World Bank in India - Newsletter November 2020

World Bank in India Vol 20 / No. 2

November 2020

A partnership beyond expectations

THE STORY OF POWERGRID

Civil Services in a World of Black Swans & Grey Rhinos

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India's Blue Flag Beaches

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New Publications

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A Partnership Beyond Expectations The story of POWERGRID

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ood power transmission networks are of critical importance in India, as the country’s energy resources – both renewable and non-renewable – are spread unevenly across its territory.

Until thirty years ago, however, these networks were inadequate. While India had the capacity to generate enough electricity to meet its growing needs, its power transmission networks were unable to transport this power efficiently from surplus to deficit regions.

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India’s manufacturing and industrial production bore the brunt of this inadequacy. Without access to reliable electricity, the majority of the industries resorted to in-house diesel generators to back-up intermittent power supplies. This placed an inordinate burden on them and added significantly to their costs, as genset based power is much more expensive than grid-based electricity.

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The creation of one grid In 1989, India established POWERGRID - a national power transmission company - by amalgamating the transmission assets of six of the country’s power generating entities.

At that time, India's electricity demand was being met by five regional grids - the southern, western, northern, eastern and north-eastern grids. These grids received electricity from various sources - hydro, wind, thermal and nuclear . Each regional grid worked independently at its own frequency and fed its own region. In case of any shortfall, each grid had to manage with its own resources, leading to frequent load shedding and erratic power supply.

Once POWERGRID was created, it took up the mammoth task of connecting these five disconnected regional grids into one single national grid. First, in October 1991, the north-eastern and eastern grids were connected. Next, in March 2003, the western grid was connected to these two grids. Three years later, in August 2006, the northern grid was connected, amalgamating the four regional grids - northern, western, eastern and north-eastern - into one central grid that operated at one frequency. Finally,

in December 2013, the southern grid was connected to the central grid. India's power system was now connected synchronously under POWERGRID - One Nation One Grid One Frequency, making it one of the largest synchronously operated grids in the world.

POWERGRID - One Nation One Grid, One Frequency Today, hydropower from Arunachal Pradesh in the far northeastern corner of the country is transmitted through the logistically overwhelming 'Chicken's Neck' near Siliguri to light up homes across the country. In addition, thermal power from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, wind energy from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, solar power from Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and hydroelectricity from Himachal Pradesh all feed into one national grid, enhancing the availability of power across India.

POWERGRID is among the largest and best managed transmission utilities in the world, and is effectively catering to India’s expanding energy demand. The greatest compliment came from former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, at the time of speedy and cost efficient installation of the 2000 MW Talcher Kolar transmission line when he said “..such performance must be emulated by others too.” The contribution of multilateral institutions like the World Bank has been commendable specially in establishing systems and procedures. Today, with the setting up of the national grid, this institution plays a significant role as a national integrator.

Dr R P Singh CMD (1996-2008)

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It has also become easier to manage demand and supply by transferring power across states and regions as their electricity needs rise and ebb. Now, for instance, freezing winter nights in the mountains of Ladakh can be warmed by power generated in the far south, while scorching summer days in the heart of the country can be cooled by power generated in the northern region. The use of diesel gensets by industries has also reduced.

For instance, in an automobile spare parts manufacturing factory in an industrial zone of the northern region, the dependence on diesel gensets has gone down from about 20 hours a day in 1990s to about 4 hours a week in today.

Today, almost three decades into its existence, POWERGRID has emerged as one of the world's largest transmission utilities. Growing by leaps and bounds, it now owns about 85 percent of India’s inter-state transmission system and transmits about 40-50 percent of the total power generated in India. The rest of the power is transferred through either state-level transmission utilities or private companies.

The power of partnership The World Bank has partnered with POWERGRID since its inception. Over the years, a series of five World Bank supported power projects amounting to $3.675 billion have helped the national utility achieve world class operations. The institution’s procurement policy and procedures have been strengthened; accounting, budgeting and financial management systems have improved; modern infrastructure technology and techniques have been inducted into its operations; and comprehensive policies to 4

protect the environment and implement social safeguards have been adopted.

In 2001-02, there were 74 minor grid disturbances and three major ones, when entire cities and regions had to cope with blackouts. But that is history now. Under the World Bank’s Second Power Systems Development Project (2001-2006), POWERGRID strengthened its transmission systems and established a world class national load dispatch center which controls the five regional load dispatch centers and manages the grid at the all-India level. Since then, except for a major grid disturbance in 2012, there have not been any major blackouts.

Under the World Bank’s Fifth Power System Development Project (2009-2019), the southern region of India was connected to the rest of the national grid with the commissioning of the Raichur (Karnataka) - Solapur (Maharashtra) transmission line in December 2013. The World Bank also financed the construction of one of India’s largest high capacity substations in Champa (Chhattisgarh) in the central region and connected it with Kurukshetra (Haryana) in the northern region. The commissioning of this ‘bipole’ now facilitates the transfer of additional 3,000 mega-watts (MW) of power through a single transmission corridor.

POWERGRID projects have helped develop high-capacity transmission corridors, contributing towards increasing the overall interregional transmission capacity of the national grid from 1,500 MW in FY1999 to 102,050 MW in FY2020.

Now, under the World Bank and Government of India supported North Eastern Regional Power Systems Improvement Project, POWERGRID is constructing transmission and distribution lines across the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.

