INDIA-OECD-WORLD BANK REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON FINANCIAL EDUCATION

The India-OECD-World Bank Regional Conference on Financial Education will take place between March 4-6, 2013 in New Delhi, India. The Conference is co-organised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank.

Participation

Please note that participation in the conference is by invitation only. If you have already received the invitation to participate, you may kindly register through the following link: http://www.rbi.org.in/rbioecdflc2013/Scripts/Registration.aspx
For further registration enquiries, you may contact:
For participants invited by RBI:
Ms. Alpana Killawala, RBI, email: alpanakillawala@rbi.org.in
Ms Sabeeta Badkar, RBI email: sabeetabadkar@rbi.org.in
Tel: +91-22-22660502
Fax: +91-22-22660358; and + 91-22-22703279
For participants invited by OECD:
Ms. Jennah Huxley, OECD, email: jennah.huxley@oecd.org
Mr. Andrea Grifoni, OECD, email: andrea.grifoni@oecd.org
Fax: +33-1-45241833 and +33-1-44306308

Fees

There are no fees for participation in the Conference

Meals and Social Events

Lunch and dinners will be offered to all the participants during the 3-day conference.

Dress Code

Dress code during the Conference will be business-casual.

Accommodation and Hotel Booking

Registered participants will be able to avail accommodation at negotiated rates with Hotel ITC Maurya, New Delhi, where a block booking has been made for this Conference. Rooms are also available at negotiated rates for the Conference participants at Hotel Taj Palace and Hotel Le Meridien.

Kindly note that the deadline for booking in all the three hotels is different and is mentioned in the registration form. Please ensure to book your accommodation well in advance. Accommodation reservations are to be made directly by filling out a separate hotel reservation form and mailing to the hotel directly.

Neither RBI nor OECD would be responsible for any costs associated with the participants’ hotel rooms. Delegates will be responsible for hotel costs incurred, including room charges, cancellation charges, as well as internet, telephone, fax and telex services provided by the hotel. All bills should be settled directly with the hotel. A valid credit card number is required for reservations to be confirmed. Hotels accept all generally accepted credit cards and cash for payment.

Hotel Booking Form

ITC Maurya
Taj Palace Hotel
Hotel Meridien

Working Language

The official language of the Conference is English. The Conference documentation will be in English.

Passports and Visas for India

Valid passports are required for all delegates entering India. Please also note that a visa is required for most nationalities to enter India and it is strongly recommended that participants verify requirements with the embassy/consulate in his/her country.

Apply for a visa online: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/indianVisaReg.jsp

Registered participants who require an official invitation letter for visa purposes should contact RBI by sending an email to flc2013@rbi.org.in

Transport

It is proposed to provide transport facilities for foreign participants from the airport to the hotel on arrival and from the hotel to the airport for departure.

The hotel can also arrange for pick-up from and drop to the airport. Pre-paid air-conditioned taxi services can also be availed at the airports (both international and domestic).

Further Enquiries

For further logistical information or enquiries about this Conference, please contact:

• Ms. Alpana Killawala, email: halpanakillawala@rbi.org.in
• Ms. Sabeeta Badkar, email: sabeetabadkar@rbi.org.in

Map of the Conference Venue Area

Insurance and Medical Cover

The Conference organisers do not take the responsibility for medical, travel or life insurance, and participants are advised to hold valid international personal insurance policies.

All delegates will be responsible for payment of any medical, surgical, dental, hospital, or ambulance services that they require in New Delhi, India, and are advised to make appropriate arrangements for insurance. However, first-aid medical service will be available at the Conference venue.

India has one of the best hospital facilities. Private hospitals have ultra modern medical equipments and acclaimed practitioners.

Water: Bottled water is recommended.

Malaria/Yellow Fever/Dengue

For the list of countries requiring yellow fever vaccination to get into India, kindly check http://www.immigrationindia.nic.in (Select "Health Regulations")

Tipping: No specific rules.

Electrical Supply

The voltage in India is between 220 to 240 Volts. Voltage converter will be required if you are carrying a device that does not accept 240 volts at 50 hertz. Outlets in India generally accept two round pins or three round pins arranged in a triangle. If your appliance plug has any other shape, you will need a plug adapter.

