India: Urban Finance and Governance Review Volume II: Case Study Annexes

The report makes an in depth analysis of what to expect of future urban population growth in cities across India. Cities play a critical role in India\u27s development. While its one billion-plus population is predominantly rural, over 300 million people live in urban areas. One-third of this population lives in 35 urban agglomerations or cities exceeding one million. Cities\u27 governments are responsible for delivering various public services, yet severe infrastructures shortages in water supply and sanitation, roads, transportation, housing and waste management, and inefficient management have resulted in poor quality services. These inadequate services and worsening environmental conditions affect the poor. Between 1950 and 2000 India\u27s urban population increased from 62 to 288 million. Already strained to provide services and quality of life to existing urban residents, cities will face tremendous challenges in expanding existing infrastructure and avoiding deterioration of living standards due to congestion, pollution, and lack of basic services. A doubling of the population over 30 years means that by 2030 there will be a second Mumbai, a second Calcutta, and a second Bangalore that must be fed, supplied with water, sanitation, electricity, give public and private transportation options; and where garbage must be disposed of. The report concludes by laying out a series of state and local actions over the short-medium and long-term to enhance fiscal sustainability and strengthening institutional capacity building of state and local governments

India: Urban Finance and Governance Review - Volume I Executive Summary and Main Report

The report makes an in depth analysis of what to expect of future urban population growth in cities across India. Cities play a critical role in India\u27s development. While its one billion-plus population is predominantly rural, over 300 million people live in urban areas. One-third of this population lives in 35 urban agglomerations or cities exceeding one million. Cities\u27 governments are responsible for delivering various public services, yet severe infrastructures shortages in water supply and sanitation, roads, transportation, housing and waste management, and inefficient management have resulted in poor quality services. These inadequate services and worsening environmental conditions affect the poor. Between 1950 and 2000 India\u27s urban population increased from 62 to 288 million. Already strained to provide services and quality of life to existing urban residents, cities will face tremendous challenges in expanding existing infrastructure and avoiding deterioration of living standards due to congestion, pollution, and lack of basic services. A doubling of the population over 30 years means that by 2030 there will be a second Mumbai, a second Calcutta, and a second Bangalore that must be fed, supplied with water, sanitation, electricity, give public and private transportation options; and where garbage must be disposed of. The report concludes by laying out a series of state and local actions over the short-medium and long-term to enhance fiscal sustainability and strengthening institutional capacity building of state and local governments

Estimating elasticity of demand for tourism in Dubai?

This study estimates the elasticity of demand for inbound tourism from 24 countries to Dubai with a view to understand the factors that influence this demand. The variables tourist arrivals, real per capita income, relative prices, and accommodation costs were tested for panel unit roots, and panel cointegration was employed to determine the specification of the models to be used. These models were estimated employing Fixed Effects and Random Effects approaches. The choice between Fixed and Random Effects models was made using the Hausman Test. Determinants of the elasticity of demand for the entire panel are consistent with theory. Within the subgroups there are differences. Arab countries and countries of the Indian subcontinent have an income elasticity of demand \u3e1. Tourists from the developed countries seem to be the most sensitive to relative prices and the cost of accommodation is significant only for tourists from the Arab and Indian subcontinent countries. Income elasticity of tourism especially from Arab countries and countries of the Indian subcontinent is high, indicating that marketers should tailor their strategies accordingly. Accommodation costs have negative impact on demand, highlighting the need for more budget hotels. Relative increase in prices has a negative impact on tourism demand, highlighting the need to control domestic inflation

Growth and convergence under uniform and varying rate of change of technology

This paper seeks to extend the debate on growth and convergence by estimating growth equations which allow for varying rate of change in technology (TFP) as well as the standard assumption of uniform rate. Rate of change of TFP is proxied using an index of patent protection. The dataset used in the paper includes 25 high income countries, 20 middle income countries, 28 low income countries and 16 countries which have transitioned across income categories during the time period considered in this paper. The results of the paper, estimated using the generalized method of moments (GMM) approach, show significant differences when the rate of change of TFP is assumed to be varying as opposed to being uniform. Significantly, the rate of convergence differs significantly across the subgroups of countries under the assumption of varying rate of change of TFP. Rates of convergence under the assumption of varying rates are clearly higher than those under the uniform rate for high income countries while the results for countries in other income categories are mixed

Transformations, then and now: The appeal of Karl Polanyi

Karl Polanyi\u27s views on the nature of pre-market society are influential not only among historians but also among economists concerned with present-day transitional and developing economies. This paper examines Polanyi\u27s arguments about the Great Transformation from traditional to market society in the light of recent advances in economic theory and empirical evidence from a range of European and non-European societies. These theoretical and empirical considerations provide little support for Polanyi\u27s views concerning fundamental discontinuities between traditional and market societies. The paper concludes that Polanyi\u27s rosy view of pre-market society provides an inappropriate historical basis for addressing the challenges faced by present-day transitional and developing economies