On the Turnpike traces the origin and history of the Indian Economic Service and in the process provides fascinating glimpses into how economic policy in India was shaped, the drama behind the various Budgets, and the thinking and compulsions that led to key decisions being made. It also captures the personalities of the key players who shaped these policies.

The book describes the circumstances under which the Cadre for advising and shaping economic policy under the Ministry of Finance was born, the contributions it has made, the challenges it has faced and the path ahead.

Those looking for a quick and comprehensible insights into the wisdom and follies of Indian economic policy over the last 60 years will find this book instructive and amusing.

The 21st century is witnessing a profound shift in global dynamics, driven by the fast-rising new powers of the developing world. China has overtaken Japan as the world’s second biggest economy, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty in the process. India is reshaping its future with new entrepreneurial creativity and social policy innovation. Brazil is raising its living standards by expanding international relationships and antipoverty programmes that are emulated worldwide.

But the “Rise of the South” is a much larger phenomenon. Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and other developing countries are becoming leading actors on the world stage. The 2013 Human Development Report identifies more than 40 developing countries that have done better than expected in human development in recent decades, with their progress accelerating markedly over the past 10 years.

Each of these countries has its own unique history and has chosen its own distinct development pathway. Yet they share important characteristics and face many of the same challenges. They are also becoming more interconnected and interdependent. And people throughout the developing world are increasingly demanding to be heard, as they share ideas through new communications channels and seek greater accountability from governments and international institutions.

The 2013 Human Development Report analyses the causes and consequences of the continuing “Rise of the South” and identifies policies rooted in this new reality that could promote greater progress throughout the world for decades to come. The Report calls for far better representation of the South in global governance systems and points to potential new sources of financing within the South for essential public goods. With fresh analytical insights and clear proposals for policy reforms, the Report charts a course for people in all regions to face shared human development challenges together, fairly and effectively.

Every person aspires to a good life. But what does “a good or a better life” mean? This report looks at the most important aspects that shape people’s lives and well-being: income, jobs, housing, health, work and life balance, education, social connections, civic engagement and governance, environment, personal security and subjective well-being. It paints a comprehensive picture of well-being in OECD countries and other major economies, by looking at people’s material living conditions and quality of life across the population. The report responds to the needs of citizens for better information on well-being and of policy makers to give a more accurate picture of societal progress.

The report finds that well-being has increased on average over the past fifteen years: people are richer and more likely to be employed; they enjoy better housing conditions and are exposed to lower air pollution; they live longer and are more educated; they are also exposed to fewer crimes. But differences across countries are large. Furthermore, some groups of the population, particularly less educated and low-income people, tend to fare systematically worse in all dimensions of well-being considered in this report: for instance they live shorter lives and report greater health problems; their children obtain worse school results; they participate less in political activities; they can rely on lower social networks in case of needs; they are more exposed to crime and pollution; they tend to be less satisfied with their life as a whole than more educated and higher-income people.

How’s Life? is part of the OECD Better Life Initiative, launched by the Organization on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary. The OECD Better Life Initiative aims to promote “Better Policies for Better Lives”, in line with the OECD’s overarching mission. One of the other pillars of the OECD Better Life Initiative is the Your Better Life Index (www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org), an interactive composite index of well-being that aims at involving citizens in the debate on societal progress.

Seismic events have convulsed global markets since 2008, when this book was first published, and world news has been full of stories reflecting a profound sense of uncertainty about global futures. In response, this new edition of From Poverty to Power has been fully revised and now includes a new chapter with an in-depth analysis of the human impact of the global financial and food crises.

From Poverty to Power argues that a radical redistribution of power, opportunities, and assets rather than traditional models of charitable or government aid is required to break the cycle of poverty and inequality. Active citizens and effective states are driving this transformation.

Why active citizens? Because people living in poverty must have a voice in deciding their own destiny and holding the state and the private sector to account. Why effective states? Because history shows that no country has prospered without a state structure that can actively manage the development process.

There is now an added urgency: climate change. We need to build a secure, fair, and sustainable world within the limits set by scarce resources and ecological realities.

From Poverty to Power should be read by students, researchers, NGO workers and all those who want to contribute to ending global poverty.

Duncan Green is Senior Strategic Adviser at Oxfam GB.

Gujarat's macroeconomic growth story has been commented upon. This is not just about a double-digit GSDP growth in the last 10 years. It is also about an even more remarkable double-digit growth in agriculture. However, questions are often raised about this growth. Isn't this just about industry and manufacturing? What about the social sectors? What about deprived segments of the population and deprived geographical areas? Haven't they been bypassed ?

Growth isn't the same as development.

