This collection of papers addresses the issues of fiscal federalism, centre-state relations, fiscal decentralization, unconventional methods of resource mobilization for filling the huge gap in infrastructure financing and strategies for achieving fiscal sustainability at the national and sub-national level in the globalized setting. Though a number of articles are in the context of Kerala, the overarching fiscal problems of sub-national governments are common to all. It contains detailed and in-depth analysis by eminent scholars and seasoned economic administrators, based on empirical and theoretical studies. Six decades of federal fiscal arrangement in India has resulted in centralization of fiscal powers, increase in regional imbalances and increased vertical and horizontal imbalances. Central and state government finances came under great stress during the last decade, and the situation continued in the early years of the current decade on account of a variety of reasons. The five-year period since 2003-04, however, saw significant fiscal correction and consolidation at the central and state levels. The still-unfolding implications of the global financial and economic crisis on the union and state finances are going to be severe. Both the centre and the states may take years before the targets of deficits set for March 2009 under fiscal responsibility legislations could be realized.

When the 2008 housing market bubble burst in the US, a financial crisis rippled from the epi-centre across borders into economies both near and far, causing persistent social and economic detriment in many countries. This book is an examination of the impacts and responses through the lens of three countries: Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina.

Why Democracy Deepens explains how socio-economic changes in India are shaping its politics to promote grassroots democracy.

In 2020, for the first time in history, the world's debt as a percentage of its gross domestic product exceeded 100%. Although it has come down slightly since then, there are concerns about where the next debt crisis will happen, given that Pakistan and Sri Lanka have already found themselves in debt crises. India's overall fiscal health and macro-economic conditions remain stable, but the same may not be completely true when the discussion shifts to India's subnational entities. In Debt Sustainability of Subnational Governments in India: Lessons from International Debt Crises, Dwivedi attempts to answer this question by analysing the debt sustainability of the states in the context of many emerging issues and challenges to their fiscal health with the aim of providing usable and practical recommendations that can ensure the fiscal health of the subnational governments in India and across the world. Focusing on the state or provincial governments, Dwivedi addresses the debt that the government undertakes to fund its programmes and examines whether such governments are indulging in taking excessive debt. Some of the aspects covered in the book include international experiences with excessive borrowings or debt creation and the learnings from these experiences, trends of state government debt (subnational debt), emerging issues that pose challenges to state finances, and recommendations to control debt from spiralling out of control.

This book is an update of the annual flagship study by the Asia Competitiveness Institute at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, that dissects Indonesia's sub-national competitiveness at both the provincial level (covering 34 provinces) and the regional level (covering six major island groups). Based on a rich dataset of 100 indicators, the study covers four environments of competitiveness: (1) Macroeconomic Stability, (2) Government and Institutional Setting, (3) Financial, Businesses, and Manpower Conditions, and (4) Quality of Life and Infrastructure Development. It also presents each province and region's comparative strengths and weaknesses, and conducts 'what-if' policy simulations to propose policy suggestions.Aside from exploring competitiveness, the book also features empirical research on the determinants of growth slowdown in Indonesian provinces and its impact on policy implications. It also features the inaugural Ease of Doing Business Index on Attractiveness to Investors, Business Friendliness and Competitive Policies (EDB Index ABC) for Indonesian provinces. Coupled with practical insights and policy implications, this book is a recommended read for policymakers, researchers, and the general audience interested in Indonesia's economic development.

This volume brings together both academic and institutional perspectives to examine the production, use and contestation of indicators in global governance. It provides a unique and comprehensive guide to the latest research in the study of indicators and their use in global governance and policy making. The editors provide a guide to the recent vast body of literature and practice on measuring governance and measurement as governance at the global level, and present a state-of-the-art analysis of social science research on indicators at both the transnational and the global level. The Handbook brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines and perspectives, as well as policy-makers from international organisations and non-government organisations working in the field. This volume will be a valuable resource for students and academics in the fields of public policy, administration and management, international relations, political science, law, and globalisation, as well as policy makers and practitioners.

This report looks at the challenges faced by Asian countries in addressing inclusive growth and fiscal decentralisation. A series of studies examines how policies in the region have evolved in accordance with changes in demography and the economic environment, reflecting country characteristics, history and political economy forces.

National Urban Policy (NUP) is a key instrument to achieve sustainable urban development in a shared responsibility across countries, regions and cities. The scale and urgency of the current urban challenges has given prominence to NUPs. The COVID-19 crisis has amplified the potential of NUPs in shaping more resilient, green and inclusive cities as part of countries recovery packages.

To support the current efforts of Colombia’s government, this report illustrates policy recommendations to help national authorities adopting a territorial approach to inclusive economic development.

Proponents of globalization argue that it protects the global environment from degradation and promotes worldwide sustainable economic growth while opponents argue the exact opposite. Examining the local, national, and international impacts of globalization, the Handbook of Globalization and the Environment explores strategies and solutions that support healthy economic growth, protect the environment, and create a more equitable world. The book sets the stage with coverage of global environmental issues and policies. It explores international sustainable development, the evolution of global warming policy, transborder air pollution, desertification, space and the global environment, and human right to water. Building on this foundation, the editors discuss global environmental organizations and institutions with coverage of the UN's role in globalization, the trade-environment nexus, the emergence of NGOs, and an analysis of the state of global environmental knowledge and awareness from an international and comparative perspective. Emphasizing the effects of increasingly integrated global economy on the environment and society, the book examines environmental management and accountability. It addresses green procurement, provides an overview of U.S. environmental regulation and the current range of voluntary and mandatory pollution prevention mechanisms in use, explores a two-pronged approach to establishing a sustainable procurement model, and examines a collaborative community-based approach to environmental regulatory compliance. The book concludes with an analysis of controversial issues, such as eco-terrorism, North-South disputes, environmental justice, the promotion of economic growth through globalization in less developed countries, and the ability of scientists to communicate ideas so that policy makers can use science in decision making.