Other Public Sector Study
315 items available
Permanent URI for this collection
Items in this collection
1 - 10 of 14
-
Publication
Doing Business in Poland 2015: Comparing Business Regulations for Domestic Firms in 18 Cities with 188 Other Economies
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-06)Poland’s economic growth over the last 25 years has been spectacular. In that period, Poland has more than doubled its income per capita and became a European growth champion. It was the only EU country to avoid a recession in 2009. Its current GDP growth rate is strong. Poland seems to be on the brink of its new ‘golden age.’ Doing Business in Poland 2015 is the first subnational report of the Doing Business series in Poland. It measures business regulations and their enforcement from the perspective of a small to medium-size domestic firm. The idea is a simple one: if entrepreneurs spend fewer resources on regulatory burdens, they will have more time to devote to productive activities. If laws and regulations are clear, accessible, and transparent and, at the same time, enforceable before the courts, entrepreneurs will feel more confident to do business with people they don’t know, and expand their client and supplier network. The gap between the 18 cities benchmarked is significant. By adopting existing good practices found across the country in the four areas measured by this report, Poland would rank 24th out of 189 economies globally, eight positions higher than Poland’s current ranking according to Doing Business 2015, placing the country ahead of France and the Netherlands. Promoting convergence among regions and cities towards the top performers and thus improving the ease of doing business in the whole country is a challenge worth taking. -
Publication
Republic of India: Piloting and Operationalization of City Sanitation Plans towards Outcome Oriented Sector Investments
(Washington, DC, 2015-04-28)This synthesis report details the process, outputs and intermediate outcomes of the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) Technical Assistance (TA) to pilot and operationalize city sanitation plans (CSPs) towards outcome oriented sector investments (P131967). This TA addresses issues of ad hoc planning though CSPs that are holistic, intended for city-wide implementation and address the full cycle of sanitation. However, prior to preparation and operationalization of CSPs, it was recognized that this needed to be anchored in a statewide sanitation program. The statewide sanitation program needed to: estimate and provide for the capital requirements to address the gaps in sanitation infrastructure across the sanitation service delivery chain (collection, treatment and disposal), estimate the operation and maintenance (OM) requirements, and set out the framework for prioritization of cities, and attendant institutional frameworks. This TA aimed at piloting and operationalization of CSPs towards outcome oriented sector investments, by supporting (i) select state and local governments with technical assistance to operationalize city sanitation plans by targeting outcome oriented investments, and (ii) improving the institutional and regulatory framework and strengthening state and local government capacity for efficient and sustainable delivery of Government of India or World Bank or other development partner funded programs. -
Publication
India Land Governance Assessment: National Synthesis Report
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015)As India continues to urbanize and move towards a less agricultural- and more industry-based economy, land demands will continue to grow. Its urban population is expected to increase by more than 200 million by 2030, requiring 4 to 8 million hectares of land for residential use alone. Demands for infrastructure and industry could add a similar amount, summing to total land demand of 5 to10 percent of the land area currently used for agriculture. If not handled well, such massive land use change may increase vulnerability and food insecurity, rent-seeking, environmental problems, social dislocation, inequality, and conflict. But it also provides an opportunity to address the underlying structural issues, propelling India into the league of middle-income countries and laying the ground for significantly advancing shared prosperity and reduced poverty. This synthesis report presents results from land governance self-assessments by six states: The fact that land is a state subject implies that actions to improve land governance need to be initiated at state level. To identify opportunities, six states implemented the Land Governance Assessment Framework (LGAF), a tool that allow comparing the status of their land governance against international good practice along a set of dimensions in a very participatory process. Results are summarized in state reports that were validated publicly and discussed with policy makers in each state. This national report complements these and draws out common areas. -
Publication
Republic of Serbia Municipal Public Finance Review : Options for Efficiency Gains