This book isn't about Gujarat's growth alone. It is about development too. It isn't just about vibrant industry. It is also about the perceptible improvement in social sectors, especially noticeable after 2007. It is a story of education and health, water, electricity and roads. It is a story of how these benefits have trickled down and how deprived segments have been main-streamed. That Gujarat model, so to speak, has implications for other States too, since it is about governance, efficient public expenditure, decentralisation and participatory planning. The focus of this book, deliberately not written in an academic style, is to draw attention to that development template. While there can be disagreement about what the Gujarat model represents, and what it does not, and about what made the Gujarat model work, before any debate, there ought to be a statement of the facts. That's what this book sets out to do.

During 2008-2009, the world experienced its worst financial and economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The crisis followed the effects of the food and fuel price hikes in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, global output contracted by 2 per cent.

This 2011 Report on the World Social Situation reviews the ongoing adverse social consequences of these crises after an overview of its causes and transmission. While a deeper, more pro-longed global recession has been averted by coordinated stimulus measures, the recovery is nonetheless fragile and uneven. The economic slowdown has reduced social spending in most developing countries while the turn to fiscal austerity has undermined social spending in developed countries.

The Report points to the rapid rise in unemployment and vulnerability, especially in developing countries without comprehensive social protection in the wake of the global economic crisis. Tens of millions more people fell into, or were trapped in, extreme poverty because of the global crisis, while the number of people living in hunger in the world rose to over a billion in 2009, the highest on record.

The global economic downturn has had wide-ranging negative social outcomes and set back progress towards achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Given the fragility of the economic recovery and uneven progress in major economies, social conditions are only expected to recover slowly. The increased levels of poverty, hunger and unemployment will continue to affect billions for years to come.

The Report strongly underscores important lessons from national responses to the global crisis, the importance of inclusive social policies and the need for universal social protection. A key conclusion is that countries need to be able to pursue countercyclical policies in a consistent manner.

The annual Global Employment Trends assesses economic and social developments in global and regional labour markets. Based on the most recently available data and taking into account the macroeconomic context, the report sheds light on employment and unemployment dynamics, providing estimates and short-term projections of employment by sector, vulnerable employment, labour productivity and the working poor, as well as offering analysis of country-level issues and emerging labour market trends. Building on the ILO's Key Indicators of the Labour Market, the report also includes a consistent set of tables with regional and global estimates and projections of these labour market indicators.

Global Employment Trends 2012: Preventing a deeper jobs crisis reveals a global labour market in severe distress, with one out of three people in the labour market currently either unemployed or poor. The report calls for decisive, coordinated action to reduce the uncertainties that are holding back private investment and to restart the engine of global job creation.

The Asia-Pacific region continues to face a deeply challenging external environment. The V-shaped recovery from the depths of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis in 2010 proved to be short-lived, as the world economy entered the second stage of the crisis in 2011, due to euro zone debt concerns and the continued uncertain outlook for the United States economy. The region will be affected by slackening demand for its exports and higher costs of capital, as well as by loose monetary policies and trade protection measures of some advanced economies.

Despite the slowdown, Asia and the Pacific remains the fastest growing region globally. It also serves as an anchor of stability and has emerged as a growth pole for the world economy. South-South trade with Asia and the Pacific in 2012 will help other developing regions, such as Africa and Latin America, further reduce their dependence on low-growth developed economies.

Another key challenge for the Asia-Pacific region is volatile and high commodity prices, which are likely to become the "new normal" of the global economy. The commodity boom presents risks as well as opportunities. Price shifts will change incentives, but the cautionary message is that less-developed economies should resist the impulse towards commodity specialization, which, in turn, can delay industrialization and economic diversification.

The 2012 edition of the oldest and most comprehensive annual review of development in this vast and diverse region, the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific highlights critical challenges and options for policymakers. These include the need to better manage the balance between growth and inflation; coping with capital flows and exchange rate volatility; addressing jobless growth and unemployment; and tackling serious and growing inequalities.

Turbulence and volatility generate uncertainty. In these challenging times, the Survey 2012 can serve as a important resource to achieve more resilient, inclusive and sustainable development for Asia and the Pacific.

The World Trade Report 2012 ventures beyond tariffs to examine other policy measures that can affect trade. Regulatory measures for trade in goods and services raise new and pressing challenges for international cooperation in the 21st century. More than many other measures, they reflect public policy goals (such as ensuring the health, safety and well-being of consumers) but they may also be designed and applied in a manner that unnecessarily frustrates trade. The focus of this report is on technical barriers to trade (TBT), sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures (concerning food safety and animal/plant health) and domestic regulation in services.

The Report examines why governments use non-tariff measures (NTMs) and services measures and the extent to which these measures may distort international trade. It looks at the availability of information on NTMs and the latest trends concerning usage. The Report also discusses the impact that NTMs and services measures have on trade and examines how regulatory harmonization and/or mutual recognition of standards may help to reduce any trade-hindering effects.

