Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Indradeep Ghosh Author-Name-First: Indradeep Author-Name-Last: Ghosh Author-Email: Indradeep.Ghosh@dvara.com Author-Workplace-Name: Dvara Research Author-Name: Susan Thomas Author-Name-First: Susan Author-Name-Last: Thomas Author-Email: sthomas.entp@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Financial Inclusion Measurement: Deepening the Evidence Abstract: The widely accepted view that finance is important to improve the lives of individuals has led to a tenacious policy support for financial inclusion. The term itself has evolved with time, and along with it, the approaches to measure financial inclusion. This paper in the 17th edition of the Inclusive Finance India Report (http://inclusivefinanceindia.org/inclusive-finance-india/) describes the evolution of financial inclusion in India and the various strategies used to quantify so far. The paper presents new thinking on measuring financial inclusion, including the latest Findex measure from the World Bank and the holistic input-output-outcome approach by Dvara Research and XKDR Forum. While both approaches depend upon household surveys, the paper identifies gaps between the measurement focus of the Findex, which continues to focus on bank accounts and payment systems, and the Dvara-XKDR approach which incorporates a greater coverage of what the household holds as financial instruments, how they are used and the perceived well-being of households that are more financially included. The evidence presented suggests that the input-output-outcome can be more useful to both policy makers and financial service providers in identifying households that are financially less included. Length: 9 pages Creation-Date: 2023-01 Publication-Status: Published Inclusive Finance India Report 2022, 17th edition, January 2023, Chapter 9, pages 117-125. File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/202212GhoshThomas_finclumeasurementinIFIReport.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 20 Classification-JEL: D1,G2,G5 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:20 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Carlos Mendez Author-Name-First: Carlos Author-Name-Last: Mendez Author-Email: carlosmendez777@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Nagoya University Author-Name: Ayush Patnaik Author-Name-First: Ayush Author-Name-Last: Patnaik Author-Email: ayushpatnaik@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Exploring economic activity from outer space: A Python notebook for processing and analyzing satellite nighttime lights Abstract: Nighttime lights (NTL) data are widely recognized as a useful proxy for monitoring national, subnational, and supranational economic activity. These data offer advantages over traditional economic indicators such as GDP, including greater spatial granularity, timeliness, lower cost, and comparability between regions regardless of statistical capacity or political interference. However, despite these benefits, the use of NTL data in regional science has been limited. This is in part due to the lack of accessible methods for processing and analyzing satellite images. To address this issue, this paper presents a user-friendly geocomputational notebook that illustrates how to process and analyze satellite NTL images. First, the notebook introduces a cloud-based Python environment for visualizing, analyzing, and transforming raster satellite images into tabular data. Next, it presents interactive tools to explore the space-time patterns of the tabulated data. Finally, it describes methods for evaluating the usefulness of NTL data in terms of their cross-sectional predictions, time-series predictions, and regional inequality dynamics. Length: 25 pages Creation-Date: 2023-04 Publication-Status: Published in REGION, European Regional Science Association, vol. 11, pages 79-109. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18335/region.v11i1.493 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2023_MendezPatnaik_IndiaNTLimagesProcessingandExploration.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 21 Classification-JEL: Y9 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:21 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Aneesha Chitgupi Author-Name-First: Aneesha Author-Name-Last: Chitgupi Author-Email: aneeshachitgupi@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Susan Thomas Author-Name-First: Susan Author-Name-Last: Thomas Author-Email: sthomas.entp@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Learning by doing for public procurement Abstract: A central choice in public administration is whether to 'make', which is production within the public sector, or 'buy', which is public procurement. While 'buy' has the advantage of harnessing the energy of private firms, it requires state capacity in contracting and leads to questions on how to obtain state capacity in contracting. One measure of state capacity in procurement is the extent of failure to spend resources budgeted for procurement. We construct a novel dataset about spending gaps (between what is budgeted and what is spent) in procurement by the Indian union government. We find that the spending gaps are the smallest when buying goods, and the highest with works. We find that ministries that have a sustained engagement with procurement fare better on obtaining minimum gaps in procurement spending, which suggests a process of learning by doing. Length: 31 pages Creation-Date: 2023-09 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/ChitgupiThomas2023_LearningbydoingforPublicProcurement.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 22 Classification-JEL: H57, H83, L33 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:22 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Pratik Datta Author-Name-First: Pratik Author-Name-Last: Datta Author-Email: pratik.datta@amsshardul.com Author-Workplace-Name: Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. Author-Name: Radhika Pandey Author-Name-First: Radhika Author-Name-Last: Pandey Author-Email: radhesp@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: NIPFP Author-Name: Ila Patnaik Author-Name-First: Ila Author-Name-Last: Patnaik Author-Email: ilapatnaik@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Aditya Birla Group Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Understanding deviations from the fiscal responsibility law in India Abstract: The Parliament enacted the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM Act) in 2003. In most of the following years, union public finance has deviated from the strictures of the law. Was it poor drafting of the statutory escape clause in the FRBM Act, 2003 that led to these deviations? We show that this is not the correct diagnosis. The escape clause that flows from the Constitution of India - the special procedure for money bills - gives the union government the ability to get around shackles placed under Parliamentary legislation. If fiscal rules are sought to be implemented through laws, the legal strategy needs to take this constitutional framework into account. Length: 29 pages Creation-Date: 2023-08 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/dattaPandeyPatnaikShah2023_frbm.