This paper estimates a synthetic difference-in-differences specification on the roll-out of a program providing free bus transit for women in several Indian states, to examine the impact on women's time allocation and labor supply. Household expenditures on buses fall and women save time on...

We use a new machine learning-enabled, social network based measurement technique to assemble a novel dataset of firms' political connections in India. Leveraging this data along with a long panel of detailed financial transactions of firms, we study how political connections matter during an...

We use a new machine learning-enabled, social network based measurement technique to assemble a novel dataset of firms' political connections in India. Leveraging this data along with a long panel of detailed financial transactions of firms, we study how political connections matter during an...

This study uses data from a survey of micro, small, and medium enterprises in India to document the impact of COVID-19 containment lockdowns on firms, their responses, and adaptation strategies. We find that profits and sales of the majority of firms declined substantially. Temporary closures,...

We use a new machine learning-enabled, social network based measurement technique to assemble a novel dataset of firms' political connections in India. Leveraging this data along with a long panel of detailed financial transactions of firms, we study how political connections matter during an...

Using detailed data on firm operations along with a novel method of measuring political connections, we study whether and how political connections matter for firms during an economic downturn. In the context of India’s Demonetization episode of 2016, we use a synthetic...

Reducing gender-specific commuting barriers in developingcountries has complex effects on women's labor dynamics.The paper studies a program that offers free bus rides forwomen in several Indian states (the Pink Slip program)using a synthetic difference-in-differences approach to shedlight on...