Finally, the Report discusses international cooperation on NTMs and services measures. It reviews the economic rationale for such cooperation and discusses the efficient design of rules on NTMs in a trade agreement. It examines how cooperation has occurred on TBT/SPS measures and services regulation in the multilateral trading system, and within other international forums and institutions. A legal analysis is provided regarding the treatment of NTMs in WTO dispute system and interpretations of the rules that have emerged in recent international trade disputes. The Report concludes with a discussion of outstanding challenges and key policy implications.

One-Page Case Summaries provides a succinct summary of the key findings of every dispute panel report up to the end of 2011 and, where applicable, the subsequent Appellate Body report.

The Guide has been developed to contribute to the enhancement of developing countries’ capacity to analyse and implement trade policy. It is aimed at government expertsengaged in trade negotiations, as well as students and researchers involved in trade-related study or research.

This book will be of particular interest to the science, policy, academic and business communities worldwide, as well as to a general audience interested in development and innovation.

The book has indeed come of age, and would become a significant source of work on microfinance and financial inclusion in India. This book is unique in that it combines financial inclusion, microfinance and special financial institutions striving for providing access to financial services to the poor. This aptly timed book will be relevant for the academic world, researchers, policymakers, government, business organisations, not for profit organisations and development thinkers.

Professor J.J. Anjaria presents a lucid overview of the role of the State in Hindu thought and its connection to the modern State. The starting point is Dharma, which in Hinduism furnishes the elegant conceptual framework to understand the universe—and thereby also the nature of political obligation and the purpose of human activity. In particular, Hindu thought sees the State and its rulers as subservient to Dharma.

Prof. Anjaria argues that in modern times State regulation of men and institutions based on birth, power, wealth, or gender will block the fulfillment of the individual’s true aspirations and the development of a harmonious society. He calls for a renewed concept of Dharma, which would allow the State, in a true democracy, to fulfill its crucial role of supporting individual human endeavor. This requires moving away from the old view of Dharma, which over the centuries came to be implemented as a rigid, static set of rules that sought to preserve a status quo.

This work offers fresh insight into ancient Hindu political theory and a new perspective on Prof. Anjaria’s scholarship.

The book is about the times in which we live. The context is the current global economic and financial crisis, caused by human inter-ventions that were bereft of transparency and commitment to sound market discipline. Governments and central banks are groping for quick solutions to assuage the growing anger of societies over the rising economic inequalities, unemployment and inflation.

The need of the hour is to set in place good monetary governance. Monetary governance consists essentially of institutional mechanisms and processes required for sound functioning of the tasks that devolve on Governments and central banks. It focusses on issues relating to the functional area of macroeconomic management. It is distinct from financial governance which deals mainly with portfolio management and asset distribution within the context of the principles and policies laid down by macroeconomic managers.

The book deals with the institutional requirements, the rainbow of interests, the analytics and the international dimensions of monetary governance in detail from the point of view of emerging market economies. Vasudevan argues, the way forward from the present state of policy-disarray lies in bestowing focus on accountability, knowledge-centric information and structural reforms as the points of policy pursuit.

India has travelled through a remarkable journey in the last two decades. This book depicts the journey and the challenges ahead through the writings of eminent economists, scholars, policymakers and experts in respective fields.

India has come a long way and today the world acknowledges this achievement but much more needs to be done on the ‘human face’ aspects of reforms which has been well covered in various papers in this book.

It is increasingly recognised that to achieve inclusive growth and sustain growth momentum, regional economy is of criti- cal importance. Given the divergence in growth potential, financial developments and inflation across regions in India, studies on regional economies become particularly relevant. This volume makes an attempt to place in public domain select work on various aspects of the regional economy by economists working in the central and regional offices of Reserve Bank of India.

The papers find that while the share of agriculture has shrunk across the states, the share of services has risen sharply. However, industrial growth remains uneven. Urban-rural inequality has worsened. There is a need for concerted action on agricultural growth and infra-structure development besides increasing the penetration of formal financial sector to alleviate the constraints on growth and to control inflation. There is also need to prioritise expenditure towards social sector to develop the quality of the labour force and promote well-being.

This volume is aimed at stimulating further policy-oriented research on various aspects of regional economy as well as contributing to better policymaking.

Under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rule led by the charismatic Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar, one of the poorest states in India has seen a spectacular turnaround since 2006 so much so that some see the potential of the next green revolution in India sprouting from this Gangetic plain.

The book, Structural Innovation for Inclusive Development in Bihar: The Navodaya Shahar Model explores this recent resurgence in Bihar and shows that policy options in the medium term are highly limited. The usual route of rural-urban transformation stands blocked and the vast rank of the rural landless continues to swell in this second most populous state in India. Floods of outmigration have provided a safety valve. But unless internal mobility is generated through rapid structural transformation, the human development baseline will not budge, nor will the specter of mass poverty begin to thaw.

