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Across the world, Green Economy concept has been gaining ground and India is no exception. Green Economy is a development strategy which harmonises both economic development and ecological sustainability. Stated objectives of environment-friendly sustainable measures have, so far, largely not been met in developing countries due to overpowering need of basic development priorities, lack of fund flow from the developed world for mitigation and adaptation purposes, etc. India is facing the problem of co-existence of the conventional economic growth strategy and piecemeal efforts to make the economy ready to mitigate and adapt to the climate change issues. The present paper found that the existing production and consumption system can not make the development a really sustained and sustainable one. Adopting the multi-dimensional Green concept is going to have ripple effects on employment, trade, agriculture, domestic industries, business pattern, which, accordingly, require extensive fiscal reforms, vigilance on changing international trade relations and trade patterns, skill development, indigenous research and development for resource efficiency, political stewardship, public awareness, etc. Judicious inclusion of sustainability factor into the ongoing economic decisions for boosting infrastructure and manufacturing can set things rolling for putting the Indian economy on the Green Economy path. The paper is a descriptive analysis based on the available facts and figures, dotted with comparisons with other emerging countries to highlight the present status of India. While acknowledging the importance of development of strategies to adopt the principles of Green Economy in tune with stage of economic development, the paper points out the critical gaps and problems faced by India as well as their possible solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial Inclusion is the access of financial services to the masses at an affordable cost. Its purpose is to include everyone in the financial spectrum, particularly the vulnerable sections and to empower them economically and socially, thus ensuring inclusive growth and sustainable development. To study the status of financial inclusion in India, this paper makes an attempt to analyse the initiatives taken to promote financial inclusion viz. Bank Branches and ATMs, No-frill Accounts, Micro Finance, Branchless Banking through Technology and Financial Literacy. The results reveal that penetration and access of financial services has increased across India in recent years. Few measures like Financial Education, Economic Viability, Sustainability of SHGs and No-frill Accounts, Lead Banking Scheme, Product Development and Protection have been suggested to expand the magnitude of financial inclusion in order to achieve inclusive growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the association between inequality in energy intensity and social inequality in Indian cities, as these are the two predominant constituents of inequality in Indian socio-economic scenario. This study uses a bivariate cointegration based error correction model for assessing the causal association between the two inequality parameters, which are derived by using Theil's second measure. Given the sustainable development objective set by the government of India, interaction between these two parameters may prove out to be significant for achievement of this objective. It has been hypothesized that nature of this interaction varies largely based on the nature of the cities, i.e. semi-urban, urban, and metropolitan. The analysis has been done on the full and segregated dataset to visualize how the interaction changes with the nature of the cities. For analysis purpose, data for 139 Indian cities for the period of 2001-2013 have been selected. From the data of income, population, and energy consumption, two parameters of this study have been designed by using Theil's second measure. The analysis starts with checking the cross sectional dependence for both of the parameters. Subsequently, the stationarity of the data has been checked by using first generation unit root tests. Then, by employing the cointegration and error correction framework, the long run causal association has been assessed. For checking the short run causal association, Granger causality method has been applied. The data for this study have been collected form Ministry of Power, Govt. of India, Central Statistical Organization, India, and Census, India. Major findings of this study are, (a) for both the parameters and three segments, cross sections are independent, (b) the parameters are stationary at first difference, (c) there is long run cointegration relationship between them, and (d) the causal link between inequality in energy intensity and social inequality is unidirectional for the case of semi-urban cities, and it is bidirectional for the case of metropolitan and urban cities. For full dataset, causal link between inequality in energy intensity and social inequality is unidirectional. The Theil indices calculated for both the parameters show the trends of rising inequality for all the cities taken together. However, no significant trend was visualized for the individual strata of cities, for both of the parameters under consideration. This study summarizes that the economic growth achieved by India is not sustainable in nature. It can be achieved only by considering an inclusive growth framework, where social development will complement the growth objectives. Therefore, the fossil-fuel based economic growth agenda needs reconsideration, viewing the social dimensions of the cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: India is facing great challenges in its economic development due to the impact on climate change. Energy is the important driver of economy. At present Indian energy sector is dominated by fossil fuel. Due to international pressure for green house gas reduction in atmosphere there is a need of clean energy supply for energy security and sustainable development. The nuclear energy is a sustainable solution in this context to overcome the environmental problem due to fossil fuel electricity generation. This paper examines the implications of penetration of nuclear energy in Indian power sector. Four scenarios, including base case scenario, have been developed using MARKAL energy modeling software for Indian power sector. The least-cost solution of energy mix has been measured. The result shows that more than 50% of the electricity market will be captured by nuclear energy in the year 2045. This ambitious goal can be expected to be achieved due to Indo-US nuclear deal. The advanced nuclear energy with conservation potential scenario shows that huge amounts of CO2 can be reduced in the year 2045 with respect to the business as usual scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial inclusion has become one of the most critical aspects in the context of inclusive growth and sustainable development in developing countries like India. Financial inclusion is a process of ensuring access to suitable financial products and services needed by susceptible groups such as weaker sections and low-income groups at an affordable cost in a fair and transparent manner by mainstream financial institutional players. Despite impressive economic growth over the last two decades, many countries in the world are experiencing inequalities leading to adverse consequences for social cohesion which in turn, could dampen growth prospects. Therefore, financial inclusion has emerged as an important topic on the global agenda for sustainable long-term economic growth. The present study is an attempt to assess the role of post offices in financial inclusion and economic development in the Jammu division of Jammu & Kashmir State. Both primary and secondary data were used for conducting the study. For primary data, 1050 questionnaire were distributed among customers of post offices of Jammu division and secondary data were collected using Internet, journals, and post offices. The most important aspect of financial inclusion is financial literacy but it was found that there is lack of awareness among rural masses about various schemes of financial inclusion. The study is limited to the perception of post office customers only and could be carried further on the perception of other stakeholders such as post office officials and business correspondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the development planning approach of intellectual Sukhamoy Chakravarty of India, which aims to integrate economic growth with social justice and ecological sustainability. It outlines Chakravarty's approach to planning theory and the major lessons he learned from his policy-related work in the country's Planning Commission. It discusses his views and perceptions concerning economic progress, agriculture-led growth and the main barriers to Indian growth. Moreover, the article analyzes whether Chakravarty's approach to development planning is still relevant despite changes in various aspects of the nation.

This article examines the concept of sustainable development based on the economic and social situation in Kerala, India. Criteria for sustainability should include not only environmental stability and improvement, but social, political and economic justice, improvement in the quality of life of vulnerable sections of the population at low cost, and an improvement in the overall status of women. Though Kerala has a low throughput, the indicators of social progress have not suffered because of sustained efforts to limit population growth rate and social inequality, and to conserve resources frugally and use them on a shared basis. The test of practicing sustainable development should be based upon a society's ability to maintain and further improve upon the quality of life of its citizens by living within its own resource means. It is thus still debatable whether Kerala has entered a mature stage of self-sustaining development. It can only be hoped that the political leadership and the policy makers concerned will continue to implement policies to take it to the mature stage.