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 23 Classification-JEL: H6, K3, O2 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:23 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Bhargavi Zaveri-Shah Author-Name-First: Bhargavi Author-Name-Last: Zaveri-Shah Author-Email: bhargavizaveri@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: National University of Singapore Author-Name: Susan Thomas Author-Name-First: Susan Author-Name-Last: Thomas Author-Email: sthomas.entp@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Estimating Capacity Requirements of the National Company Law Tribunal: Notes from the Field Abstract: A framework to determine the optimal strength of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) is important, given it's central role as an adjudicator under the Companies Act, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, and the Competition Commission of India. The ability to collect standardised, comprehensive and consistent data from the NCLT, is critical for this. Such data systems support the development of models to estimate the optimal strength of each bench of such a tribunal. In this paper, we explore the use of the weighted caseload method to estimate the capacity requirements of the NCLT, on a recurrent basis given the presence of data. Length: 21 pages Creation-Date: 2023-10 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2023ThomasZaveri-Shah_Chapter21-TechnologyandAnalyticsforLawandJustice.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 24 Classification-JEL: K4, C8 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:24 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: The journey of Indian finance Abstract: Indian finance went through a first phase of central planning (1947-1992) and a second phase (1992-2016) with conflicting themes of liberalisation and enhanced state control. In the first phase, the financial system was a handmaiden for state control of the economy, directing resources in harmony with the wishes of the government. State control was achieved through government ownership. In many areas, private financial firms are now important. The full ecosystem of modern finance, with information processing and risk-taking by private persons, blossomed in the equity market. For two decades there was a remarkable policy process that yielded gains in fields such as the equity market, pension reforms, bankruptcy code, etc. But alongside this there was the expansion of 'the administrativestate' in the form of financial regulators. Regulators engage in micromanagement of products and processes. While there is isomorphic mimicry with many things that look like a financial system, officials retain substantial control over how finance works. In a functional perspective, Indian finance today resembles the environment of the 1980s more than meets the eye. Length: 26 pages Creation-Date: 2023-11 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/Shah2023_ec_hist_finance.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 25 Classification-JEL: N25, N45, G38, O53 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:25 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Diya Uday Author-Name-First: Diya Author-Name-Last: Uday Author-Email: diyaudaypatkar@gmail.com Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Teesta Shukla Author-Name-First: Teesta Author-Name-Last: Shukla Author-Email: teestashukla29@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Women's ownership in land, their agency and tenure security: A case study of Maharashtra Abstract: There is growing recognition of the role of land in achieving key Sustainable Development Goals such as gender equality and reduced inequalities. Yet, little is known about the fundamental question: how much land do women hold and control in India? A key reason for this is the informational gap in popular datasets and the work in India. Current work does not map (i) the de jure rights of women as reflected in land records; (ii) the linkage between de jure rights and de facto variables such as (a) women's control over their land assets or (b) their perceptions of tenure security. These elements together make up a whole, and a lack of understanding of one or the other presents an incomplete picture of the question of women's land ownership. The primary objective of this study is to undertake an accurate and comprehensive mapping of women's land rights, which converges de jure rights; and de facto control over land and perceptions of tenure security using a novel methodology which is a combination of desk and fieldwork. We first undertake mapping of two land tenures - ownership and lease in rural and urban districts in the sample state using parcel-level information in textual land records. We select Maharashtra as the environment under examination for three reasons: (i) the state has made considerable progress in digitising land records (ii) our previous fieldwork confirms high accordance between the ownership information on the records and ground (iii) the state has also digitised urban land records. We then select a sample set of parcels where women are de jure rights holders. We conducted a field survey to study two de facto variables: (a) their control over their land and (b) their perceptions of tenure security. In doing so, we propose a scalable and nuanced methodology to study the complex question of women's land. Our findings provide a data-backed foundation for answering questions on women's rights in land, their control over their land and their perceptions of tenure security for better-informed policy interventions. Length: 73 pages Creation-Date: 2023-09 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2023_xkdrEgovReportOnWomensLandOwnershipAndAgency.