This book gives a substantive account of the evolution of the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) Negotiations and the role of developing country coalitions and alliances. The reflections are those of former and current developing country negotiators on their firsthand experience of WTO nego¬tiations. They have explained the mandate for these negotiations, particularly the development dimension; have described the progress including developments at key moments like the WTO Ministerial Confer¬ences in Cancun (2003) and Hong Kong (2005); and have drawn lessons from negotiating strategies and tactics applied to-date by developing countries.

The book is divided into three parts. Part I provides an overview, giving insights on how negotiations on trade and econo¬mic relations are conducted in the multi¬lateral trading system as well as the key points of DDA substantive negotiations and main developing country alliances and coali¬tions. Part II covers the negotiating experi¬ence on specific subjects in the Doha Round including cross-cutting issues. Finally, Part III deals with coalition building efforts by developing countries and the impact of these coalitions on the negotiations.

The sixteen chapters included in the publication give a rich resume of increasing and more effective developing country participation in the WTO. Authors have brought to fore the twists and turns of the decade long Doha Round, often based on their own experience and perspectives. Such intimate insights are rarely found in the existing literature on the WTO negotia¬tions. Authors have also offered suggestions to unlock the stalemate in the DDA and reach a balanced and development-friendly conclusion.

The development of independent India from an agrarian stage to a modern economy began in the early 1950s. After the first four decades of planning, India embarked upon a series of economic and financial sector reforms in the early 1990s. While India has continually been undergoing a socio-economic and structural transformation, its economic growth has accelerated in the past two decades. Since 2004, it has been on an even higher growth trajectory. This pocket book from EPW Research Foundation captures these trends and patterns, from data sets for a variety of social and economic indicators and presents them in a compact manner in both discrete and continuous annual series. The five major components of data sets are: Macro Economy, Social Sector, Infrastructure, Profile of States and International Comparison. It is a quick and handy reference tool for academics, executives, students and researchers and for anybody interested in the saga of India’s development.

Pravakar Sahoo is an Associate Professor at Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), Delhi University, India. Prior to joining IEG as Associate Professor (February 2009), he was working as senior fellow in Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), New Delhi.

THIS book draws on the work of thinkers and doers throughout the world who have grappled with the challenge of planning complex institutions, especially health systems and development projects. Their problem: Conventional planning methods often do not work. The solution: Involve all the key stakeholders in making the plan. The challenge: Devise a planning system that the principals and stakeholders can trust, and that is inclusive, balanced and dynamic.

Facilitated participatory planning (or FPP) is a new way of planning for a world that is complex, competitive, and fast-changing; a world where managers, staff and other stakeholders must have their say and own the ideas for any plan to work. This book charts the evolution of FPP from pioneer concepts of awareness, empowerment, learning-by-doing, visualisation, creative group processes, and incremental questions into a complete and up-to-date system of principles and techniques. It carries case studies that show how FPP has been used successfully where other planning methods have failed.

To mitigate, develop and improve the lives of those vulnerable to intense natural disasters, climate change and food insecurity, many agencies are funding and implementing diverse activities from reconstruction to rehabilitation. In particular, mid-to long-term interventions, strategies, and practical approaches are being designed and adopted to build the resilience of the poor. This book presents the lessons and impacts from a collection of these projects, describing concepts, strategies, processes, and tools in such a way that they can be easily replicated and shared with a wider audience. It describes valuable practical experiences and lessons from the field, capturing a range of diverse interventions from implementing agencies involved in post-disaster rehabilitation.

Part 1 presents an overview of the coastal threats and post-tsunami issues faced by the coastal communities of South Asia. Part 2 examines the concept of risk reduction and, in doing so, brings together the focal elements of resilience, mitigation and adaptation. Part 3 describes the pathways for building the capacity of vulnerable communities to withstand and rebuild from natural disasters. Part 4 presents real-life stories of how post-disaster rehabilitation and resilience-building projects have led to positive change at the community level.

Great movements are like great rivers—they start as small streams, but if the cause is great, they draw to themselves many streams, joining together to achieve and reach their destination. And so it was with the Indian National Congress, which met for the first time with a 'microscopic minority' of seventy-two people in Bombay on the 28th December, 1885. It went on to challenge the mightiest empire of the time, using the slogan of peace and the method of non-violence. Led by men and women of extraordinary intellect, courage and commitment, it shaped the destiny of modern India in the twentieth century, and leads India as a global power in the twenty-first century.

Commemorating 125 years of the Indian National Congress, this volume unfolds, page after page, the saga of struggle, sacrifice and nation-building. A lucid commentary, enlivened further by rare photographs and archival material, it offers the reader a pictorial glimpse of the epic journey that began in 1885. This is indeed, the journey of a nation...

In this timely book—a festschrift for Dr. C. Rangarajan—top experts, policymakers and economists offer their assessments of India’s performance in the area of economic and financial reforms and analyse the successes and continued challenges. It provides an insight into critical macroeconomic and macro-finance issues of today. The book covers a broad set of topics, including fiscal, monetary and external sector policies, drivers of banking and financial growth, infrastructure and financial inclusion.