(Washington, DC, 2014-06-05)Since the global financial crisis, Serbia's public debt has more than doubled. Local Governments (LGs) need to find ways to perform more efficiently, not only to contribute to national fiscal consolidation efforts, but also because they may have fewer resources available in the future. This report represents a continuation of the World Bank effort to explore LGs finances. The first phase of this report focused on options for increases in local revenues; impact of further decentralization; options for reduction of subsidies in selected sectors; and how to control the public debt. The report is organized as follows. Chapter 2 examines LG hiring and pay policies. In addition to offering recommendations on how to achieve efficiency and savings, it sheds light on employment wage policies within LG enterprises. Chapter 3 deepens the analysis of local public utility companies (PUCs), which not only have significant responsibilities for delivering local services, but also often pose a significant pressure on LG budgets. On average, financial support to PUCs accounts for a quarter of local budgets. This chapter looks at the main issues and makes recommendations for efficiency gains. Chapter 4 discusses the most important public financial management issues for LGs, asking where better management and accountability could increase value-for-money and help extract additional benefits from current and capital expenditures. It examines budget preparation, execution, and reporting issues as a basis for recommending policies to increase transparency and accountability as well as more efficient use of resources. Chapter 5 summarizes the main conclusions and policy recommendations of the report. -
Publication
Land Governance in South Sudan : Policies for Peace and Development
(Washington, DC, 2014-05)South Sudan is a new country of 10.5 million people that has just emerged from conflict and still facing challenges with recovery and development. Although economic disparities, political exclusion and deprivation in the distribution of political and economic power between the northern and southern parts of then united Sudan were often tendered as the proximal causes of the conflict, at the center of the prolonged civil war was the struggle for ownership, control and use of land resources. The tool underpinning this report is the Land Governance Assessment Framework (LGAF), a diagnostic instrument for rapid evaluation of various aspects of land governance. LGAF was developed through a collaborative effort between the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Habitat, International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the African Union (AU). -
Publication
South East Europe Municipal Finance Review : Local Government Finance in the Western Balkans
(Washington, DC, 2013-09)This report addresses the limited access to local governments of data and knowledge of municipal finance issues in South East Europe (SEE). The objective of the analytical work under the SEE Municipal Finance Review (MFR) aims to (i) contribute to improved understanding of local government management and finance in the SEE Region; and (ii) contribute to improving the quality and consistency of key municipal finance data for improved evidence based policy making. The analysis presented in this report comprises the first attempt to review and analyze a regional set of disaggregated sub-national finance data in the SEE Region. Main findings of the MFR are presented in this report. Following an introductory chapter, chapter 2 provides an overview of the decentralization framework in the SEE Region, including on the administrative and political structure of sub-national governments, their population size and distribution, and the service functions assigned to local governments. Chapter 3 explains in more detail the local government finance framework. This includes an overview of the structure and composition of sub-national finances, in particular (i) revenue and expenditure assignments; (ii) transfers and intergovernmental fiscal relations; and (iii) the evolving framework and realities of sub-national borrowing and debt. Chapter 4 provides a summary of the key trends and findings from the cross-country, regional analysis, complemented by detailed analysis of the disaggregated datasets, where available. Finally, Chapter 5 summarizes conclusions and provides some recommendations for a possible way forward. In the medium to long term, access to municipal finance information would contribute to increasing transparency and accountability of local governments, improving revenue collection and expenditure performance, optimizing budget allocation procedures, and strengthen local authorities' role and position in intergovernmental fiscal considerations and negotiations in the SEE countries. -
Publication
Devolution without Disruption: Pathways to a Successful New Kenya
(World Bank, Nairobi, 2012-11)Kenya's new constitution marks a critical juncture in the nation's history. It is widely perceived, by Kenyans from all walks of life, as a new beginning. Indeed, many feel that post- independence Kenya has been characterized by centralization of political and economic power in the hands of a few, resulting in an uneven and unfair distribution of resources and corresponding access to social services; the opposite of an inclusive state. Born of the political opportunity created by the 2008 post-election violence, the constitution finally adopted, after almost a decade of unsuccessful reform attempts, presages far-reaching changes. Its vision encompasses a dramatic transformation of the Kenyan state through new accountable and transparent institutions, inclusive approaches to government and a firm focus on equitable service delivery for all Kenyans through the newly established county governments. Devolution is at