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World Bank and POWERGRID The 3-decade long partnership 1990 1993 2001 2006 2008 2009

Northern Region Transmission Project

$ 475 million Power System Development Project I

$ 350 million Power System Development Project II

$ 450 million Power System Development Project III

$ 400 million Power System Development Project IV $ 600 million; Additional financing $ 400 million

Power System Development Project V

$ 1000 million

POWERGRID has played a pivotal role in India’s growth by providing reliable & affordable power.

Over the years, it has built a seamless national grid through innovative technology and increased inter regional power transfer capacity to over 100,000 Megawatts. The World Bank has been with POWERGRID since its inception and is a valued partner in its long journey to establish a global standard company.

R N Nayak, Former CMD (2011-2015)

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Protecting the environment – conserving land and wildlife POWERGRID has been sensitive to its green obligations by following policies and procedures that focus on the avoidance, minimization and mitigation – in that order – of environmental and social impacts and using technology and innovation to conserve both land and wildlife resources. Geographical Information System (GIS) and satellite imagery are used to decide the routes of transmission lines and the sites for the construction of substations so that the green cover in sanctuaries and protected forests does not have to be cleared to make way for them. In some cases, these lines have been made even longer to bypass thick forests, while in others, transmission towers have been made taller to minimize the impact on forests.

For instance, while building the transmission line through Meghalaya, routes which passed through the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary were avoided. In Gujarat, independent experts carried out Biodiversity Assessment Studies to minimize any impact on the Wild Ass Sanctuary.

These measures have had a significant impact. Over the last two decades, the construction of POWERGRID’s transmission

lines involving forests has reduced from 6 percent in 1998 to 2 percent in 2019-20.

A role model for other nations Over the years, POWERGRID has provided consulting services to more than 20 countries and established transmission lines and substations in some of the riskiest terrain on the planet.

Currently, POWERGRID provides consultancy services to clients in India and abroad, the most recent being working with governments in Fiji, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia to construct transmission lines.

Countries in Africa, especially Kenya have expressed great interest to learn from POWERGRID, especially about its corporate governance structure, technical expertise and handling of the environmental and social aspects. POWERGRID is also contributing to bolster the exchange of power between Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar.

Thus, within the span of a few decades, India’s national power transmission utility has proved to be a national integrator, played a significant role in India’s transition to a middle-income country, and shared its expertise with various countries of the world.

POWERGRID has seen phenomenal growth since its inception in 1989, connecting the nooks and corners of our vast country into one unified national power transmission grid and contributing to economic and social development. POWERGRID has been a harbinger of new technologies in the Indian transmission sector with a focus on sustainability. Today the Company has grown to be an enabler of power markets in the country and is dedicated to making the grid smart and facilitating the transition to green power. All along this incredible journey, the World Bank has been a supportive partner, providing not only finances but also guidance in adoption of best practices in procurement, project management, financial management, and environmental management.

K Sreekanth CMD (2019)

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DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE India's Civil Service in a World of Black Swans & Grey Rhinos Axel van Trotsenburg

am very happy to be here. It was this time last year that David Malpass addressed all of you and talked about “Strengthening Indian Civil Service towards Efficient Service Delivery.”

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with strong growth. The COVID crisis, in contrast, has forced governments world-wide to purposely slow down their economies to manage the pandemic.

David’s remarks focused on the shift from compliance to enable service delivery, partnerships with private sector and community organizations.

As a result of the unprecedented sudden stop in global economic activity, the global economy is on track to contract by 5.2% this year — the deepest global recession since World War II, and the fourth deepest since 1870.

David noted that making India’s economic hopes a reality will require patience, persistence, and lots of energy from you and your colleagues.

Much has changed since David’s remarks last year - and likely the single biggest change has been the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But many of the same challenges you faced last year, and you likely face this year as well – how to be an effective, resilient, versatile, and adaptive civil service, one that can help your country respond to both the short-term needs and prepare for a better future.

Impact of Covid The COVID 19 pandemic has brought on the biggest global crisis we have faced in 80 years.

Unlike the financial crisis of 2008, this one is truly a global shock. For example, the 2008 crisis impacted the G7 mainly – while countries such as India and China continued

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In the longer term, the pandemic could have scarring effects on households, firms, and governments, leading to persistent behavioral changes that lower potential growth. The crisis threatens to set back decades of economic progress and poverty reduction.

And this concerns us very much, at the World Bank, and is one of the reasons we have been working so hard to support countries mitigate the economic, social, and health impacts of this crisis.

Here in India, on top of existing development challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has had significant consequences for lives, livelihoods and the broader economy.

Although India has made remarkable progress in reducing absolute poverty, the COVID-19 outbreak has likely reversed the course of poverty reduction.

Between 2011-12 and 2017, India's poverty rate is estimated to have declined from 20.3%

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According to our forecasts, per capita income would contract in over 90% of the world’s economies in 2020, the highest rate since 1870.

Extreme poverty is expected to increase this year by an additional 115 million people.

to values ranging from a little over 8 percent to a little over 11 percent. Recent projections of GDP per capita growth rate indicate that, due to the pandemic the poverty rates in 2016 and 2020 will be in that upper range — 11.4 percent in 2016 and 11.1 percent in 2020.

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Support to MSMEs to include Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme

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An Agriculture infrastructure fund proposed financing facility to promote post-harvest management infrastructure and Micro-food enterprise.

The pandemic has exacerbated the vulnerabilities for traditionally excluded groups, such as youth and women. It has hugely impacted jobs.

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And increased outlays to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) - a universal employment guarantee program.

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are considered to have been impacted the most from lockdown – and these MSMEs account for the largest non-farm employment (30%) with about 20% female participation.

We at the World Bank Group have been closely supporting the Government’s strategy, which consists of three phases.

