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Current personal subscribers to Maritime Economics & Logistics can view this article.... more Current personal subscribers to Maritime Economics & Logistics can view this article. To do this, associate your subscription with your registration at the My Account page. If you already have an active subscription log in now to your palgrave-journals.com account.
The conventional wisdom regarding long term linkage between technological development, population... more The conventional wisdom regarding long term linkage between technological development, population growth and sustainable development stretches the efficacy of technology too far. There were many phases in recorded history, where contemporary technological development, which temporarily served the cause of economic growth, went against natural balance. The problem is not with technology but with its judicious use. In a Cobb-Douglas framework, land requirement is very often normalized to be one for functional convenience. Our argument is not against that simplification as such. One of the main objectives of this enquiry is to see whether any major changes occur in the conclusions drawn under conventional specification, if land requirement for urbanization, agriculture and forestry is introduced into the system separately. Introduction of land may substantially change some of the conclusions derived from an over-simplified framework. The conclusions from present investigation may not be in disharmony with the history of technology, population dynamics and sustainable economic progress, given cross-country heterogeneity across the world particularly between the developed and developing world. Therefore, land requirement for other purposes particularly for agriculture, forest and environmental balance must be incorporated into the models of development by all governments in the developing countries.
The paper tries to find out the role played by economic and social infrastructure facilities in e... more The paper tries to find out the role played by economic and social infrastructure facilities in economic development across Indian states over the last quarter century. Infrastructure services have been indexed with the help of principal component analysis. Both parametric and ...
... which we are concerned here, was to enhance productivity and efficiency in Indian industries ... more ... which we are concerned here, was to enhance productivity and efficiency in Indian industries by ... There was a decline in virtually all macro-economic aggregates in the crisis year of ... majorindustry groups, whose order of ranks is as follows: (i) chemical, (ii) textile, (iii) processed ...
The current literatiure on regional conivergence has centred on the empirical relationship betwee... more The current literatiure on regional conivergence has centred on the empirical relationship between initial income and its long run growth rate found anlotng the regions in the developed countries. The fundamental basis of the 'converging' outcome is the neo-classical ...
Concerned primarily with all possible infrastructure facilities across the countries of the world... more Concerned primarily with all possible infrastructure facilities across the countries of the world as well as Indian states over a period of time. This database also includes possible usual economic variables for India as a whole and the Indian state.
This paper examines the Workers’ Level Schedule data from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Emplo... more This paper examines the Workers’ Level Schedule data from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA, 2005) evaluation study, India. The data help us draw insights on the efficacy of implementation of the Act in 12 states of India on the basis of responses of rural unskilled workers. The empirical evidence provides in-depth insights on high variations in market and MGNREGA wages, food grains consumption and farm yield among different States even after 15 years of implementation. In addition to various statistical measures, the study also incorporates logistic regression models to investigate the factors affecting an affirmative response of workers when asked about the increment in three indicators in the post-MGNREGA intervention. We conclude unless location-based regional parameters are included in the Act, such a Pan-India policy is impossible to reach the door of rural poor in an extremely heterogeneous country like India.
In literature, the impact of public investment and physical infrastructure on both private invest... more In literature, the impact of public investment and physical infrastructure on both private investment behaviour and regional economic development has been found to be highly significant and positive. The latter hypothesis is tested here on Indian states over the Plan period using ...
Asia-Pacific Development Journal Vol. 12, No. 1, June 2005 EFFECTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE ON REGIONAL ... more Asia-Pacific Development Journal Vol. 12, No. 1, June 2005 EFFECTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE ON REGIONAL INCOME IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION: NEW EVIDENCE FROM SOUTH ASIA Prabir De'and Buddhadeb Ghosh" The South Asian Association for Regional ...
This study examines regional variations in spatial inequality measured by consumption expenditure... more This study examines regional variations in spatial inequality measured by consumption expenditure using National Sample Survey Office data and social indicators from the census of India. It classifies rural people from survey-based, unit-level household data into bottom 25%, middle 50%, and top 25% economic quartiles. The observations include 559 common districts over time across rural India. Contemporary studies on regional development are based on the ‘state’ as the unit of analysis. The main objective of this study is to investigate whether sub-state disparities increased during the highest growth phase in India since 2004/2005, thereby helping determine whether the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act had any lasting impact on the living standards of utterly deprived people beyond the state capitals. In addition to some non-parametric tests, the study conducts alternative multivariate regressions to investigate the factors responsible for rising deprivation and the impact of policy. The statistical evidence is highly alarming and warrant urgent policy initiatives to reach the poor living in alienated regions.
