Head Energy Practice, CRISIL Risk and Infrastructure Solutions Ltd

Track D, Session 15

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Mr. Sharma is the Practice Head of the Energy Reform Group of CRISIL Risk and Infrastructure Solutions. Mr. Sharma is the leading regulatory expert in the energy sector and assisted a number of regulators in South Asia and African countries in developing regulatory frameworks in the areas of un-bundling of utilities, performance based contracting, MYT structure, open access and trading of power. From 2001-04, Mr. Sharma has assisted the South Asian Forum for Infrastructure Regulation (SAFIR) in organising various themed training programs, workshops and strategy in South Asian Region. In his role at SAFIR, Mr. Sharma has edited books on Legal and Regulatory Aspects in the infrastructure sector and on Multi Year Tariffs. Currently, He is managing the secretariat service of East Asia Pacific Infrastructure Regulatory Forum (EAPIRF), which is an association of more than 50 regulators from the EAP region.
 

ABSTRACT SUMMARY

"Experience sharing of impact of regional associations (in South Asia and East Asia Pacific Region) on Infrastructure Performance"

The role of the regulators is fast becoming complex and challenging. However, most of the regulators in developing countries are at the nascent stage and lack capacity and knowledge to handle complexities of infrastructure development. It is thus imperative to develop capacity and knowledge base of the regulators and their staff, so that they can play a larger role in developing infrastructure.Regional regulatory forums are playing this important role of developing capacity of regulators by bringing regulators from different countries into a common platform, where they can exchange their learning and experience. Through its training programmes, workshops, twinning programme and on-line knowledge sharing platforms these forums are involved in building capacity and knowledge base of the regulators from fundamentals of regulation to addressing complex issues. The session would address the gaps in the Regulatory Community in the South Asia and East Asia Pacific Region and how associations like SAFIR & EAPIRF has/had impacted infrastructure performance through knowledge/experience sharing among the Regulatory staff in the Region.