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In the first phase, the GoI tackled the health aspects, and partnered with the Bank for a $1 billion health project.

The economic impacts also put at high risk the continued delivery and uptake of essential services such as education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation which are key in ensuring that India’s human capital gains are not compromised.

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In the second phase, GoI invested $23 billion in social protection programs to support the poor and vulnerable communities during the lockdown, and the Bank provided financing of $750 million.

The Government of India (GoI) has responded rapidly and comprehensively to the crisis with a package corresponding to about 10% of GDP, including:

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In the third phase, GoI focused on economic stabilization and reducing the costs of the lockdown. This includes support to MSMEs and their workers during lockdown by committing about 1.5% of GDP to MSME finance. The Bank financing of $750 million is supporting this program.

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A social protection scheme – the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), to protect the poor and vulnerable

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Taken together this three-pronged strategy aims at ensuring that tackling COVID-19 does not lead to a stark policy choice between lives and livelihoods, thereby forging an approach that seeks to protect both.

Anticipating the black swans and paying attention to the gray rhinos?

The broader implication of the pandemic

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India has set an example for the world in its commitments under the Paris Agreement, and its ambitious goals to develop 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022.

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The Bank is proud to be supporting this effort with over $1 billion in financing which will mobilize over $7 billion in private capital for solar PV markets across India.

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India is also embracing the future through e-mobility, and revolutionary new technologies for energy storage which will reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels, and we’re proud to also be supporting India in this.

So what does this all mean for India, and for your role as civil servants? COVID has brought about a different global paradigm where change is constant, faster and uncertain.

Financial shocks, climate change, pandemics – such shocks were there before but the frequency and globality of impact is higher.

The world needs to become resilient, adaptive and future ready - this is key for survival.

It is both a world of “black swans” (the unanticipated) and a “gray rhino” (obvious but ignored). You can only see black swans in the rearview mirror, but gray rhinos lie ahead in plain view through the windshield.

So how can India play its part in becoming more resilient and adaptive, and future ready?

Climate is one such area

Another important way to get ready for the future is by investing in the civil service – and ensuring that you have the skills, commitment, and passion to lead your country forward.

How should Civil Service approach today's changing world & tomorrows disruptive environment Resilience

Sustainability

Do things differently

Define the future

Civil Service Approach Versatility

Do different things

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Foresight

Anticipate the future

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And this brings me to the second part of my remarks – your Role

an impact on society is a long-standing one.

You are to be congratulated for your choice.

COVID-19 really heightened people’s awareness of the role of public service in our daily lives. Citizens and businesses realized that there are certain things only a government can do. They saw the government acting to protect public health.

How should a modern civil service approach today’s changing world and thrive in tomorrow’s disruptive environment? I see four areas to focus on: resilience, versatility, sustainability and foresight:

Now they are equally focused on what the government is doing to support economic recovery. This offers a window of opportunity to re-establish the public service brand.

India's public sector performance is critical to building back better from the impacts of COVID-19 and to achieve its growth and inclusion targets.

Demand for better public services and public sector performance will only grow as the economy recovers from COVID-19 impacts and the middle class returns to its pre-COVID trajectory. It will be critical to bridge the gap between the aspirations of citizens and the ability of governments and the public sector to meet these aspirations.

A competent, motivated and modern civil service will be necessary to achieve the Government of India’s priorities and aspirations. There is a well-established connection between institutional quality and economic growth. Strong and resilient public institutions underpin successful economic growth and development.

So, my challenge to all of you is how are you responding to this opportunity? What should you be thinking of, doing, to change the way you work and deliver?

The notion that people are motivated to work in the public service as a result of altruism, a desire to serve, or a wish to have

Resilience Do things differently Some new ways of working are simply stopgap solutions. But others can improve mission delivery moving forward. Because in some cases, doing things differently means doing things better. What we have to ask of ourselves: Does the solution improve mission delivery?

For example, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and the State Disaster Management Agencies have funding and protocols for dealing with physical disasters.

When Covid-19 struck, they had to adjust quickly to deem the pandemic as a “disaster” to allow release for disaster funds, ensure emergency supplies (e.g. oxygen), deploy security personnel, and help establish emergency protocols, including the guidelines for lockdowns, at the National, State and District levels.

Versatility Do different things Push the boundaries of what government does to deliver the mission in new ways.

What we have to ask of ourselves: Does the solution provide a new way to deliver on the mission?

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In rural India where subsidized electricity for agricultural water pumping has resulted in inefficient energy and water use and disastrous impacts on groundwater, the Government is now piloting direct benefit transfer schemes for farmers which will result in energy savings, water savings and more productive agriculture.

Sustainability Define the future Can some of the solutions provide a springboard to the future and be made standard practice with the resources available and the policy and institutional environment? If not, do we need to reimagine the solution or reimagine the policy and institutional envelope?

India has already shown its ability to shape the future of the world – the creation of the International Solar Alliance, and the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘One Sun, One Grid, One World’ – where India would buy and sell solar power to markets in the east and the west through an integrated regional power system are revolutionary steps.

Foresight Anticipate the future The pandemic has highlighted the importance of foresight, which has been a hallmark of some agencies, particularly those tasked with fighting adversaries or responding to disasters. Does the government have the abilities to understand trends and uncertainties and analyze scenarios to build a bias toward action in the face of uncertainty?

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One practical and critical area of investment for India is data systems that will support better and more evidence-based planning, monitoring and evaluation.

Reimagining the Civil Service You all have the opportunity to define the future. A key goal of the Government of India is to model new ways of working and new ways of delivering its mandate. To do this, the focus will be on renewing capacities and building new capabilities amongst civil servants.

