIFT IFSC

  • Speaker Dipesh Shah
  • Speaker profile
    Mr. Dipesh Shah is Head (IFSC & Strategy), Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Co. Ltd. (GIFT). Mr. Shah has over 18 years of professional experience in International Business, Project Development, Corporate Affairs, Corporate Law & Policy matters.  
     
  • Date Wed, 05 April, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract
    International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) is considered as a game changer for providing International Financial Services from Global Financial Centre in India.  In the absence of IFSC in India, it is estimated that India is losing around US $ 50 billion per year (2015) which will grow to US $ 120 billion by 2025.
     
    Govt. of India announced regulatory framework for IFSC in India on April 10, 2015. In a short span of two years, GIFT International Financial Services Centre has attracted International Financial Services with 9 Banks, 4 Insurance Companies, 2 leading Exchanges and around 100 broking entities. The banking vertical have already completed around USD 2 billion transactions from GIFT IFSC. International Exchange for the first time in the country started trading of foreign stock futures covering Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and JP Morgan.  The experience of GIFT IFSC in this regard is useful learning for the development of International Financial Services Centre in India.
     
  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Conference

Papers in Public Economics and Policy (PPEP) BY INVITATION ONLY

  • Date Thu, 23 March, 2017 - Fri, 24 March, 2017
  • Venue Auditorium and Conference Hall, NIPFP
  • Details

    The National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) has initiated a lecture series and an annual conference on Papers in Public Economics and Policy, in honour of Dr. Raja J. Chelliah. The sixth event in this series is being organized on 23-24th March 2017 at New Delhi. 

     

    The Sixth Dr. Raja Chelliah Lecture will be held on 24th March, 2017 at 04.30 pm at India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. Dr Y.V. Reddy, Former Governor, RBI and Chairman, 14th Finance Commission, has kindly agreed to give the lecture.

     

    The papers should be sent in soft copy to: ppep@nipfp.org.in. Any other communication regarding the Conference can also be addressed to arunoday.kumar@nipfp.org.in or alka.matta@nipfp.org.in

     

    Click here for full video of the lecture.

    Click here to read lecture.

  • Schedule
  • Contact email alka.matta@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Zero Rating of Content: The Power in the Middle

  • Speaker D. Manjunath
  • Speaker profile

    D. Manjunath is a Professor at the Electrical Engineering Department of IIT Bombay.

    Detailed bio

  • Date Thu, 16 March, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, R&T building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    Zero rating platforms allow a content provider to pay the ISP for the consumption of its data by a user; the user gets to consume for free. This is differential pricing and hence violates neutrality. The talk will analyze the market structures that can emerge when zero rating is permitted.

  • Schedule
  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Conference

Symposium on Old-Age Income Security and Universal Basic Income in South Asia (RSVP required)

  • Date Mon, 27 February, 2017
  • Time 09:30 AM - 05:30 PM
  • Venue NIPFP Auditorium
  • Details

    We are pleased to invite you to participate in the Symposium on Old-Age Income Security and Universal Basic Income in South Asia on 27 February, 2017 at NIPFP Auditorium, New Delhi. This day-long symposium is organized by the Social Development Division of UNESCAP in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), with the support of the ESCAP South and South-West Asia Office, New Delhi.

     
    The objectives of the Symposium are (a) to disseminate the results of study on income security for older persons in India; (b) to share experience in providing income security for older persons in South Asia; and (c) to develop recommendations on providing income security for older persons in the sub-region. The event will be attended by experts from Government, civil society, academia and development practitioners involved in the design of or research on the provision of social protection.
     
    The keynote address will be delivered by Mr. Hemant Contractor, Chairman, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, Government of India. The symposium will also discuss the issue of the Universal Basic Income in India with a high-level panel in the afternoon on that topic.
     
  • Schedule
  • Contact email sswa.escap@un.org

Seminar

Surveillance in India: Policy and Practice

  • Speaker Pranesh Prakash
  • Speaker profile

    Pranesh Prakash is a Policy Director at, and was part of the founding team of, the Centre for Internet and Society, a non-profit organisation that engages in research and policy advocacy.