the heart of the new constitution and a key vehicle for addressing spatial inequities. A more decentralized government makes eminent sense, given Kenya's diversity and experience with political use of central power. Decentralization has been increasingly seen and adopted worldwide as a guarantee against discretionary use of power by central elites as well as a way to enhance the efficiency of social service provision, by allowing for a closer match between public policies and the desires and needs of local constituencies. Kenya's constitution entrenches devolved government by guaranteeing a minimum unconditional transfer to counties under the new dispensation. The devolution train has already left the station: the challenge is to make sure it arrives at destination, safely and on time. The politics of devolution explain the high intensity of hopes and expectations that have been pinned to it. It also means there are high risks if they are disappointed. There are great opportunities and enormous challenges waiting for Kenya, in a critical election year, which will determine the fate of the country, politically and economically for years to come. This report takes a snapshot look at the critical issues facing Kenya's policy makers today. It does not argue for or against devolution (a decision that belongs solely to Kenyans), but presents suggestions and recommendations on how best to navigate the tough choices ahead. It's main focus in on helping Kenya manage a delicate transition. -
Publication
FONDEN: Mexico's Natural Disaster Fund--A Review
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-05)FONDEN (Natural Disasters Fund), Mexico's fund for natural disasters, was established in the late 1990s as a mechanism to support the rapid rehabilitation of federal and state infrastructure affected by adverse natural events. FONDEN was first created as a budget line in the Federal expenditure budget of 1996, and became operational in 1999. Funds from FONDEN could be used for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of: 1) public infrastructure at the three levels of government (federal, state, and municipal); 2) low-income housing; and 3) certain components of the natural environment. FONDEN consists of two complementary budget accounts, the FONDEN program for reconstruction and FOPREDEN program for prevention, and their respective financial accounts. The FONDEN program for reconstruction is FONDEN's primary budget account. It channels resources from the federal expenditure budget to specific reconstruction programs. The FOPREDEN program for prevention supports disaster prevention by funding activities related to risk assessment, risk reduction, and capacity building on disaster prevention. The FONDEN system is continuously evolving to integrate lessons learned over the course of years of experience. -
Publication
Analysis of Disaster Risk Management in Colombia : A Contribution to the Creation of Public Policies
(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2011)The objective of this analysis is to assess the state of progress of risk management in Colombia and propose recommendations to help the Government set public policy in the short-and long-term. For this reason, the study sought to: (i) establish the risk and impact of disasters in recent decades, (ii) identify legal, institutional and conceptual themes in the country, (iii) review the state and evolution of investment in risk management, (iv) analyze the role of local authorities and industry in the risk management, and (v) identify gaps and challenges in the definition of the responsibilities of public and private sectors. This report, a product of joint work with multiple public and private agencies, is not limited in analyzing the causes of risk and measuring their growth. By contrast, it elaborates on the institutional developments in the risk management at different levels of government and how the topic is incorporated in the territory of public administration and industry. It further states the great opportunities for joint risk management instruments of disaster planning, investment, existing monitoring and control, and shows the need to define public and private responsibility as part of a reduction strategy of the state's fiscal vulnerability. In conclusion, the study shows that if the country does not want to see economic growth accompanied by more frequent and larger losses it will be essential to have a radical change in development policies and land management practices and industry. Therefore, the present document defines a set of recommendations to improve management of disaster risk at the level of state policy, showing that the priority to reduce the impact of disasters is based on the task of improving conditions of use and occupation of territory. -
Publication
GDLN Seminar on Strengthening Disaster Risk Management in East Asia and the Pacific : Volume 3. Local Government Approaches to Disaster Risk Management: Climate-Resilient Cities
(Washington, DC, 2009-03)In the GLDN seminar, the recovery procedures in the aftermath of the Kobe earthquake and the Asian tsunami were discussed. This introduction to Catastrophe Risk Financing Frameworks seminar provided participants with an understanding of catastrophe risk financing frameworks. In addition, it informed participants of new product lines in risk mitigation and risk finance and transfer and shared experiences of Bank-financed projects, including Turkey's Catastrophic Insurance Pool.