The Indian Planning Commission was one of India's leading public economic institutions. The dissolution of the Planning Commission by the present government in New Delhi and its replacement by the Niti Aayog raises important questions for economic policy, explored in this panel event.

Are infrastructure financing tools underutilized when it comes to planning for smart growth? Do we run the risk of undercutting “smart growth” efforts if we assume infrastructure financing tools to be growth-neutral?

Rapid developments in digital innovation and in the availability and application of large-scale data sets create opportunities both for new economic activities and jobs, and for new and cheaper ways of delivering city services. They also hold out possibilities for new ways that governments can engage with citizens, while at the same time raising concerns about data privacy.