Ranjan B Verma

With over 35 years of experience in social development, I began my career by training within a civil society organization. I then spent more than twenty years in research-based consulting, collaborating with central and state governments as well as development partners such as DFID, World Bank, ADB, bilateral organizations, and research institutes. My work has focused on identifying and addressing social development challenges across multiple sectors, emphasizing access, inclusion, and gender equality—particularly among underprivileged and marginalized population groups. For the past ten years, I have worked as a Senior Social Development Consultant with the World Bank’s social safeguard team in India. Trained in the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), I have provided guidance and support for the preparation and implementation of more than 25 projects spanning Infrastructure, Health, Education, Governance, and Agriculture. My responsibilities included managing safeguards under the ESF and Program for Results (PforR) instruments and developing Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), Management Plans (ESMPs), Resettlement Policy Frameworks (RPFs), Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs), Stakeholder Engagement Plans (SEPs), Labor Management Plans (LMPs), and Gender and GBV Action Plans. I place great value on participatory approaches to risk management and maximizing benefits for Indigenous peoples, women, and vulnerable populations. My expertise covers a broad array of sectors, such as infrastructure and urban development, governance, health, education, livelihoods, water supply sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and disaster management. My dedication to social development and safeguards is rooted in a comprehensive understanding of political economy, local institutions, and extensive community engagement. My regional experience across India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal reflects a deep understanding of political economy, local institutions, and community dynamics. In addition to technical proficiency, I have led capacity-building initiatives for national and state-level stakeholders and have cultivated institutional expertise in safeguards and reinforced the foundations for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development. I have led policy dialogues and client engagement strategies that contributed to land tenure reforms in tribal regions, enhanced development programs in underserved areas, and improved citizen engagement and grievance redressal systems. Furthermore, I have designed and facilitated capacity-building initiatives for national and state stakeholders, supported effective safeguard policy implementation, and helped cultivate social safeguard expertise within client teams responsible for project delivery.