Sir/Madam,
The Association's next annual conference is scheduled to be held on 19-20 March 2015 in New Delhi. The conference venue is being finalized and this will be intimated to all accordingly.
The topics of the conference are as under:
1. Measuring the role of IT in Indian economy
The IT revolution over the past two decades has helped in not just cutting down costs, but also in building a competitive environment that benefits both the end users and the entrepreneurs. A study of the linkages between IT and growth can be studied in many ways using the framework of national accounts. Analysis in this regard is expected to be the focus in this topic.
Further, with improvement in technology, number of data services is available free of cost or at much reduced cost on internet, for example, information available from Wikipedia, Google, and communication through social media. Methods could be suggested for the valuation of such services.
2. Estimation of capital services
Non-financial assets like fixed assets, inventories, natural resources, contracts, leases and licenses etc. are used in production process and hence contribute in terms of producing capital services to the production process. Measurement of capital services following SNA 2008 and preparation of a supplementary table on capital services comparing data coming from the standard national accounts tables for the elements of gross value added (GVA) with those derived from applying the theory of capital services to the national accounts data on capital stock is the central idea of the topic.
3. Fiscal health of Indian States and other related aspects
Analysis of financial parameters from national accounts statistics and other sources to depict the fiscal health of the states should preferably be the area of focus.
4. Qualitative and quantitative aspects of social expenditure in India
Integrating qualitative and quantitative aspects of social expenditure like food security, job guarantee, education, health, public administration services etc. in India and related data issues could be considered. Suggestions may could also be given to make adjustments for quality in PFCE for items like education, health, etc.
5. Measurement of freebies in national accounts
Many employers provide facilities to its employees free of direct cost, e.g. rent free accommodation, subsidized restaurants facilities, health facilities etc. The employee's salary is net off the respective allowances if he/ she accepts such facilities. There is no direct method of imputing cost of such freebies and they are not accounted for in national accounts statistics. For example, if a government employee is staying in government accommodation, his/her salary would be net of the house rent allowance and as such the output of government service produced by him/her would be reduced. However in reality, this is not the case. Hence there is a need to capture the facilities made available by enterprises to its employees free of cost in the estimation process.
6. Availability of finances and urban growth
How availability of finances like better income, multiple sources of easy loan etc. are influencing the urban growth may be considered specifically under this topic.
7. Improvements in National/Regional Accounts
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Authors of selected papers will be given an opportunity to present their paper in the annual conference. You are requested to kindly send us your paper by 20th February, 2015 for consideration for the conference.
-- with regards
Amit Kamal
For IARNIW Secretariat
Mob: 09868901002