December 9, 2019
Is India’s Consumption Really Falling?
What do new figures from the leaked report from India's National Sample Survery (NSS) say about growth?
Views from the Center
November 27, 2019
Reflecting on the 2019 State of Aadhaar Report: Good, but can be Better
It has now been a decade since India’s biometric identification system, Aadhaar, was set in motion. It has been an interesting journey with many twists, turns and speed bumps along the way, but one that is finally settling down into a more predictable path.
November 12, 2019
A Quick Guide to 100+ Publications by Economics Nobel Winner Abhijit Banerjee
Last month, Abhijit Banerjee won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, together with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer. Here’s a quick introduction to almost all of Banerjee’s publications. The range of topics is breathtaking, from land reform to corruption to microcredit to international aid to the fundamental nature of poverty.
October 29, 2019
A Quick Guide to 100+ Publications by Economics Nobel Winner Esther Duflo
Two weeks ago, Esther Duflo won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences<, together with Abhijit Banerjee and Michael Kremer, “for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.” In the blog post below, you’ll find a quick introduction to more than a hundred of her research publications, including research articles, policy articles summarizing research, book chapters, book reviews, comments on others’ research, and books.
October 29, 2019
If India Stopped Growing, Would the IMF and World Bank Say So?
Leading economic indicators have slowed or reversed. Criticisms of official statistics are mounting. But the IMF and World Bank continue to forecast 6-percent growth by simple extrapolation.
October 24, 2019
For India to Take Climate Leadership, It Should Keep Forests in the Fiscal Devolution Formula
Forests have been all over the news recently as the Brazilian Amazon burns and the world reacts. One of the most consequential decisions for India’s forests will be made soon in a surprising place—the country’s 15th Finance Commission.
October 7, 2019
The World’s Next Factory Won’t Be in South Asia
The region is losing out to Africa and elsewhere in the race to attract manufacturing investment.
September 23, 2019
More than the Sum of their Parts: How an ID, a Phone, and a Bank Account Can Help Achieve the SDGs
As the United Nations General Assembly meets this week, global leaders will be taking stock of their countries’ progress towards the SDGs and mapping out where they still have to go. Our research has shown that, together, financial accounts, ID, and mobile phones can facilitate a wide variety of cross-cutting programs to meet the SDGs, which can be cost-effective at scale.
June 27, 2019
Technology and State Capacity: Lessons from “Digital Krishna”
India is now recognized as a leader in digital government service delivery, enabled by the Aadhaar unique identification platform which has registered the equivalent of almost 15 percent of the world’s population. Many service delivery programs have been deployed at the state level, providing a rich comparative context. Some states have struggled to move towards effective and inclusive digitized programs while others have seemingly achieved a sophistication that is on par with, or surpasses, many developed countries’ capacities.
March 6, 2019
Women Social Entrepreneurs and Tech Can Accelerate SDG 5 in India, the World’s Largest Democracy
While there are several success stories where technology has helped level the playing field and brought economic opportunities to vulnerable communities in India, the question remains: Will technology help advance gender equality, or will it instead fuel a growing gender-digital divide?
Commentary Menu