To be future ready in this changing world requires both organizational shifts and individual shifts to commit to the future of India.

There is a strong correlation between organizational culture and business performance. Organizational culture needs to be stable but also able to adapt to the need for change.

A vision for the civil service cannot be achieved without significant change to how we work. To initiate this, we need to prioritize improvements in four main areas: •

Unified civil service

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Professional civil service

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Responsive civil service and

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Open and accountable civil service

These changes will require some reimagination.

It will require moving away from the hierarchical model of bureaucracy focused on compliance and regulation to focus on developing solutions with people, not just for them.

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And it will require positioning civil service organizations as agile, innovative, and learning organizations.

And of course, it goes without saying, governments and civil services need to innovate and embrace digital technologies: The greatest innovations are taking place using ICT’s.

So let me now conclude -- India is changing. India is aspirational. India is on the cusp.

The Prime Minister last year noted India’s ambition to become a 5 trillion economy.

COVID has dented this trajectory in the short

run but in the medium term the country will regain this path.

You are critical to the global progress on climate change and poverty eradication.

India needs to address its vulnerabilities become more resilient, strengthen its institutions and markets, while leveraging its amazing diversity. This will be key for India to move from low middle income to high middle-income country.

The role of civil servants to bring forward strengths of India and address the challenges in governance, will be critical for India to realize its potential and ambitions.

I challenge you all to rise to this challenge.

Address by Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank Managing Director, Operations addresses Civil Service recruits at the 95th Foundation Training Program at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration.

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LIGHTHOUSE INDIA

Five Lessons for India’s Green Recovery India can support economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic by generating green jobs under its vast public works programs.

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Migrant workers who have returned to their villages can be encouraged to set up forest-based enterprises.

hen the Great Depression devastated the world in 1929, closing businesses and rendering millions out of jobs, President Franklin Roosevelt put three million men to work in national parks across the United States. The men earned a living wage reforesting the parks, creating fire breaks, and improving irrigation and drainage.

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Ecological restoration will also help India meet its international commitments towards climate change.

South Korea too supported economic recovery in the aftermath of the Korean War (1950-53) and the financial crises of 1996 and 2008 by creating jobs to restore degraded forest lands. Since 1973, the country’s focus on forestry has enabled it to plant over 10 billion trees, increasing its forest cover by 63 percent and providing $184 billion worth of public benefits – or 12 percent of its GDP.

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Can India do something similar today? Can it generate productive employment for the innumerable migrants who have returned to their villages due to the pandemic, while also conserving the country’s natural resources and restoring its dwindling forest base?

“We need to seize the moment,” emphasized Dr. Sanjay Kumar, India’s Director General of Forests. Speaking at a webinar on Growing Back Greener organized by the World Bank’s India office and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), he said.

“Evolution never happens in a uniform manner. Changes are cataclysmic, and it is these changes that bring about a change in the world order. This maybe a period for such a change.”

The webinar provided some broad lessons for India during this time of crisis: First, ecological restoration can be included in India’s vast public works programs: India can use the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhyaan - which have a combined annual outlay of $20 billion - to build the country’s green infrastructure.

These programs can help restore forests at scale, improve the quality of pastures, forests and wetlands, control erosion and forest fires, as well as sequester carbon and conserve biodiversity.

“The lessons learnt are being scaled up under MNREGS and could serve as a model for other states,” explained Pyush Dogra, the Bank’s senior environmental specialist who leads the project.

Second, returning migrants can be encouraged to set up new forest-based enterprises. Given the rapidly growing demand for natural products, returning

In India’s north eastern state of Meghalaya, the World Bank’s Community Led Landscape Management Project is helping create jobs while restoring forests and rejuvenating the state’s 6,000 plus natural springs. The work includes the revitalization of the state’s unique natural heritage – its living root bridges.

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workers can be encouraged to set up MSMEs that add value to non-timber forest produce (NTFP) using their knowledge of new technologies and urban markets.

For instance, instead of rare produce from Himachal Pradesh - such as morel mushrooms and Himalayan herbs - being taken to Amritsar and Delhi for collation and processing, returning migrants can process them near their village homes, generating jobs and raising local incomes. Similarly, India’s 100 million plus tribal and forest dwellers can be incentivized to process the hundreds of medicinal plants and forest produce that they have traditionally collected for their livelihoods, including honey, tendu leaves, mahua, lac, sal, gum, and karanj seeds.

“India’s NTFP sector is valued at over $25 billion, but it rarely results in a steady income for the tribal populations that collect and sell these products,” pointed out Mr. Kumar.

Third, thriving forests can benefit agriculture by helping control erosion, improving the quality of soil, water and air, preventing landslides, reviving pastures, recharging aquifers, and providing food, fodder and medicines. “Restoring forests can also help regulate sediment and water flows in large river basins such as the Ganges and Brahmaputra, making agriculture, hydropower, water supply and roads more resilient to the impacts of climate change, and reducing air pollution,” said Aditi Jha, an environmental consultant with the World Bank.

Fourth, restoring India’s natural heritage and unique ecosystems can boost opportunities for nature-based tourism.

By creating safer habitats for India’s vast biodiversity, forests can help boost tourism, generating gainful employment for rural residents. In the US, the National Park 16

Today, every dollar spent on restoring the landscape has the potential to generate at least $9 in economic benefits. In the US alone, ecological restoration is a $9.5 billion industry, employing 126,000 people and indirectly generating $15 billion and another 95,000 jobs (IUCN).

