Senior Economist with six years’ experience in economic and statistical analysis, national budget formulation, strategic national planning and improving corporate, financial and public sector governance, accountability and effective operations of central Departments. |
Contact Pranita Sharma
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Area of Expertise: |
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Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
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Disaster, Aid, Emergencies, Relief
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Government, Governance, Reforms
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Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research, Analysis
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Trade, Finance, Economics, Cooperation, Global
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Professional Experience: |
During my experience in Papua New Guinea, I was exposed to budgetary reforms, including the unification of the capital and recurrent budgets, the introduction of forward estimates and a sector-led approach to budget formulation. I provided budgetary analysis on the actual expenditure of national budgets across key sectors from 2001-2012 to demonstrate the unaccountable usage of Development Budget funds and the limited capacity of implementing agencies to deliver on priorities. I provided the Senior Budget Ministers with an information paper to guide the stages of comprehensive unification of the two budgets in light of the financial, institutional and administrative reforms it could deliver. In 2014, the Department required a restructure for it to be more responsive to the public financial management reforms. My input into the new structure led to the establishment of a Strategic Planning Wing clustered by sectors, with each sector encompassing a planning, programming, policy and monitoring and evaluation function. I supported the Department through strengthening the decision making process with internal expenditures and ensuring increased due diligence through the analysis of expenditures across both Capital Investment Projects implemented by the Department and its operational budget. By analysing the actual expenditures of the Department and producing monthly reports, this ensured that the Head of the Department was in control of expenditures across the Department. I provided strategic support to facilitate the budget reforms by coordinating better communication between the two Central Coordinating Agencies responsible for the formulation of the Budget - the Department of Treasury and the Department of National Planning and Monitoring. My support led to more frequent meetings in the lead up to the budget process, to facilitate brainstorming on what 'aspect' of the reforms could be implemented for 2015, particularly with reference to the unification of both budgets and submissions being provided in sector clusters. I was able to identify effective teams in both agencies to work as part of a core task force to deliver on some of the necessary administrative changes to the budget formulation process. I supported changes to the administrative aspects of the budget process such as the submission formats and appraisal formats and whether they are done jointly or separately, the procedures necessary for appraising submissions through the budget screening committees, adjustments to criteria used for considering submissions, and the changing roles of the two Departments in implementing the reforms as well as the involvement of the senior budget Ministers. Alongside working on two national budgets, I was engaged on a strategic diagnostic review of the Ministry of Planning to provide the teams with information and recommendations to ensure the best possible outcome to re-establish the core functions of the Department.
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Education: |
EDUCATION/ QUALIFICATIONS:
MSc Environment and Development London School of Economics 2010-2011
Graduated with a Merit.
Subjects: Sustainability: Environment, Business and Technology (major)/ Cities, People and Poverty in the South/ Complex Emergencies/ Poverty/ Concepts in Environmental Regulation.
BA(Hon) Economics and Philosophy University of Sussex 2005-2008
Graduated with a Second Degree Honours.
Subjects: Macro/ Micro economics, Advanced Macro/ Micro economics, Statistics for Economists, Development Economics, Trade Economics, Philosophy of Kant, Philosophy of Mind, Hegel, Social and Political Philosophy, Ethics.
PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH:
•Dissertation 10,000 word (London School of Economics): July 2011 -‘Will legislation on due diligence in the US break the links between Coltan extraction and conflict in the DRC?’ •Research (University of Sussex): June 2008 -4,000 word econometrics dissertation on differing per capita emissions between developing and developed countries across 142 different countries using multivariate analysis
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Available for: |
- Consulting assignments
- Job opportunities
- Being headhunted – make me an offer
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Years of Experience:
5-10 years |
Highest Qualification:
Masters |
Languages:
English, Hindi, Tok Pisin |
Nationality:
United Kingdom
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