This is a study sponsored by Home Ministry, GOI, 2001. It deals with empirical study of cross bor... more This is a study sponsored by Home Ministry, GOI, 2001. It deals with empirical study of cross border migration from Bangladesh to India as well as torture on minorities in Bangladesh.
Current personal subscribers to Maritime Economics & Logistics can view this article.... more Current personal subscribers to Maritime Economics & Logistics can view this article. To do this, associate your subscription with your registration at the My Account page. If you already have an active subscription log in now to your palgrave-journals.com account.
The conventional wisdom regarding long term linkage between technological development, population... more The conventional wisdom regarding long term linkage between technological development, population growth and sustainable development stretches the efficacy of technology too far. There were many phases in recorded history, where contemporary technological development, which temporarily served the cause of economic growth, went against natural balance. The problem is not with technology but with its judicious use. In a Cobb-Douglas framework, land requirement is very often normalized to be one for functional convenience. Our argument is not against that simplification as such. One of the main objectives of this enquiry is to see whether any major changes occur in the conclusions drawn under conventional specification, if land requirement for urbanization, agriculture and forestry is introduced into the system separately. Introduction of land may substantially change some of the conclusions derived from an over-simplified framework. The conclusions from present investigation may not be in disharmony with the history of technology, population dynamics and sustainable economic progress, given cross-country heterogeneity across the world particularly between the developed and developing world. Therefore, land requirement for other purposes particularly for agriculture, forest and environmental balance must be incorporated into the models of development by all governments in the developing countries.
The paper tries to find out the role played by economic and social infrastructure facilities in e... more The paper tries to find out the role played by economic and social infrastructure facilities in economic development across Indian states over the last quarter century. Infrastructure services have been indexed with the help of principal component analysis. Both parametric and ...
... which we are concerned here, was to enhance productivity and efficiency in Indian industries ... more ... which we are concerned here, was to enhance productivity and efficiency in Indian industries by ... There was a decline in virtually all macro-economic aggregates in the crisis year of ... majorindustry groups, whose order of ranks is as follows: (i) chemical, (ii) textile, (iii) processed ...
The current literatiure on regional conivergence has centred on the empirical relationship betwee... more The current literatiure on regional conivergence has centred on the empirical relationship between initial income and its long run growth rate found anlotng the regions in the developed countries. The fundamental basis of the 'converging' outcome is the neo-classical ...
Concerned primarily with all possible infrastructure facilities across the countries of the world... more Concerned primarily with all possible infrastructure facilities across the countries of the world as well as Indian states over a period of time. This database also includes possible usual economic variables for India as a whole and the Indian state.
This paper examines the Workers’ Level Schedule data from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Emplo... more This paper examines the Workers’ Level Schedule data from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA, 2005) evaluation study, India. The data help us draw insights on the efficacy of implementation of the Act in 12 states of India on the basis of responses of rural unskilled workers. The empirical evidence provides in-depth insights on high variations in market and MGNREGA wages, food grains consumption and farm yield among different States even after 15 years of implementation. In addition to various statistical measures, the study also incorporates logistic regression models to investigate the factors affecting an affirmative response of workers when asked about the increment in three indicators in the post-MGNREGA intervention. We conclude unless location-based regional parameters are included in the Act, such a Pan-India policy is impossible to reach the door of rural poor in an extremely heterogeneous country like India.
In literature, the impact of public investment and physical infrastructure on both private invest... more In literature, the impact of public investment and physical infrastructure on both private investment behaviour and regional economic development has been found to be highly significant and positive. The latter hypothesis is tested here on Indian states over the Plan period using ...
Asia-Pacific Development Journal Vol. 12, No. 1, June 2005 EFFECTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE ON REGIONAL ... more Asia-Pacific Development Journal Vol. 12, No. 1, June 2005 EFFECTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE ON REGIONAL INCOME IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION: NEW EVIDENCE FROM SOUTH ASIA Prabir De'and Buddhadeb Ghosh" The South Asian Association for Regional ...