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 26 Classification-JEL: K11 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:26 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Brijkumar Aggarwal Author-Name-First: Brijkumar Author-Name-Last: Aggarwal Author-Email: brijkumaragarwal@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Retd. IAS Author-Name: Diya Uday Author-Name-First: Diya Author-Name-Last: Uday Author-Email: diyaudaypatkar@gmail.com Title: Technology in Land Administration Abstract: The Indian state suffers from a deep-rooted capacity problem that manifests in various ways depending on the field of government functioning. In the field of land, the problems in capacity manifest in slow processes, low enforcement, outdated laws, low state legibility, and a failure to protect property rights and deliver basic services to citizens. Technology is often viewed as a panacea for the problem of low state capacity. Government programmes have a concentrated focus on digitisation and have dedicated a large number of resources towards technology-based programmes and solutions to administration challenges. In this paper, we examine the current applications of technology in the field of land in India for administration and the delivery of citizen services. We examine what is working and what is not and question whether technology is leading to the desired outcomes. We explore path-breaking innovations in the field that might be applied in India and propose the first-principles framework for evaluating the application of technology in the field of land administration in India. Length: 24 pages Creation-Date: 2023-10 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2023AggarwalUday_Chapter5-TechnologyinLandAdministration.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 27 Classification-JEL: K40 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:27 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Diya Uday Author-Name-First: Diya Author-Name-Last: Uday Author-Email: diyaudaypatkar@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Reinventing India's procurement laws: a global perspective Abstract: A unified law is viewed as a panacea for the current challenges in public procurement in India. In 2012, the Indian government attempted to create a statutory framework for public procurement by introducing Public Procurement Bill 2012. This Bill did not become a law and public procurement in India continues to be governed by a set of executive instructions. The central question remains: What should India's legal framework for public procurement be? This papers explores this question through a comparative analysis of the similarities and dierences in procurement laws in four jurisdictions, including India. The objective is to identify fundamental rules that underpin well-designed procurement frameworks that will guide India's eorts to create a robust law for public procurement. Length: 19 pages Creation-Date: 2023-11 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/Uday2023_reinventingIndiasProcurementLawsAGlobalPerspective.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 28 Classification-JEL: K4 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:28 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Pavithra Manivannan Author-Name-First: Pavithra Author-Name-Last: Manivannan Author-Email: pavithra.manivannan4@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Geetika Palta Author-Name-First: Geetika Author-Name-Last: Palta Author-Email: geetikapalta11@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Susan Thomas Author-Name-First: Susan Author-Name-Last: Thomas Author-Email: sthomas.entp@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Bhargavi Zaveri-Shah Author-Name-First: Bhargavi Author-Name-Last: Zaveri-Shah Author-Email: bhargavizaveri@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Evaluating courts from a litigant's perspective: A project report Abstract: Information systems about dispute resolution processes and forums that can aid litigants, a key stakeholder in the justice delivery system, are absent. We propose the development of a system that allows a litigant to comparatively evaluate the different forums where he can take his dispute for resolution. To develop this system, we first identify the types of information that can support the decision of a potential litigant on whether to take her matter to court and if yes, which court. We find that information on efficiency, effectiveness, fairness, predictability, and access to courts are crucial for a litigant's decision-making process. Subsequently, we locate data sources required to quantify such measures from the viewpoint of periodically publishing such measures in the public domain. For this purpose, the case type was narrowed down to debt disputes. We systematically collect quantifiable information about cases from the select courts' websites, namely, the Bombay High Court (Bombay HC), the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), and the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT). We use data from these courts up to September 2022. We find that a litigant has the lowest chance of getting a first hearing within the first year of filing a case at the Bombay HC (37%) as compared to the NCLT or the DRT. The chance for disposal within the first year is even slimmer. There is a 1/3rd chance of disposal at the NCLT within one year of filing, while it is less than 1/5th at both the Bombay HC and the DRT. However, a case is likely to have the highest number of hearings at the NCLT. A survey questionnaire is designed and deployed to capture features of a case that cannot be quantified. We deploy the survey to capture the relative performance of each of the three courts to a sample of respondents who have litigated frequently in the courts of our interest. The results of the survey indicate that the NCLT is ranked the highest by survey participants. Bombay HC comes second, and the DRT is ranked third. Length: 46 pages Creation-Date: 2023-12 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2023Manivannanetal_evaluatingCourtsFromLitigantPerspectiveReport.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2023 Number: 29 Classification-JEL: C, C53, K, K41 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:29