PUBLIC: publications on India..

[prabhu.guptara@ny.ubs.com]

The following interesting materials have recently been published by the
World
Bank


Professor Prabhu Guptara
Director, Organisational and Executive Development
Wolfsberg Executive Development Centre
(a subsidiary of UBS AG)
CH-8272 Ermatingen
Switzerland
Tel: + 41.71.663.5605
Fax: +41.71.663.5590
e-mail: prabhu.guptara@ubs.com


1.  ASSESSING AID:  WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T, AND WHY

A World Bank Policy Research Report

"This refreshingly frank assessment of the World Bank and the larger aid

business is essential reading for the policy community dealing with the
reform of aid and international institutions."
      -Nancy Birdsall, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace

"The best and most comprehensive book on the effect of foreign aid."
      -Alberto Alesina, Professor of Economics, Harvard University

"The evidence presented by the authors shows that aid effectiveness can
be vastly improved through simple, but radical, changes in aid
policies."
      -Professor Jan Willem Gunning, Director, Centre for the Study of
African Economies, University of Oxford

In different times and places, foreign aid has been highly effective,
totally ineffective, and everything in between.  It assisted growth in
the Republic of Korea and Botswana in the 1960s, Bolivia and Ghana in
the late 1980s, and Uganda and Vietnam in the 1990s.  It still plays a
critical role in supporting institutional and policy reform in
developing countries, which is crucial for alleviating poverty.

However, foreign aid has also failed spectacularly.  Incompetence,
corruption, and misguided policies persisted for many years in the
former Zaire, for example, where there was a steady flow of aid.  And in

Tanzania, despite US$2 billion in aid over twenty years, lack of
provision for maintaining roads meant the roads often deteriorated
faster than they could be built.

While there has been more progress with poverty reduction in the past
fifty years than in any comparable period of human history, poverty
remains a severe global problem.  Assessing Aid contends that aid
effectiveness depends on the institutional and policy environment into
which the aid flows.  To make aid more effective, it recommends five
main strategies:
*  Focus financial aid on poor countries with good policies and strong
economic management
*  Provide policy-based aid to demonstrated reformers
*  Use simpler instruments to transfer resources to countries with sound

management
*  Focus projects on creating and transmitting knowledge and capacity
*  Rethink the internal incentives of aid agencies

Assessing Aid includes other important research:
*  Analysing aid's non-financial role - its impact on the transfer of
technology or ideas
*  Investigating how foreign aid is declining sharply at a time when
reforms in developing countries have made it most effective
*  Examining whether foreign aid is 'fungible'
*  Documenting that effective assistance demands that donors be
selective, innovative, co-ordinated, and self-critical
*  Examining the overall effect of assistance on the countries' per
capita income growth

Foreign aid has proved to be effective in increasing the rate of growth,

reducing the poverty level, and lowering infant mortality rates in many
countries.  Yet, more than a billion people still live in extreme
poverty, on less than US$1 per day.  Properly managed foreign aid can
make a big contribution to improving the lives of millions.  Assessing
Aid sets the pace for improving the effectiveness of foreign aid in
promoting growth and reducing poverty worldwide.

1998, 160 pages, Stock Number 61123, price PS21.00 plus PS3.00 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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2.  DETERMINANTS OF CRIME RATES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE WORLD:
AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT

Pablo Fajnzylber, Daniel Lederman, Norman Loayza

World Bank Latin American and Caribbean Studies

A growing concern in most regions of the world is the heightened
incidence of criminal and violent behaviour, especially in the Latin
American and Caribbean Region.

This study uses a new data set of crime rates for a large sample of
countries to analyse the determinants of national homicide and robbery
rates.  The authors describe a simple model of  "incentives to commit
crimes" by estimating several econometric models and utilising empirical

models to draw their conclusions.

1998, 54 pages, Stock Number 14240, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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3.  FIGHTING POVERTY WITH MICROCREDIT:  EXPERIENCE IN BANGLADESH

Shahidur R. Khandker

Providing the poor with access to financial services is one of many ways

to help increase their incomes and productivity.  In many countries,
however, traditional financial institutions have failed to provide this
service.  Microcredit and co-operative programs have been developed to
fill this gap.  Their purpose is to help the poor become self-employed
and thus escape poverty.  Many of these programs provide credit using
social mechanisms, such as group-based lending, to reach the poor and
other clients, including women, who lack access to formal financial
institutions.

With increasing assistance from the World Bank and other donors,
microfinance is emerging as an instrument for reducing poverty and
improving access of the poor to financial services in low-income
countries.

This book examines the experiences of the Grameen Bank and two other
major microcredit programs in Bangladesh in order to quantify the
potential and limitations of microcredit programs as an instrument for
reducing poverty and delivering financial services to the poor.