Service uses forests to educate and inspire, while in Korea, forests play an important role in the life of a citizen - as a retreat for prenatal care, a teacher for young children, for recreation and adventure during one’s youth, for therapy and relaxation from the working world, and for memorial services after death.

Fifth, restoring forests and terrestrial landscapes will help India meet its international commitments towards climate change and land degradation.

Under IUCN’s Bonn challenge, India has the highest global commitment for arresting climate change, aiming to restore over 20 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

Achieving this could make India the global leader in green recovery.

In India, some states have already taken the lead on the path towards green recovery.

Maharashtra’s ‘Green Army’ initiative has, for instance, planted 589 million saplings between 2016 and 2020 with participation from all sections of society. And on July 28, 2020, Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, set a world record by planting more than 289 million plants in a single day. Some 240 indigenous species were chosen for planting to preserve biodiversity and for their potential use in Ayurvedic therapies. Other states too can forge a resilient economic recovery while leaving a valuable legacy for future generations.

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Some recent Blogs Tackling poor air quality: Lessons from three cities Karin Kemper and Sameh Wahba How can countries grow their economies and keep air pollution in check at the same time? A new World Bank report explores that tricky question, looking at the kinds of policies and actions three leading cities have taken to tackle poor local air quality, providing lessons for other cities.

Read more : https://blogs.worldbank.org/voices/tackling-poor-air-quality-lessons-three-cities

Transforming local economies for an inclusive and sustainable recovery Louise Cord and Martien van Nieuwkoop The COVID-19 crisis could push millions of people into extreme poverty and food insecurity, while millions of existing poor experience even deeper deprivation. Based upon initial World Bank baseline projections, 73 million more people could be living in extreme poverty in 2020 than was forecast before the crisis. Importantly, extreme poverty is likely to persist at higher levels in 2021 and potentially beyond.

Read more: https://blogs.worldbank.org/voices/transforming-local-economies-inclusive-andsustainable-recovery

The remote learning paradox: How governments can truly minimize COVID-related learning losses Cristian Aedo, Vatsal Nahata, Shwetlena Sabarwal A recent survey of 149 countries shows that nearly all have included remote learning in their education response to COVID-19. But examine this pivot to remote learning closely, and you see a paradox.

Governments are prioritizing online solutions to minimize learning losses. However, the students who are most at risk of learning losses cannot access online solutions. Globally, 60 percent of national remote learning solutions rely exclusively on on-line platforms. Yet, almost 47 percent of school students do not have access to the Internet at home. We call this the Remote Learning Paradox.

Read more: https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/remote-learning-paradox-howgovernments-can-truly-minimize-covid-related-learning-losses?cid=edu_tt_education_en_ext 17

Reducing road deaths and injuries with the new World Bank–Bloomberg Philanthropies partnership Giannina Raffo, Alina Florentina Burlacu and et.al.

Every year, road crashes claim the lives of 1.35 million people, and leave another 50 million seriously injured. The majority of victims are part of the working-age population (between 15 and 64 years old).

In fact, road crashes have become the #1 killer of the young worldwide. Importantly, 93% of all road fatalities occur in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Read more: https://blogs.worldbank.org/transport/reducing-road-deaths-and-injuries-newworld-bank-bloomberg-philanthropies-partnership

India's electricity consumption data shows economic impact of COVID-19 Robert C M Beyer, Sebastian Franco Bedoya and Virigilo Galdo In India and across the world, COVID-19 has disrupted economic activity. Quantifying this disruption is challenging. Traditional national account estimates, the official government measure for economic activity, are not very helpful for that. To monitor economic activity in times like these, one needs instead measures that are available at higher frequency and higher spatial granularity- for example at the district level.

Read more: https://blogs.worldbank.org/endpovertyinsouthasia/indias-electricity-consumptiondata-shows-economic-impact-covid-19

1.47 billion people face flood risk worldwide: for over a third, it could be devastating Jun Erik Rentschler, Melda Salhabi A vast majority of the world’s flood exposed people live in low- and middle- income countries. Not only major but also smaller, frequent flooding can reverse years of progress in poverty reduction and development. An estimated 1.47 billion people globally are directly exposed to the risk of intense flooding — over a third of them, almost 600 million, are poor.

Read more: https://blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/147-billion-people-face-flood-riskworldwide-over-third-it-could-be-devastating

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RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Blue Flag Accreditation for India's Beaches

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What is blue flag accreditation

India is the third country in Asia, in addition to Japan and the Republic of Korea, to receive this accreditation and is also the first in the world to be awarded this in a single attempt.

Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest and safest beaches of the world. The Blue Flag Program, run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), an international, nongovernmental, nonprofit organization, promotes sustainable

ooking for a perfect beach holiday! Eight beaches along the Indian coastline have recently been certified among the cleanest and safest in the world and awarded the coveted Blue-Flag Beach accreditation.

Blue-Flag Beaches in India Gujarat: Shivrajpur in Dwarka Diu: Ghoghla Karnataka: Kasarkod and Padubidri

Kerala: Kappad Andhra Pradesh: Rushikonda Odisha: Golden Beach, Puri Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Radhanagar

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development in freshwater and marine areas.

The selections are made by an independent jury composed of eminent environmentalists & scientists.

In this program, beaches, marine spots are expected to fulfil stringent criteria – 33 of them – to achieve and maintain high standards in the areas of water quality, environmental management and education, accessibility and safety. Blue flag accredited beaches are mandated to display prominently the facilities provided – location of lifeguards, toilets, segregated waste bins, first aid facilities and so on for the convenience of the visitors. In addition, these boards also display information on the quality of water, the bio-marine life, coastal eco-zones and wetlands. To promote sustainability, the communities in the area are educated to maintain high level of environmental standards – e.g. no use of plastic, no disposal of waste or rubbish in the beach area and maintain the eco-system.

