Search

This research examines the implications of rainwater harvesting structure hapa in the Bankura district of West Bengal, India. The paper finds that proper management and harvesting of surface and subsurface runoffs in hapas can facilitate groundwater recharge and increase both net irrigated area and moisture in soil leading to higher cropping intensity and yield in dryland areas. However, dissected plateau and residual hillocks can reduce irrigation efficiency of hapas. Although sprinkler or drip irrigation along with cultivation of drought and lateritic resilient, low moisture crop can help in coping up with geophysical and climatic vulnerability, appropriate crop diversification is also necessary. There is also a need for regular maintenance and desiltation of hapas. The water user groups should play an active role for this, especially for hapas in common land. Further, scientific guidance is necessary for designing appropriate structure of hapas in different geo-physical conditions.

In the context of declining degrees of vertical integration in major industries of Indian manufacturing sector during the post-reform period, the present paper is an attempt to examine how such “vertical disintegration” has affected firms’ market power and its implications for competition policy. Using panel dataset of 49 majors industries of Indian manufacturing sector for the period 2003–04 to 2010–11 and applying the system generalized method of moments approach to estimate of dynamic panel data models, the paper finds that vertical integration does not cause any significant impact on average market power of firms in an industry. Instead, it is influenced by market size, and selling and technology-related efforts. While selling intensity has a positive impact on market power, the impact of market size and technology intensity is found to be negative. Notably, like vertical integration, market concentration, import to export ratio, and capital intensity also do not have any significant impact on market power. The findings of this paper, therefore, have important implications for competition law and policy in general and policies and regulation relating to technology development and international trade in particular.

A decade has elapsed since the inception of the MGNREGA. While this scheme has been able to act as viable source of alternative rural employment, the major challenge pertains to job demand and employment creation by as much as stipulated. The present study aims to identify factors influencing the incidence and extent of household participation in MGNREGA in Mayurbhanj and Ganjam districts of Odisha. The findings suggest that ‘clientelism’ is an overriding force under MGNREGA, indicating thereby that this scheme is a potent means to create ‘political society’. It is the awareness of the prospective benefits of a job card that motivates people to exhibit their willingness to have it and to get access. This awareness leads to creation of employment for those seeking jobs. The results also signal the possibility of ‘elite capture’. Households possessing more land holdings may possess job cards, despite demanding fewer jobs, as they seem to be influential in rural social–political milieu. However, the programme appears to be pro-poor and gender-sensitive. In order to make it more effective, it may be necessary to overcome the possibilities of ‘clientelism’ and ‘elite capture’, and improve the awareness level.

Policy initiatives and regulatory changes made during the last two-and-half decades of economic reforms have led to a considerable increase in the number of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the Indian corporate sector. Given the policy-induced flexibilities, while the domestic firms have taken the route of mergers to restructure their business and grow, the foreign firms have preferred to enter into specific markets through acquisitions and raise monopoly power therein. In this context, the present article attempts to examine the impact of M&As on market the structure in major industries of the Indian manufacturing sector during the post-reform period. Using a panel dataset of 34 major industries for the period 2001–2009, the article finds that M&As do not necessarily cause any appreciable adverse impact on market concentration. Instead, the degrees of sellers’ concentration are influenced by the growth of market, capital intensity, firms’ advertising efforts and their financial performance. The findings of the present article, therefore, suggest for a rethink on policies and regulations relating to M&A, international trade and intellectual property, as they play a significant role in enhancing firms’ competitiveness and restricting the emergence of a monopolistic power. JEL Classification: L1, L4, L5, O3

This study examines whether group heterogeneity and group structure and process predict the effectiveness of women’s self-help groups in terms of their financial performance, self-reliance of the group, members’ decision-making ability at the household level, and access to non-financial benefits. Data were collected using an interview schedule from 210 women’s self-help groups in six districts of Bihar and data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that the group heterogeneity directly predicts the effectiveness of women’s self-help groups and it is fully transmitted through group structure and process to positively predict the effectiveness of the women’s self-help groups. The group structure and process is found to be a full mediator between group heterogeneity and group effectiveness. The predictive accuracy of the model is found to be high. The findings have implications to bring in more diversity in members castes, education, and their reasons for joining women’s self-help groups at the formation stage and variations in members’ skills and expertise at the performing stage of the groups. The members’ awareness on group norms and trust in financial transactions, and leadership styles together with cooperation and cohesion among members, transparency in financial transactions, group attendance, and networking with the bank and the federation foster the effectiveness of women’s self-help groups.

In the context of changing farming practices, particularly with increasing use of chemical fertilizers, the present paper attempts to statistically model the implications of such input intensification for growth of agricultural production and yield and crop diversification in Hooghly district of the Indian state of West Bengal. Understanding the issue is very important for sustainable growth of the sector in the long-run. The paper uses secondary data collected from the Bureau of Applied Economics and Statistics of the Government of West Bengal for the period 1989–2010. The paper shows that greater use of chemical fertilizers has no strong correlation with growth of agricultural production and yield. It is also found that agricultural production has fluctuated during this period possibly due to improper use of N–P–K over the years exceeding the assimilative capacity of soil. Further, excessive use of chemical fertilizers has also resulted in over extraction of ground water in the area. It is, therefore, suggested that efforts should be made towards deeper understanding of inherent potentials as well as limitations of soil and designing the farming strategies accordingly. In addition, formation of farming groups and promotion of organic farming should be explored to facilitate sustainable growth of the sector. Decentralized participatory planning can play a crucial role in this regard.

Since its inception, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) of the Government of India has provided subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections to many poor households for enhancing use of LPG as a cooking fuel. However, along with such large LPG connections, it is also necessary to understand how the beneficiaries have adopted the same. This paper examines beneficiary households’ response to the PMUY in respect of actual use of LPG and identifies the underlying factors in rural areas of the Indian state of Odisha. Using descriptive statistics and estimating limited dependent variable models the paper finds significant positive impact of household heads’ education and amount of subsidy on actual use of LPG, whereas general category households have lower adoption of the same. Further, greater availability of kerosene also limits adoption of LPG. Importantly, household income does not influence adoption of this cleaner fuel. The findings of the paper, therefore, have significant implications for fine tuning of policies and institutions towards cleaner energy transition in rural India, particularly in respect of enhancing relative price and awareness about benefits of LPG and its delivery mechanisms.

Generally, public investments in irrigation projects fail to deliver the desired outcomes largely due to inefficient management and use of the assets by the local level institutions. Against this backdrop, the present paper attempts to understand how the Pani Panchayats have performed in sustainable management and use of minor irrigation structures in the Indian state of Odisha. Using primary data and information collected from selected state-funded minor irrigation projects implemented in Cuttack district of the state, the paper finds that the Pani Panchayats, being backed by The Orissa Pani Panchayat Act (2002) and following a democratic decision making process, have been successful in managing the irrigation projects efficiently, especially in respect of pricing and distribution of irrigation water, maintenance of the systems, and their expansion, leading to socially inclusive and sustainable agricultural intensification in the area.