  • Date Thu, 09 February, 2017
  • Time 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    The speaker proposes to present a narrative of the current state of surveillance law, our knowledge of current surveillance practices (including noting where programmes like Natgrid, CMS, etc. fit in), and then to chart a rough map of reforms needed and outstanding policy research questions.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

The Politics of Public Interest Litigation in Post-Emergency India

  • Speaker Dr. Anuj Bhuwania
  • Speaker profile

    Dr. Anuj Bhuwania is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at South Asian University, New Delhi.  He is the author of 'Courting the People: Public Interest Litigation in Post-Emergency India,' published in December 2016 by Cambridge University Press.

  • Date Tue, 07 February, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Room, Ground Floor, R&T Building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    The Indian higher judiciary has acquired an increasingly important role in India’s public discourse in the last few decades. The Supreme Court and the state High Courts have emerged as enormously powerful judicial institutions in the aftermath of the Internal Emergency of 1975-77. The principal means through which these judicial powers have been mobilized and enacted is the jurisdiction of Public Interest Litigation (PIL). This lecture will talk about the political role that PIL has come to play in contemporary India. It revisits the circumstances and manoeuvres that led to the rise of PIL and traces its political journey since then, arguing that the enormous powers that PIL confers upon the appellate judiciary stems from its populist character.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

The Union Budget 2017-18: Reforms and Development Perspectives (By Invite)

  • Date Sat, 04 February, 2017
  • Time 10:00 AM - 01:30 AM
  • Venue Diwan-I-Aam & Diwan-I-Khas, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mansingh Road, New Delhi - 110 011
  • Schedule
  • Contact email honey.karun@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Measuring the Natural Rate of Interest: International Trends and Determinants

  • Speaker Thomas Laubach
  • Speaker profile
    Thomas Laubach is the director of the Division of Monetary Affairs at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, DC.  He advises the Board and the FOMC on the conduct of monetary policy, including open market operations and the discount window.  In recent years, he has played a central role in supporting the FOMC's monetary policy process.
     
  • Date Thu, 12 January, 2017
  • Time 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
  • Venue Conference Hall, R&T building, NIPFP
  • Abstract

    U.S. estimates of the natural rate of interest – the real short-term interest rate that would prevail absent transitory disturbances – have declined dramatically since the start of the global financial crisis. For example, estimates using the Laubach-Williams (2003) model indicate the natural rate in the United States fell close to zero during the crisis and has remained there through the end of 2015. Explanations for this decline include shifts in demographics, a slowdown in trend productivity growth, and global factors affecting real interest rates. This paper applies the Laubach-Williams methodology to the United States and three other advanced economies – Canada, the Euro Area, and the United Kingdom. We find that large declines in trend GDP growth and natural rates of interest have occurred over the past 25 years in all four economies. These country-by-country estimates are found to display a substantial amount of comovement over time, suggesting an important role for global factors in shaping trend growth and natural rates of interest.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in

Seminar

Decomposition of Debt-GDP Ratio for United Kingdom:1984-2009

  • Speaker Piyali Das
  • Speaker profile

    Dr. Piyali Das is currently an Assistant Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad. She has a Ph.D in Economics from Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. Her research areas include monetary macroeconomics, applied econometrics and development. 

  • Date Thu, 05 January, 2017
  • Time 03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
  • Venue NIPFP Auditorium
  • Abstract

    Most advanced nations today are witnessing a peacetime public debt surge that match post World War levels. This raises concerns about fi scal fi nancing and liquidation of the stock of debt especially in the face of changing demographics. United Kingdom being one of the advanced nations with a high level of public debt and an aging population is facing similar issues of fiscal fi nancing. This paper attempts to decompose the evolution in the debt-to-GDP ratio of UK between 1984-2009 into nominal returns, inflation, GDP growth rate, primary de ficit and the maturity structure of the debt. The results of the decomposition show that the government of UK inflated away part of the debt but most of the adjustments were due to low interest rates and changes in the primary deficit.

  • Contact email nipfp.seminar@nipfp.org.in