World Bank role and future of the program The eight award-winning blue-flag beaches in India, were developed under the BEAMS (Beach

Environment & Aesthetics Management Services) program supported by the World Bank as part of its $222 million Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZM).

The BEAMS program is aimed at reducing pollution in coastal waters, promoting sustainable development of beach facilities, protecting, conserving coastal ecosystems and natural resources, and encouraging local authorities, stakeholders to strive and maintain high standards of cleanliness, hygiene & safety for beachgoers. The Bank project is helping provide critical infrastructure facilities, pollution abatement and safety/surveillance services for all the beaches that have been accredited for BlueFlag certification. These interventions under the BEAMS program directly supported the government’s efforts in meeting the 33 stringent criteria of this highly coveted international eco-label.

The World Bank now plans to support India’s ambition of replicating this achievement across 100 beaches over the next five years under the upcoming World Bank financed Enhancing Coastal & Ocean Resource Efficiency (ENCORE) Program.

Over 4600 beaches marinas and boats from around 50 countries have so far got the Blue Flag certification.

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World Bank in India

NEW PROJECTS APPROVED AND SIGNED $120 million to Improve Connectivity in Meghalaya in India’s North-Eastern Region October 2020

T

he World Bank’s has approved and signed a $120 million project to improve and modernize the transport sector of Meghalaya, a hill state located in the northeast of India. This will help Meghalaya to harness its vast growth potential for highvalue agriculture and tourism.

The Meghalaya Integrated Transport Project (MITP) will improve about 300 km of strategic road segments and stand-alone bridges by using innovative, climate resilient, and nature-based solutions. The segments will serve major agriculture areas, important tourist destinations, small-scale industries, major towns and underserved populations by linking them to markets, health and education centers, and national and international corridors. It will also support innovative solutions such as precast bridges to reduce both time and cost of construction.

“This project will tap into Meghalaya’s growth potential in two ways. Within the state, it will provide the much-needed transport connectivity for underserved communities, farmers, and firms. It will also position Meghalaya as a major connecting hub for international trade through the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal Corridor,” said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India.

Improve 300 kms of roads & bridges Benefit 500,000 inhabitants Generate employment of about 8 million person days This operation will also support the state’s government “Restart Meghalaya Mission” to revive and boost development activities affected due to COVID-19 pandemic. It will help restore transport services for the movement of agricultural produce, improve access to health facilities during COVID-19 type medical emergencies, benefit about 500,000 inhabitants, and generate direct employment of about 8 million person days.

The $120 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a maturity of 14 years including a grace period of six years.

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$82 million to Provide Safe, Resilient, and Well-Performing Roads in Himachal Pradesh September 2020

T

he Government of India, the Government of Himachal Pradesh and the World Bank signed a $82 million project to support Himachal Pradesh strengthen its transport and road safety institutions by improving the condition, safety, resilience, and engineering standards of its state road network.

The Himachal Pradesh State Roads Transformation Project will finance initiatives to build climate and disaster resilient roads; improve road safety along tourism corridors in Himachal; enhance logistics along fruit belts; and support the government’s initiative to create a corporate entity responsible for ensuring well-performing roads. A third of the maintenance contracts under the project will be awarded to womenled Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

“Himachal Pradesh has the potential to produce high-value horticultural products.

However, to leapfrog to the next level of competitiveness in the global value chain, the state needs to focus on improving its roads and logistics services,” said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India.

“This project will support the Government of Himachal Pradesh to provide greater opportunity to smallholder farmers access domestic and international agricultural markets, attract private investments to enhance value chains and increase jobs and farmers’ incomes.”

Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India The project will enhance the state’s ability to systematically identify, analyze, develop and prioritize critical road safety measures that will benefit all road users. The ‘Safe Systems’ approach will be adopted in selected districts and heavily trafficked corridors. The state highway patrol will be trained and equipped with surveillance gear. An emergency response system will be established to help connect accident sites with dedicated hospitals for post-crash care and data collection.

The $82 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a final maturity of 15 years including a grace period of five years.

Build climate & disaster resilient roads Logistics for easy access to markets Improve road safety Provide employment to women 22

World Bank in India

PODCAST

Kaalavastha Listen to podcast series produced by the World Bank about Kerala's relationship with the environment and climate and how it is trying to Rebuild itself after the devastating floods of 2018 & 2019.

1. It Starts with a Drought

4. Taking People Along

2. If A River Doesn’t Flood, It Isn’t A River

5. Fabric, Folklore, and Fish

3. Two Flows

6. Kaalavastha

23

World Bank in India

WORLD BANK PUBLICATIONS Beaten or Broken? Informality & COVID 19 South Asia Economic Focus - Fall 2020 October 2020 South Asia is set to plunge into its worstever recession as the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on the region’s economies linger on, taking a disproportionate toll on informal workers and pushing millions of South Asians into extreme poverty. The Fall 2020 edition of the South Asia Economic Focus - Beaten or Broken? forecasts a sharper than expected economic slump across the region, with regional growth expected to contract by 7.7 percent in 2020.

Clearing the Air : A Tale of Three Cities November 2020

Air pollution presents an increasingly apparent challenge to health and development across the globe. The health impacts of pollution also represent a heavy cost to the economy.