A strategy of gradual economic liberalisation combined with risk-averse prudential regulation in the banking and financial sector helped limit India’s exposure to the recent financial crises and the subsequent global economic slowdown. The improved economic performance in recent years encouraged the country to become more globally and regionally integrated. This process is unlikely to be reversed by the current global economic slowdown, given the economic and strategic benefits India has derived so far.

The authors in this festschrift share a critical, but overall positive, view of the country’s future and outline several areas and recommendations for bettering the lives of citizens. Empirically rich and topically diverse, the book is broad in scope and full of deep analytic insights and will serve as a useful reference and planning tool for administrators, planners, policymakers and students of development economics, monetary economics and finance.

Bringing together a pool of renowned international experts, the book deals with the potential drivers of future change in Asia like economic growth, climate change, demographics, urbanisation, migration, resource competition, technology, military modernisation, globalisation, nationalism and identity politics, radical movements, extremism and terrorism, and great power competition. It not only attempts to describe the future for Asia in 2030, but also offers exciting alternative future scenarios.

Indian agriculture is at cross-roads. At one end, is the problem of ecologically unsound public policies which have led to deep ecological distress. On the other, despite large number of nutrition safety net programmes introduced by Central and state governments, India still remains the home for the largest number of malnourished children and adults in the world. The need of the hour is to convert the green revolution into an ‘evergreen revolution’ by mainstreaming the principles of ecology in technology development and dissemination. India also urgently needs to focus on developing a sustainable and equitable food security system.

Authored by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, a world scientist of rare distinction and a living legend, this book stresses on considering the problem of food production holistically. Evergreen revolution along with small farm management revolution are hence the most important ingredients for hunger-free India movement. Swaminathan’s consistent point has been, “rather than predicting the future, it is our job to shape it.”

Assumptions and Conventions

Preface

Joint Foreword to World Economic Outlook and Global Financial Stability Report

Executive Summary

Chapter 1. Global Prospects and Policies

Chapter 2. Country and Regional Perspectives

Chapter 3. Unemployment Dynamics during Recessions and Recoveries: Okun’s Law and Beyond

Chapter 4. Getting the Balance Right: Transitioning out of Sustained Current Account Surpluses

Redevelopment plans threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people who live and work in Dharavi, a city within the city of Mumbai. This book dispells the idea that a “slum” can only be a location for despair. Dharavi: Documenting Informalities reveals thriving communities, innovative architecture and powerful grass roots politics. By moving beyond abstract concepts such as globalization and post-colonialism, Dharavi: Documenting Informalities gives detailed, personal accounts of the many ways in which we are all linked to Dharavi’s people and industries.

Essays by Saskia Sassen, Arjun Appadurai and Sheela Patel complement
maps, photographs, drawings and interviews made by a group of artists and architects from The Royal University College of Fine Arts in Stockholm.

In Dharavi, houses and workplaces have developed over generations. Markets, alleys and the landscape itself were created as a result of actions and hard work, through negotiations and mutual needs. Memories of these
struggles, stories and dreams all intertwine in Dharavi.

This chronicle twists the informal society toward a formal one. It aims to show the creative power of the grass-roots and encourage politicians and other stake-holders to listen and to provide the means for infrastructure
and services.  — Maria Lantz and Jonatan Habib Engqvist, editors

This book is one of the first of its kind on socioeconomic aspects of agricultural biotechnology in the country. It covers a range of issues relating to potential, performance and concerns regarding biotechnology in India and offers valuable suggestions for policymaking. The debate on biotechnology so far focused mainly on the likely risks instead of objectively assessing the technology on a case-by-case basis to come out with suitable policy implications.

The present book attempts to fill this serious gap by discussing the nature and organisation of biotechnology, present pattern of product development, concerns for poverty reduction arising from the nature and pattern of product development and the performance of the first biotech product in the country viz., Bt cotton. It uses the results of two longitudinal surveys conducted in all the cotton growing agro-climatic zones of Andhra Pradesh and employs a conceptual framework to bring out the performance of this technology.

The essays in this book, Regional Disparities, Smaller States and Statehood for Telangana, written on different occasions over a period of four decades reflect the understanding and vision of the author with regard to the complex issues of regional disparities and emerging regional tensions, and the revival of the demands for the creation of smaller states.

The author observes that inter-state and intra-state disparities in development have not only persisted but have even increased in certain cases especially where backward regions do not have the necessary political clout in decision-making regarding public investment and provision of jobs. This has led to regional tensions and persistent demands for carving out separate states consisting of such backward areas. Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are some recent examples.

The need to reduce regional disparities in development has emerged as one of the biggest challenges in the post-reform period. According to Professor Rao, to ensure greater accountability for the development of backward regions in bigger states, it may be desirable to constitute Regional Development Boards and, where necessary, to carve out separate states comprising some of the backward regions. As early as 1969, he had argued for the economic viability of a separate Telangana state, “There is every reason to believe that separation would create conditions for the proper development of material as well as human resources of the region.”