Climate

In March you can expect plenty of sunny weather, fairly low levels of rainfall and pleasant temperatures. Average maximum and minimum temperatures for March in New Delhi are 30ºC and 15 ºC respectively.

Currency

The official currency is the Rupee. Major credit cards are accepted in majority of the hotels, restaurants and shops. Banking hours in New Delhi are generally from 10.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Currency exchange service is available at the hotels.

Communication

To make an international call, dial: 00 + country code + area code + telephone number.
To dial into India:
00-91-11-local number (New Delhi)
00-91-22-local number (Mumbai)

Time Difference

New Delhi is GMT + 5:30 throughout the year.

Smoking

Due to legislation, the policy is no smoking in any area of the Conference. Smoking is, however, allowed on the smoking floors of the hotel.

Tourism Information about India

India, officially the Republic of India is the seventh-largest country in terms of geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the largest democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean in the south, the Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east and the Himalayas in the north, India is a sub-continent with a 5000-year old history, a civilization representing unity in diversity. India is a republic consisting of 28 states and 7 union territories and one of the fastest growing economies. A pluralistic, multilingual, and multiethnic society, India is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats.

Information about New Delhi

Through most of its history, Delhi has served as a capital of various kingdoms and empires. In 1639 AD, the Mughal emperor Shahjahan built a new walled city in Delhi which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1649 until the Rebellion of 1857. The British captured Delhi in 1857 and the city replaced Kolkata as the seat of British government in India in 1911. A new capital city, New Delhi, was built to the south of the old city during the 1920s. When the British left India in 1947, New Delhi became the national capital and seat of the government.

New Delhi is the second most populous metropolis in India after Mumbai. It is a cosmopolitan city due to the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural presence of the vast Indian bureaucracy and political system.

Another aspect of the culture of Delhi is the numerous fairs and festivals celebrated in the city. It is this diversity that makes Delhi so lively and colourful.

Tourist Places

India Gate was built in 1931 in the memory of 90,000 soldiers who laid their lives during World War I. Located at Rajpath, India Gate is 42 m high. It was designed and constructed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Following India's independence, India Gate became the site of the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, known as the Amar Jawan Jyoti.

Raj Ghat, not far from the banks of the Yamuna river, has a simple black marble memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, marking the spot where he was cremated following his assassination in 1948. A commemorative ceremony takes place every Friday.

Red Fort is a massive monument built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Situated on the embankment of river Yamuna, it took approximately 10 years to complete. The Red Fort was supposed to be the fortress of Shah Jahan's new capital at Delhi, Shahjahanabad. Today, the Red Fort serves as the venue for the Prime Minister's Speech that is given on January 26, the Republic Day.

Jantar Mantar : At first sight, the "Jantar Mantar" appears like a gallery of modern art. It is, however, an observatory. Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur (1699-1743), a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court, was dissatisfied by the errors of brass and metal astronomical instruments. Under the emperor’s patronage, he set on himself the task of correcting the existing astronomical tables and updating the almanac with more reliable instruments. It consists of 13 architectural astronomy instruments. The primary purpose of the observatory was to compile astronomical tables, and to predict the times and movements of the sun, moon and planets.

Qutub Minar constructed with red sandstone and marble, it is the tallest minaret in India with a height of 72.5 metres (237.8 ft), it contains 379 stairs to reach the top and the diameter of the base is 14.3 metres.

Rajpath which was built similar to the Champs-Élysées in Paris, is the ceremonial boulevard for the Republic of India located in New Delhi. The annual Republic Day parade takes place here on January 26 each year.

Humayun's Tomb is an excellent example of early Mughal architecture with a bulbous dome, geometric patterns, high arches, spire, lattice stone windows, geometric proportions, etc. This quiet but splendid edifice was the last resting place of the second Mughal emperor. This building is set in the centre of a charbagh or four-garden plan, which is further divided into smaller geometric sections by a network of water channels and fountains - a reflection of Persian influence.

The National Museum is the largest museum in Delhi with around 2,00,000 exhibits of exquisite art both foreign and Indian, giving a detailed insight into Indian history and its cultural heritage.

Crafts Museum is situated in the Pragati Maidan area. It showcases over 20,000 pieces of traditional Indian crafts, tribal arts and textiles from all over the country. 18th to 20th century objects, including terracotta sculptures from Tamil Nadu, bronzes, enamel work, wood paintings and carvings are housed here.