Countries appear to follow growth paths with different levels of pollution intensity, suggesting that policy decisions, investments, and technologies all have an important role to play in affecting the pollution intensity of growth, and that countries cannot simply grow their way out of pollution. The experiences of three cities – Mexico City, Beijing, and Delhi – offers some lessons on how countries can tackle the growing challenge of air pollution.

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World Bank in India

Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2020: Reversals of Fortune October 2020 COVID-19, along with conflict and climate change, has not merely slowed global poverty reduction but reversed it for first time in over twenty years. With COVID-19 predicted to push up to 100 million additional people into extreme poverty in 2020, trends in global poverty rates will be set back at least three years over the next decade.

WPS9422

Eat Right India: A Case Study

Inflation Targeting in India: An Interim Assessment

Attempting to Transform India's Food Ecosystem to Advance Public Health and Improve Lives: Eat Right India: A Case Study

Barry Eichengreen, Poonam Gupta and Rishabh Choudhary This paper provides an assessment of India’s inflation-targeting regime. It provides evidence that inflation-targeting central banks were able to respond more forcefully to the Covid-19 crisis, consistent with the idea that inflation expectations were better anchored, providing more policy room for maneuver.

Deepika Anand, Ishira Mehta and Ashi Kohli Kathuria Eat Right India attempts to address the many challenges of ensuring that in a country the size, complexity, and diversity of India, the foods that people access are safe, healthy, and sustainable. This case study attempts to capture the story of Eat Right India, as it is taking shape and being rolled out.

Other Publications The Human Capital Index 2020 Update: Human Capital in the Time of COVID-19 September 2020 This report presents an update to the Human Capital Index (HCI), using the most recent health and education data available as of 2020. HCI 2020 data have been collected before the onset of COVID-19 and can act as a baseline to track the effects of COVID-19 on health and education outcomes, as policymakers consider how best to protect human capital from the shock of the pandemic.

The World Bank Annual Report 2020: Supporting Countries in Unprecedented Times October 2020 The Annual Report is prepared by the Executive Directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA)-collectively known as the World Bank--in accordance with the by-laws of the two institutions.

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Social Protection and Disaster Recovery Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery September 2020 This note highlights the critical contribution that social protection can make to a broader disaster recovery effort by helping directly to disaster-affected households. It is hoped that this indicative information can help government officials leading the response and recovery effort to collaborate with their own national social protection ministries, departments and agencies.

Social Protection and Labor – Disaster Risk Management Toolkit October 2020 This toolkit was conceived for the use of World Bank Group (WBG) staff and consultants.

The primary target users consist of social protection and labor (SPL) specialists who help WBG client countries. The second most important target users are those who belong to either disaster risk management (DRM) or disaster risk financing (DRF) communities.

Making It Big: Why Developing Countries Need More Large Firms September 2020 The report constitutes one of the most up-todate assessments of how large firms are created in low- and middle-income countries and their role in development. Target readers include academics, development practitioners and policy makers.

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Enhancing Government Effectiveness and Transparency: The Fight Against Corruption September 2020 The Report tries to delve deeper into how countries are making progress in addressing corruption. The case studies identified show how reform-minded governments and civil society organizations have contributed to reducing corruption.

Benchmarking Infrastructure Development 2020: Assessing regulatory quality to prepare, procure and manage PPPs and traditional public investment in infrastructure projects October 2020 The report highlights the key findings resulting from the data and is organized around the infrastructure project cycle phases for both the PPP and the pilot TPI assessment.

Community- and Nature-Based Solutions for Integrated Urban Flood Risk Management: Mini Studios for WaterSensitive Urban Design - A Handbook for Organizers and Facilitators October 2020 The handbook aims to serve as a stepby-step guide and resource for technical and nontechnical audiences, government officials, city planners and practitioners, academics, community groups, and others

World Bank in India

interested in innovative approaches to promoting urban flood resilience that integrate the needs of various stakeholders and combine traditional measures with innovative community- and nature-based solutions.

Pension Systems Plus Climate Risk: Measurement Plus Mitigation October 2020 This report focuses on pension system greening and aims to provide data-driven recommendations to orient climate-aligned investment practices. It relies on insights from a series of case studies conducted, which profile several leading pension funds and their climate investment strategies.

Addressing Food Loss and Waste: A Global Problem with Local Solutions September 2020 The report focuses on the role that food loss and waste (FLW) could play in reducing the environmental footprint of food systems while attempting to meet the caloric and nutrient needs of a population expected to increase by 3 billion people in the next 30 years.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Foreign Investors: Evidence from the Second Round of a Global Pulse Survey Saurav,Abhishek; Kusek,Peter September 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the global economy, triggering the deepest global recession of the past eight decades. Together, the crisis and public health response have caused both a severe supply shock in the form of reduced worker availability and supply chain disruptions, and a massive demand shock as consumption became restricted and confidence fell. The World Bank forecasts a 5.2 percent contraction in global GDP in 2020, including a 2.5 percent decline in emerging markets and developing economies (World Bank 2020).

Green Hydrogen in Developing Countries ESMAP August2020 Developing countries with good renewable energy resources could produce green hydrogen locally, generating economic opportunities, and increasing energy security by reducing exposure to oil price volatility and supply disruptions.

