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This article explores the socioeconomic factors of wheat growers’ participation intensity in contract farming (CF) under both public and private firms in Haryana. Using the primary survey data of 754 wheat growers collected from two districts of Haryana, the study finds that CF participation intensity is higher under government corporations than in private firms. The Tobit regression results show that similar variables determine the participation intensity under both types of firms. But the perception of agricultural profitability has different significant signs for public and private firms. This difference in profitability perception spawns from the different contracting nature of both types of firms. The government firms directly contact farmers, while private firms hire agents to communicate with farmers. In addition, government firms encourage marginal and small farmers to adopt CF, while private firms prefer medium to large farmers owning a minimum of five acres of cultivable land. Payment security is another reason for the intensity difference between types of firms. Therefore, the study calls for a policy framework to establish better institutional structure to strengthen CF inclusiveness, where both types of firms provide the scope for more extensive participation across the groups of farmers.JEL Codes:Q12, Q13, C01

There are studies available that study the influence of corruption on economic growth, but no existing literature studies the asymmetric relationship in context to BRICS countries. In this study, we try to fill the gap in the literature by studying the symmetric and asymmetric association between corruption, political stability and economic growth in BRICS economies where gross fixed capital formation and final consumption expenditure are considered additional variables. Further, we employ panel non-linear autoregressive distributed lag model from 1996–2018. In the long run, the non-linear estimation results confirm an asymmetric relationship while all variables show the asymmetric relationship in the short run. Additionally, the study has employed Dumitrescu–Hurlin (2012)test to find the direction of causality among the variables. The test confirms the causality in particular variables taking economic growth as dependent variable and the decomposed explanatory variables. The article’s findings provide new insight into the relationship between corruption, political stability and economic growth.JEL Codes:D73, F35

The recent trends and distributional patterns of communicable diseases (CD) and non-communicable diseases (NCD) in India are analysed in this study. Utilising the unit-level health-specific data from three rounds (1995, 2004 and 2014) of the National Sample Survey Office, it is found that the incidence of CDs is declining while that of NCDs increasing over time. The state-wise pattern shows that both the least-developedstates and relatively developed stateshave a high incidence of diseases. But the incidence of CDs is relatively high in backward states like Rajasthan, Odisha, Assam, Bihar and UP, whereas the prevalence of NCDs is high in advanced states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and others. The multinomial logistic regression results also confirm that income, sex and availability of safe drinking water are key determinants of the presence of diseases. Thus, the policy implication of the study calls for the availability and accessibility of adequate medical facilities at affordable costs, development of a strong network of public health facilities in rural India primarily. Bringing the rural as well as urban poor into the fold of health insurance schemes would ensure a huge benefit to the masses who struggle to get the basic treatment. The development of an effective ‘health information system’ can be a better policy instrument in arresting the rising incidence of NCDs.JEL Classification codes:C12, C51, I15, I18

India has developed a positive attitude towards the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows during the last five years and made several changes in the market conditions, enhanced civil rights and liberties to attract more FDI inflows. This study examines the impact of democracy on FDI inflows in India by employing an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. For the said purpose, the study uses the annual data from 1980–2017. The findings demonstrate that the democratic setup does not induce FDI inflows in the short run, but there is a positive and significant impact of democracy in the long run. Furthermore, it confirms that gross national income per capita; trade openness, political rights, and civil liberties are significant and positive determinants of FDI inflows in India. Based on findings, this study recommends that India nurture democratic values, property rights security, and values of civil liberty & freedom to appeal for more foreign investment inflows into India progressively.JEL Codes:D73, C22, F14