The book is of great relevance today in view of the renewed interest in the subject.

Putting the right infrastructure is critical to India’s plans for inclusive growth. Increasingly, responsibilities for infrastructure development will be decentralised to the local governments, whether rural or urban. There is now an increasingly urgent need for large-scale environmental improvement programmes and for strengthening governance and the capacity of local institutions to plan, implement, and finance infrastructure provision and service delivery.

Building from the Bottom: Infrastructure and Poverty Alleviation provides critical insights into infrastructure governance from different angles—policy making, urban and rural aspects, technology, connectivity, capacity building and participation. Some of the most distinguished scholars and practitioners have contributed to this volume that encapsulates the key issues in mainstreaming poverty alleviation strategies in infrastructure programmes. Some important questions it seeks to answer are: How can we ensure infrastructure access and affordability for the poor? What are the implications for development planning and decision-making processes? What are the financing options? The book also contains a number of best practice case studies to reflect community participation, innovation and commitment, all vital ingredients to the process of building from the bottom.

The book will serve as a useful reference and planning tool for administrators, planners, policymakers and researchers of development economics.

The strategic partnership between India and Russia was signed during the visit of President Putin to India in the year 2000. Since then, the Indo-Russian relationship has diversified enormously and today it is uniquely strong and also expanding in the areas of defence, nuclear energy, hydrocarbons, space research and in science & technology. This relationship is based on a strong national consensus in both countries that has cut across ideologies or political differences. Although differences arise over certain issues on certain occasions, the overall parallelism in the Indo-Russian relationship definitely symbolises the trust that still exists between them.

India and Russia have now reached a stage where the economies of both the countries are resurgent and at the same time diversifying. Both economies are developing significantly to provide a good base for expanding business contacts and promoting new projects. Nonetheless, in spite of accelerated growth and immense opportunities, statistics show that business transaction is much less than the potential which exists between them. On the whole, it is necessary to publicise the positive experiences and growth of both countries, which will help people in both countries to orient themselves to the present realities and will boost bilateral cooperation in various fields.

With these aspects as a backdrop, this book India-Russia Strategic Partnership: Challenges and Prospects has been conceived. This book is an outcome of the research papers presented during the conference held at Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi, India, along with the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. The book covers a wide spectrum of issues and concerns related to India-Russia Strategic Partnership, and outlines various challenges and prospects for developing this relationship further. An attempt has been made here to contextualise the debate in a more cogent form.

Today more than ever it is evident that financial organizations that fail to heed the principles of sound financial management will rapidly find themselves in trouble. Over ten years ago, Robert Peck Christen observed this in the context of microfinance programs burgeoning in the late 1990's. His concern spurred the writing of this manual.

Developed to help microfinance program administrators manage for financial success, this best-selling manual today still offers practical and clear applications of traditional financial topics to microfinance institutions.

In this manual, Christen addresses interest rate policy, management of assets and liabilities, capital and portfolio risk, and strategic financial planning—all key issues for microfinance institutions and all important for the donors, consultants, and regulators who work regularly with microfinance institutions to understand. The manual presents the theoretical framework along with numerous examples, allowing the reader to deepen his or her understanding of the subject matter.

Today more than ever it is evident that financial organizations that fail to heed the principles of sound financial management will rapidly find themselves in trouble. Over ten years ago, Robert Peck Christen observed this in the context of microfinance programs burgeoning in the late 1990's. His concern spurred the writing of this manual.

Developed to help microfinance program administrators manage for financial success, this best-selling manual today still offers practical and clear applications of traditional financial topics to microfinance institutions.

In this manual, Christen addresses interest rate policy, management of assets and liabilities, capital and portfolio risk, and strategic financial planning—all key issues for microfinance institutions and all important for the donors, consultants, and regulators who work regularly with microfinance institutions to understand. The manual presents the theoretical framework along with numerous examples, allowing the reader to deepen his or her understanding of the subject matter.

Capitals of big countries like India are supposed to have a Long View of their world. Does Delhi have one? The US government, when presented with a Long View from Washington by Herman Kahn of the Hudson Institute in the early seventies is supposed to have protested “But they employed only three people for the study.” Kahn replied “True, but that was three more than the government employed to look at the future”. Laymen imagine that those in the lofty reaches of government spend time in contemplation, brainstorming where their societies will be two decades hence. Disappointed they are when they learn that politicians drive policy more to ensure re-election four years later, than to shape their environment. They say they have no choice.

