Prasun Bhattacharjee

Sector Specific Inflow of Foreign Capital, Non-Traded Sector and Implications for Real Exchange Rate

This paper attempts to investigate the impact on factor prices and real exchange rate owing to an inflow of foreign capital only in the exportable sector of the host country. In doing so, we amalgamate Heckscher-Ohlin and Specific Factor models of trade which is popularly known as the H-O nugget. We show that consequent upon an inflow of capital specific to the exportable sector, both the non-traded good production and the return to the factor specific to the non-traded good decrease while the exportable production expands. The effect of such an inflow of foreign capital on the real exchange rate is unambiguous and it increases.

A Simple Model on Motherss Autonomy, Health Inputs, and Child Health

Using traditional health capital model of Grossman (1972) and Wagstaff (1986a) this paper attempts to fill in the theoretical missing link between mothers’ autonomy and household consumption behavior, particularly focusing on the consumption of child health inputs. It has been shown in this analysis that working mothers’ children should be of better health status. Further independent of working status of the mother, the autonomy parameter always induces consumption of more health inputs for the children. However, when autonomy is linked with mothers’ income, the basic results of the model are further strengthened. In fact, income induced autonomy may result in redefining the composite consumption good for the family as an inferior one.

Does Nota Affect Voter Turnout? Evidence from State Legislative Elections in India

This paper explores the impact of introduction of the ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) option in Indian legislative elections. NOTA was introduced as a ballot option following the Supreme Court ruling in 2013 based on the argument that more choices to voters will enhance voter participation. We take advantage of the state-time variation in introduction of NOTA option in state legislative assembly elections in 2013 to study its impact on voter turnout. Using election data from five major Indian states between 2008 and 2013, we find evidences suggesting that NOTA may not have led to increased voter participation. However, our results are not conclusive.