This study examines regional variations in spatial inequality measured by consumption expenditure... more This study examines regional variations in spatial inequality measured by consumption expenditure using National Sample Survey Office data and social indicators from the census of India. It classifies rural people from survey-based, unit-level household data into bottom 25%, middle 50%, and top 25% economic quartiles. The observations include 559 common districts over time across rural India. Contemporary studies on regional development are based on the ‘state’ as the unit of analysis. The main objective of this study is to investigate whether sub-state disparities increased during the highest growth phase in India since 2004/2005, thereby helping determine whether the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act had any lasting impact on the living standards of utterly deprived people beyond the state capitals. In addition to some non-parametric tests, the study conducts alternative multivariate regressions to investigate the factors responsible for rising deprivation and the impact of policy. The statistical evidence is highly alarming and warrant urgent policy initiatives to reach the poor living in alienated regions.
This is a study sponsored by Home Ministry, GOI, 2001. It deals with empirical study of cross bor... more This is a study sponsored by Home Ministry, GOI, 2001. It deals with empirical study of cross border migration from Bangladesh to India as well as torture on minorities in Bangladesh.
Till very recently, environment did not get any legitimate entry into academic research. Here we ... more Till very recently, environment did not get any legitimate entry into academic research. Here we begin from contemporary prophesy of economists, and travel down memory lane of 20,000 years. There is a long lasting debate on whether technology destroys environment, or they go hand in hand with it. There is no doubt that futuristic prediction has hardly ever stood valid in recent history. But the disorders in nature as revealed in last few decades across the world can hardly be the story of suspect. Now the question is: Will human ingenuity and technological breakthrough be able to save life on Earth beyond 2070? The paper explores in the form of ‘stylized history’ whether imprudent use of (1) non-food needs and savings, (2) recorded language and accumulated knowledge, and (3) privacy has made the humans responsible for devastating the balance in Nature.
Till very recently, environment did not get any legitimate entry into academic research. Here we ... more Till very recently, environment did not get any legitimate entry into academic research. Here we begin from contemporary prophesy of economists, and travel down memory lane of 20,000 years. There is a long lasting debate on whether technology destroys environment, or they go hand in hand with it. There is no doubt that futuristic prediction has hardly ever stood valid in recent history. But the disorders in nature as revealed in last few decades across the world can hardly be the story of suspect. Now the question is: Will human ingenuity and technological breakthrough be able to save life on Earth beyond 2070? The paper explores in the form of ‘stylized history’ whether imprudent use of (1) non-food needs and savings, (2) recorded language and accumulated knowledge, and (3) privacy has made the humans responsible for devastating the balance in Nature.
The most precious material in the world today is fresh (drinking) water. The way civilization has... more The most precious material in the world today is fresh (drinking) water. The way civilization has progressed, nature and water are most tormented and ignored. This stage has not reached in one day, or one century. Human folly has been responsible for the future survival of the animal kingdom more particularly water. A sustainable engineering model is developed here to implement rain water harvesting in efficient manner with very low cost.