This book, the first such attempt, by Menon and Kumar, uses the Net Assessment Method to write the scenarios India will be confronted with in 2020. Policy, they feel, should address scenarios, that will inevitably evolve from myriad complex drivers. Scenarios cannot be created: only God does that. Menon and Kumar follow a transparent method to build, brick by brick, three scenarios that India could face, comparing them to three others evolved by the United States National Intelligence Council and by a group of Indian practitioners. The book closes with a possible Grand Strategy of Foreign Policy that will leave readers in India, and abroad with a clearer understanding of the choices that await a rising India.

The Uttarakhand Development Report review the experience of Uttarakhand and highlights issues critical for the State's development in the years ahead. The report is expected to be an important document and will impart value for development practitioners interested in the state and act as a road map for accelerated growth in the future has decided to prepare State Development Reports (SDRs) for all States and Union Territories. The purpose of bringing out these reports is to provide quality reference document of the development profile of the States. The SDRs aim at spelling out the constraints and challenges facing the States and suggest blueprints for their overall progress and prosperity.

Vijay Laxman Kelkar has been one of the most creative, contemplative and versatile public policy makers of India. Whether it has been articulating a vision for the role of markets and government, or stressing for the importance of a sound public sector balance sheet, or arguing for tax reform and fiscal federalism, or making simple and sound policies through consensus, his contributions are non-parallel. The essays in this festschrift are by some of the leading economists, bankers and policy planners of India. While saluting his visionary role in the government, they also provide an insight into some current and critical macroeconomic and finance issues. The writings cover a broad set of topics, among them fiscal, monetary and external sector policies, infrastructure, financial inclusion and education.

This volume commemorates the conferring of the Skoch Challenger Lifetime Achievement Award 2010 on Dr. Kelkar for his unique contributions to the Indian economy in general and his key role in financial sector reforms process in particular. This timely book will appeal to policy makers, political scientists, economists and other social scientists conducting research and teaching courses in political economy, fiscal and monetary policy, development studies, public policy and governance.

India grapples with the paradox of endemic backwardness in over 200 districts while certain sections and sectors are moving at a pace that is making global headlines. This report on “Creating Vibrant Public-Private-Panchayat Partnership (PPPP) for Inclusive Growth through Inclusive Governance” presents some new perspectives and solutions by bringing together the local governance agenda through the Panchayati Raj, the issue of agricultural development which influences the livelihoods of a vast majority of Indians, and the role that the business sector could play in rural transformation. It presents case studies which show that partnership models which could ensure an income of over Rs.25,000 per annum on 0.5 hectare plots are feasible even in the context of a highly hostile eco-environment.

In view of its cross-cutting theme, this crisp report is a ‘must read’ for policy makers and practitioners in the area of pro-poor growth, rural development, local governance and public-private partnership.

This book in your hands, I Can Do Financial Planning, is a valuable addition to the several ongoing efforts of the Reserve Bank towards enhancing financial literacy. It is aimed at youth who are just about getting into jobs and careers, and who will have to wade through a complex array of financial products and make judgements. It is an attempt towards educating the readers on the importance of thrift and equipping them with the skills of planning and budgeting for a financially secure future. Written in an easy style and simple language with live examples, the book’s central message is that people can improve their financial security through defining their financial goals, then drawing up and implementing a savings and investment plan to achieve those goals.

Jobless growth is a major concern in today’s world. Over and above, employment becomes the first casualty of financial crises that seem to occur almost in a periodic manner. How well the countries have mainstreamed employment in their macro strategies? How coherent are the macro policies that countries follow from the perspective of centrality of Decent Work in the context of investment and growth?

The volume scans the macro-economic settings of the seven countries of South Asian subregion that include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and explores how well the macro economic strategies pursued by these countries cohere with the Decent Work objectives.

The papers contributed by various authors in this volume present elaborate research based empirical information and analyses for the readers, researchers, policy makers and multilateral institutions.

The analytical import in this volume also provides a perspective on globalization. Are these countries reaping the benefits of this process? Is globalization helping in achieving the Decent Work goals? The book raises many issues and opens up wide areas of debate.

The present volume makes an important contribution to the rich literature on impact of trade reforms on growth and employment by undertaking an indepth investigation into relevant issues in the context of the developing economy of Bangladesh. The study tracks and investigates the various phases of trade reforms pursued by Bangladesh over the past years. By applying appropriate analytical and estimation techniques, the study captures how and to what extent trade reforms have impacted on growth of manufacturing sector of the country during the various stages of the reforms and how employment scenarios have changed in labour-intensive and export-oriented sectors of the country over the corresponding periods as a consequence of the reforms. The book argues that further trade reforms should be guided by concerns of employment creation and should be tailored to the demands of accelerated industrial growth as Bangladesh enters into a heightened pace of global integration of her economy.

'Dilli' is the heart of India. It embodies centuries of life and living, of changing cityscapes and fine architectural masterpieces that draw together ancient fortresses, mediaeval cities, and a metropolis that has, without hesitation, embraced the diverse, multilayered and dynamic reality of India and all Indians.