27

Policy Research Working Papers WPS9432

WPS9424

Exporting and Female Labor Market Outcomes in Georgia Claire Honore Hollweg

Estimating the Contribution of ShortCycle Programs to Student Outcomes in Colombia

WPS9431

Maria Marta Ferreyra and Andrea Franco Hernandez

In It to Win It? Self-Esteem and IncomeEarning among Couples

WPS9422

Loana Alexandra Botea

Inflation Targeting in India: An Interim Assessment

WPS9430

Barry Eichengreen, Poonam Gupta and Rishabh Choudhary

WPS9421

The Scars of Civil War: The Long-Term Welfare Effects of the Salvadoran Armed Conflict Pablo Ariel Acosta

Transportation and the Environment: A Review of Empirical Literature

WPS9429

Shanjun Li and Jianwei Xing

Global Technology for Local Monitoring of Air Pollution in Dhaka

WPS9420

Susmita Dasgupta WPS9428 Rising College Access and Completion: How Much Can Free College Help?

Martin Foureaux Koppensteiner

Maria Marta Ferreyra

WPS9419

Child Care Markets, Parental Labor Supply, and Child Development

Modeling and Predicting the Spread of Covid-19: Comparative Results for the United States, the Philippines, and South Africa

Samuel G. Berlinski

Susmita Dasgupta

WPS9426

WPS9418

Market Access and Development of the ICT Sector in the West Bank

Life Expectancy at Birth and Lifetime Education and Earnings

Chiara Fratto

Mohammad Mainul Hoque

WPS9425

WPS9417

The Voice of Foreign Direct Investment: Foreign Investor Policy Preferences and Experiences in Developing Countries

Revised Estimates of the Impact of Climate Change on Extreme Poverty by 2030

WPS9427

Abhishek Saurav 28

Secondary Schools and Teenage Childbearing: Evidence from the School Expansion in Brazilian Municipalities

Bramka Arga Jafino

World Bank in India

WPS9416

WPS9407

Perceptions, Contagion, and Civil Unrest

Urban Design, Public Spaces, and Social Cohesion: Evidence from a Virtual Reality Experiment

Christophe Abi-Nassif WPS9415 Estimating the Demand for Business Training: Evidence from Jamaica

Jimena Llopis Abella

WPS9406

Alessandro Maffioli

When Goal-Setting Forges Ahead but Stops Short

WPS9414

Asad Islam

WPS9404

Small and Medium Enterprises in the Pandemic: Impact, Responses and the Role of Development Finance Ikmal Adian WPS9413 Stochastic Modeling of Food Insecurity Dieter Wang

WPS9412 Predicting Food Crises Bo Pieter Johannes Andree WPS9411 Implications of Major Adverse Events on Productivity Alistair Matthew Dieppe WPS9410 Gender Bias in Agricultural Child Labor: Evidence from Survey Design Experiments Jose Galdo WPS9409 The Role of Inequality for Poverty Reduction Katy Ann Bergstrom WPS9408 Small Business Training to Improve Management Practices in Developing Countries: Reassessing the Evidence for 'Training Doesn’t Work'

Long-Term Effects of Free Primary Education on Educational Achievement: Evidence from Lesotho Ramaele Elias Moshoeshoe

WPS9403 Implications of Cheap Oil for Emerging Markets Alain Ntumba Kabundi

WPS9401 Sovereign Credit Ratings, Relative Risk Ratings, and Private Capital Flows Supriyo De, Sanket Mohapatra and Dilip K. Ratha

WPS9400 One Rule Fits All? Heterogeneous Fiscal Rules for Commodity Exporters When Price Shocks Can Be Persistent: Theory and Evidence Arthur Galego Mendes

WPS9399 Determinants of Property Tax Revenue: Lessons from Empirical Analysis Rajul Awasthi

WPS9398 A Structural Model of the Labor Market to Understand Gender Gaps among Marginalized Roma Communities

David J. Mckenzie

Mauricio Salazar-Saenz

29

WPS9397 The Energy-Management Nexus in Firms: Which Practices Matter, How Much and for Whom?

Arti Goswami Grover

WPS9396 Child Stature, Maternal Education, and Early Childhood Development Emmanuel Skoufias

WPS9395 Recruitment, Effort, and Retention Effects of Performance Contracts for Civil Servants: Experimental Evidence from Rwandan Primary School Clare Leaver

WPS9394 Growth of Global Corporate Debt: Main Facts and Policy Challenges Facundo Abraham

WPS9391 Making Gravity Great Again William J. Martin WPS9389 What is the Impact of Weather Shocks on Prices?: Evidence from Ethiopia Ruth Hill

WPS9388 How Useful is CPI Price Data for Spatial Price Adjustment in Poverty Measurement?: A Case from Ghana Xiaomeng Chen WPS9387 Returns to Education in the Russian Federation: Some New Estimates Ekaterina Melianova WPS9385 Mining and the Quality of Public Services: The Role of Local Governance and Decentralization Maty Konte 30

WPS9383 Small Area Estimation of Non-Monetary Poverty with Geospatial Data Takaaki Masaki

WPS9382 Teacher Performance-Based Incentives and Learning Inequality Deon P. Filmer

WPS9381 Educator Knowledge of Early Childhood Development: Evidence from Eastern Nepal Lindsey Buck

WPS9380 Talent Allocation and Post-Reform Growth in Central America Rishabh Sinha

WPS9379 Which Firms Benefit from Corporate QE during the COVID-19 Crisis? The Case of the ECB's Pandemic Emergency Purchase Program Asli Demirguc-Kunt WPS9378 Productivity Convergence: Is Anyone Catching Up? Gene Kindberg-Hanlon

WPS9376 The Effects of Land Title Registration on Tenure Security, Investment and the Allocation of Productive Resources: Evidence from Ghana Andrew Agyei-Holmes

WPS9375 The Utilization-adjusted Human Capital Index (UHCI) Steven MichaelPennings

World Bank in India

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