Obsession with poverty per se in post-independent India particularly from late 1960s has been res... more Obsession with poverty per se in post-independent India particularly from late 1960s has been responsible for the derivative status of the factors responsible for overall social and economic development across diverse regions of the country. Planning in the true sense of the term got increasingly less priority compared to short run disaster management type policy during these decades. Consequently, poverty, inequality & purchasing power were treated as one dimensional phenomenon isolated from and independent of physical infrastructure facilities, social development parameters and the expanding external sector. There were adequate signals even from official information that development in any sense of the term had been strictly concentrated in selective pockets of the country. And people with higher merits and better skills have been overcrowding these pockets at the utter neglect of the vast geographies with enough of natural resources and potentially skilled people remaining unutilized and no possibilities of man made resource creation. Empirical researches done during the last decade have amply shown that Indian states have over last 30 years behaved against the neo-classical prediction of convergence among the states. In layman’s language, this means that states with higher levels of development 30 years ago have grown at faster rates and vice versa thereby widening inter-state disparities in all spheres of social and economic life. This is all too known and of late recognized by the Central authorities. But there is tremendous dearth of studies dealing with intense and rising disparities in all spheres of development at the sub-state level. Note that there are 29 states, which contain about 600 districts. Considerable details of socio-economic information are available at present for 582 districts particularly from Census, NSSO and Crime Bureau. When people talk about inter-state disparities, the frequent conclusion in India is: India contains many nations within. In a sense, this is tantamount to taking pride in our glorious “Unity in Diversity”. But if one crosses the border of the states, and probe deeper into the districts except Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and partially Gujarat (omitting, of course, Delhi and Goa just for their small size), it would not be easy to control the temptation that there are many nations within many states. This book attempts to examine sub-state level disparities and divergences reached within most states after 50 years of so-called planning through socialistic pattern of society under democratic governance system. The parameters used are overall social development indices and its constituents such as work participation indices, health & housing indices, human capital indices, technology & communication indices derived from Census 1991 and 2001 as well as poverty, inequality and purchasing power estimated from household concumption expenditure as given by unit level data of NSSO. In addition to estimating tentative size of what is called the middle class, the best and worst districts are identified in terms of social development indices and poverty and placed in India’s district-wise map. These secondary data sets are supplemented by a “Perception Survey” addressed to rural poor, rural non-poor, urban poor and urban non-poor across the major states of India. Both sets of results are significant enough to warrant urgent involvement by the national government at the sub-state level. The unanimous implementation of the MGNREGA in rural India was the perfect choice in a country where textbook monetary and fiscal policies miserably failed after almost sixty years of independence way back in 2005-06. This book will be sequeled by another inquiry to explore the fate of the employment guarantee scheme to reach the doors of the excluded people.
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Papers by BUDDHADEB GHOSH
Office data and social indicators from the census of India. It classifies rural people from survey-based, unit-level household data into
bottom 25%, middle 50%, and top 25% economic quartiles. The observations include 559 common districts over time across rural
India. Contemporary studies on regional development are based on the ‘state’ as the unit of analysis. The main objective of this study is
to investigate whether sub-state disparities increased during the highest growth phase in India since 2004/2005, thereby helping determine
whether the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act had any lasting impact on the living standards of utterly deprived people beyond the state capitals. In addition to some non-parametric tests,
the study conducts alternative multivariate regressions to investigate the factors responsible for rising deprivation and the impact of policy. The statistical evidence is highly alarming and warrant urgent policy initiatives to reach the poor living in alienated regions.
Office data and social indicators from the census of India. It classifies rural people from survey-based, unit-level household data into
bottom 25%, middle 50%, and top 25% economic quartiles. The observations include 559 common districts over time across rural
India. Contemporary studies on regional development are based on the ‘state’ as the unit of analysis. The main objective of this study is
to investigate whether sub-state disparities increased during the highest growth phase in India since 2004/2005, thereby helping determine
whether the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act had any lasting impact on the living standards of utterly deprived people beyond the state capitals. In addition to some non-parametric tests,
the study conducts alternative multivariate regressions to investigate the factors responsible for rising deprivation and the impact of policy. The statistical evidence is highly alarming and warrant urgent policy initiatives to reach the poor living in alienated regions.
This book attempts to examine sub-state level disparities and divergences reached within most states after 50 years of so-called planning through socialistic pattern of society under democratic governance system. The parameters used are overall social development indices and its constituents such as work participation indices, health & housing indices, human capital indices, technology & communication indices derived from Census 1991 and 2001 as well as poverty, inequality and purchasing power estimated from household concumption expenditure as given by unit level data of NSSO. In addition to estimating tentative size of what is called the middle class, the best and worst districts are identified in terms of social development indices and poverty and placed in India’s district-wise map. These secondary data sets are supplemented by a “Perception Survey” addressed to rural poor, rural non-poor, urban poor and urban non-poor across the major states of India. Both sets of results are significant enough to warrant urgent involvement by the national government at the sub-state level. The unanimous implementation of the MGNREGA in rural India was the perfect choice in a country where textbook monetary and fiscal policies miserably failed after almost sixty years of independence way back in 2005-06. This book will be sequeled by another inquiry to explore the fate of the employment guarantee scheme to reach the doors of the excluded people.