This book walks you through some of the symbols that compel Delhi to stand apart, showcasing an old civilization and more importantly, an energetic, creative and entrepreneurial young nation grappling with the excitement of constant reinvention, of change.

Delhi has the best of all worlds within her open borders, from the ancient past to the vibrant present and Dilliwallahs are an engaging lot, proud of their epic legacy, raring to keep the ethos of change alive.

Developed country experts on international affairs and the global economy have consistently underestimated the speed with which China’s economy and power would rise relative to Germany, Japan and the USA. They are now similarly underestimating the speed at which India’s economy will close the economic size and power gaps. This book shows, why and how a tri-polar global power structure will emerge from the current confused system variously described as ‘multipolar’, ‘apolar’, ‘pluripolar’, ‘West and the rest’ and ‘unipolar with an oligopolistic fringe’. The Book goes on to draw out the implications and consequences of this evolving global power structure and makes suggestions on the policy options that need to be explored and pursued to increase the possibility of a peaceful transformation .

These essays have wide-ranging themes on different aspects of socio-economic development. All of them were written during the last four decades and some were published in well-known national and international journals like Economic and Political Weekly, International Journal of Development Banking in India, American Economic Review (USA), Bulletin of the Oxford University Institute of Economics and Statistics (UK) and KYKLOS (Europe). Some others were published in the publications of international institutes like United Nations, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The context in which these essays were written (as others in author's develop-ment perspectives) is indicated in his latest book Perspectives on Development: Memoirs of a Development Economist (Academic Foundation, 2008).

The South Asia Economics Students' Meet is a unique platform created in 2003-04 to give young undergraduate students of Economics an opportunity to interact academically and discuss important contemporary economic issues pertaining to South Asia. The papers in this volume were presented at the 5th Meet, held in Delhi in March 2008, on the theme “Economic Challenges to Make South Asia Free from Poverty and Deprivation.”

This collection of papers is special in several ways. It is topical; it not only reiterates the capabilities of the young contributors, it also reflects the quality of teaching and academics on the sub-continent. The youth of the contributors is well compensated by their intellectual maturity. This volume is the repository of the hope and effort that we have invested in our students, and in our future. It will give the reader some idea of the capabilities of our ‘future economists'.

Agriculture production and farm incomes in India are frequently affected by weather and climatic aberrations like droughts, floods, cyclone, frost, storms, land slides, etc. Outbreak of epidemics, fire, and market fluctuations are the other factors which seriously affect production and farm income. All these events are beyond the control of the farmers. With the growing commercialisation of agriculture, the magnitude of shock due to unfavourable eventualities is increasing and the need to protect farmers against production and income losses is becoming stronger. Agricultural insurance is considered an important mechanism to effectively address the risk to output and income resulting from various natural and manmade events. Despite various schemes launched from time to time, agricultural insurance in India has not made much headway even though the need to protect country’s farmers from agricultural variability has been a continuing concern of agriculture policy. This book examines the genesis of agricultural insurance in India and discusses various agricultural insurance schemes launched in the country from time to time and the coverage provided by them. The book also looks into the role of government in implementing various agricultural insurance schemes and suggest effective agriculture insurance programme for India.

Demographic processes and health outcomes are highly gendered in India. At the same time, studies on the impact of gender on demography and health issues are scarce and the impact of demographic changes on gender is nearly nonexistent. Mere recognition of the gender issues does not provide policy guidance to make appropriate changes in the programmes. This calls for innovative methods to understand demographic changes, health scenario and gender systems and also a critical analysis of various public interventions. India is also experiencing rapid demographic changes in recent years which will have definite implications for demographic pattern, gender system, health progress and governmental policies and programmes. There are several policy and programmatic interventions to generate conducive demographic and health changes through gender equity.

This volume brings together contributions from scholars on demographic changes, gender and health system and health policies and programmes in India. It highlights achievements and challenges facing the country in the area of population, gender and health in different settings. It also brings up new methods of analysing the relationship. This volume, undoubtedly, will be a useful guide to students, researchers and policy makers in India and across the world.

Economic Developments in India (EDI) was launched in 1998. Ever since, one volume is published every month. Each volume of EDI comprises a hard-bound book plus a CD-ROM. Salient features include: latest articles by top economists and experts; complete (full-length) reports & policy documents; current at-a-glance statistics and policy updates. EDI is an authentic and 'truly unique' ready-reference resource—a full-fledged 'Economic Information System'. The dual format (hardcopy + digital) further enhance the utility of this publication.

Yes ! Indeed, the combination of 'Book and a CD-ROM' proves extremely powerful and versatile, especially when the two forms of media are selectively made to carry different forms of information. Hence, the hard-copy (i.e. the book) presents crisp articles and short summaries while the digital format (CD-ROM) takes care of voluminous reports and documents with sophisticated search facility and printout options. This way, easy readability and comprehensiveness go hand in hand to make this publication compact and preservable.