Available on SSRN

Abstract: India has experienced a persistent imbalance in the ratio of female to male births. Although this ratio has improved in recent years, causal evidence on how policy interventions have shaped this improvement remains limited. I assess whether a nationwide government intervention contributed to this change. Exploiting the phased rollout of the reform across administrative units, I find that early-implementing units experienced a 1.5 percentage point increase in the probability of a female birth, equivalent to approximately 15 additional female births per 1,000 births over a five-year period. For second- and higher-order births, where preference for sons is more pronounced, the estimated effect is larger at 2.1 percentage points. The findings suggest that the reform contributed to the recent improvement in the female-to-male birth ratio in India. 

Status: Under review. 

Manuscript available upon request 

Abstract: I assess the firm-level effects of a 2016 reform introduced by the Indian government to enhance competitiveness and employment in the apparel manufacturing sector. The reform combined fiscal incentives with labor regulation changes and emphasized gender-inclusive growth. I find increases in investment in plant and machinery of 38%-53%, on average, over the three-year implementation period, although these estimates are statistically imprecise. The investment response appears to operate primarily through the intensive margin. For employment, wages, and other outcomes, the estimates provide wide bounds on the magnitude of the effects. Drawing on the institutional context, I discuss how implementation constraints and the alignment between policy design and sectoral employment practices may have shaped the employment effects of the reform.

Status: Under review. 

Manuscript available upon request 

Abstract: I study two investment tax incentives in India: an accelerated depreciation incentive and an investment allowance. I find that, conditional on positive investment, accelerated depreciation increased investment in plant and machinery by approximately 17% on average across the seven post-reform years. Given that the reform reduced the after-tax cost of investment by approximately 2.4%, the corresponding log estimate implies an elasticity magnitude of 6.4. The dynamic investment response becomes larger as the government relaxes the production-capacity requirement for pre-reform firms. The estimated effects of the investment allowance are small and less precise. Firms could claim the investment allowance only if their investment exceeded minimum thresholds. These thresholds were far above firms' median pre-reform investment, and only a small share of firms crossed them. The results suggest that the effectiveness of investment tax incentives depends in part on eligibility design, including how broadly firms can qualify.

Available as National Institute of Public Finance and Policy Working Paper No. 381 

Abstract: I examine tax morale in India using World Values Survey data. Tax morale, defined as the intrinsic motivation to pay taxes, is an important factor shaping tax compliance. I study how institutional trust and socioeconomic characteristics are associated with individuals’ tax morale. I find a positive and statistically significant association between tax morale and trust in the government, parliament, and civil services. Respondents in full-time employment report lower tax morale than self-employed individuals. Higher education is also associated with stronger tax morale. 

Korgaonkar, C. N. (2022). “Honoring the Honest: A Review of Reward Systems for Compliant Taxpayers.” Taxalogue e-Journal, Issue No. 9, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi. 

Korgaonkar, C. N., and Gokhale, Y. (2008). “Stakeholders’ Analysis for Conservation and Management of Samaspur Bird Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh.” In T. V. Ramachandra (Ed.), Environment Education for Ecosystem Conservation (pp. 45–67). Bangalore: Capital Publishing Company.