1998, 240 pages, Stock Number 61121, price PS24.33 plus PS3.00 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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4.  FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT:
PROCEEDINGS OF AN INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, FEBRUARY 17-21, 1997,
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

E. Scott Piscitello and V. Susan Bogach

Discussion Paper No. 391

In order to prevent increased pollution from coal-fired power plants and

diversify resources, the Government of China (GOC) is giving increased
attention to developing its vast wind, solar, and other renewable energy

resources.

This discussion paper presents the proceedings of an International
Workshop in the Netherlands, which brought together senior GOC
officials, Bank staff, and senior government officials from six
countries with experience in designing and implementing financial
incentives for commercial renewable energy development.

1998, 55 pages, Stock Number 14283, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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5.  HARD LESSONS:
PRIMARY SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY, AND SOCIAL CAPITAL IN NIGERIA

Paul Francis, with S.P.I. Agi, S. Ogoh Alubo, Hawa A. Biu, A.G.
Daramola, Uchenna M. Nzewi, and D.J. Scehu.

World Bank Technical Paper No. 420

Education is a basic condition for economic and social development.
Working in conjunction with the National Primary Education Commission,
the World Bank supported consultations among teachers, parents,
educational administrators, and community leaders to develop a strong
foundation for primary education in Nigeria.

The innovative work, documented in this publication, illustrates the
potential not only for partnership between the users and providers of
primary education but also between the World Bank and its clients.

1998, 75 pages, Stock Number 14333, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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6.  INDIA:  1998 MACROECONOMIC UPDATE

A World Bank Country Study

In spite of the East Asian turmoil, the Indian economy grew in 1997-98.
However, there was a deterioration in the first quarter of 1998-99, due
in part to nuclear testing and a budget that disappointed the market.

This country study:
*  Reflects on the recent macroeconomic developments
*  Discusses policy developments and issues
*  Proposes reforms necessary for continued growth.

1998, 143 pages, Stock Number 14393, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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7.  INDIA:  THE DAIRY REVOLUTION

Wilfred V. Candler and Nalini Kumar

Operations Evaluation Study

In an effort to reduce poverty and improve nutrition, this Bank
operation assisted the Indian program "Operation Flood" to develop the
dairy industry in India.

This study examines the policy changes instituted to support the aid
flow to the dairy sector and discusses the lessons learned and benefits
realised through improved dairy production.  It also presents
suggestions for improvement.

This program differs from other Bank efforts in that it focuses on a
single commodity to alleviate poverty and raise living standards.

1998, 96 pages, Stock Number 14289, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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8.  PRIVATE SECTOR AND DEVELOPMENT:  FIVE CASE STUDIES

>From the International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Results on the Ground/No. 2

A poultry farm in Tanzania, gold and silver mines in Bolivia, and a
Conrad Hilton in Turkey constitute some of the projects for which the
International Finance Corporation (IFC) has provided investment capital
and technical expertise.  This volume reports on five case studies
carried out by IFC's Economics Department.  It focuses on the
development impact of the projects.

1998, 56 pages, Stock Number 14199, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.

Also available:
1998, French version, Stock Number 13920, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
1998, Spanish version, Stock Number 13921, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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9.  REDUCING POVERTY IN INDIA:
OPTIONS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SERVICES

The World Bank World Bank Country Study

In the half century since its independence, India has made many notable
social and economic achievements in a democratic political setting.
Among them are the eradication of famine, the reduction in population
growth, and the creation of a large pool of technical and scientific
talent.  Yet, in spite of these successes there are still many
improvements to be made in the health and education sectors of India.

The central finding of this report is that the success of education and
public health in reaching the poor depends not only on more spending on
service but also on improving the quality of service received.  It
suggests the most useful methods in reducing poverty, such as:
*  Targeting government spending to primary education
*  Reducing communicable diseases
*  Improving water and sanitation
*  Reducing household insecurity through public works programs

It also presents recommendations for targeting public funds more
efficiently and effectively.

1998, 113 pages, Stock Number 14345, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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10.  RETHINKING DECENTRALIZATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Jennie I. Litvack, Junaid Ahmad, and Richard M. Bird

Sector Studies Series

Political pressure drives the majority of decentralisation efforts in
developing countries.  Regardless of its origins, decentralisation can
have significant repercussions for resource mobilisation and allocation,

and ultimately macroeconomic stability, service delivery, and equity.

This volume describes the complexity of the decentralisation process,
presents the lessons learned about the design of decentralisation, and
draws implications from this analysis for future research agendas.

1998, 48 pages, Stock Number 14350, price PS14.33 plus PS2.50 UK
postage, plus PS4.11 handling charge per order.
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