This book revisits some of the persisting challenges of development of India, which remain unresolved even after twenty-five years of economic reforms and almost fifteen years of high growth rate. These include defining purpose of development, inequality, labour, work, unemployment, agrarian distress and migration. The book questions the overemphasis on growth to the extent of neglecting basic issues of development. With a number of contributions re-imagining development and its political economy, the book discusses above mentioned issues in light of new data and more recent conceptions of the issues. The contributors of this volume are eminent researchers in their respective field. Presenting primary as well as secondary data, the book considers the latest advances and research and also addresses new challenges like the global reorganization of production and the consequences for labour and the world of work, along with skills question. World of work has received detailed investigation in this book. This is a timely addition in existing literature especially in context of pandemic and lockdown. Informality and un/employment question is addressed in this context. Relationship among poverty, inequality and growth is examined in light of newer understanding. Agrarian distress is looked in a broader context. A number of papers are examining migration question by expanding coverage of migration and including labour mobility as apart of migration debate. The present crisis of migrant labour and absence of social security for these workers is also discussed.
This book is primarily intended for those interested in recent advances on some of the basic aspects of development, like poverty, inequality, informality, word of work, migration and labour mobility. It is also useful for researchers, policy makers, journalists and civil society organizations working on these issues.
Author(s): Nripendra Kishore Mishra
Series: India Studies in Business and Economics
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 469
City: Singapore
Preface
Contents
About the Editor
Introduction
1 Background
2 The Challenge of Development
3 Poverty and Inequality
4 Labour, Work, and Employment
5 The Agrarian Question
6 Labour Mobility
7 Summing Up
References
The Challenge of Development in India
Some Reflections on Development Challenges of India
Development Challenges of India After 25 Years of Economic Reform
1 Crisis of 1991
2 Post-reform Performance
3 Development Challenges and Way Forward
3.1 Fiscal Rectitude
3.2 Principle
3.3 Agricultural Reforms
3.4 Cheap Farm Loans and Farm Loan Waivers
3.5 Minimum Support Price
3.6 Lessons from Milk
3.7 Physical Infrastructure
3.8 Social Infrastructure
4 Conclusion
References
Secrets of the Heart: Adding Subjectivity to Policy Prescriptions for a Pleasant Economic Development
1 Introduction
2 Transcendental to the Silver Lining
3 Spectrum of Personal Construct: The Rational
4 Spectrum of Personal Construct: The Extra Rational
5 Spectrum of Personal Construct: The Holistic
6 Spectrum of Personal Construct: The Decision-Making
7 Spectrum of Personal Construct: The Labyrinth
8 Finding Sweeter and More Gentle Dreams
9 A Postscript
References
Poverty and Inequality
Toward Understanding the Nature of Inequality in India in Terms of Changing Perceptions on Its Sources and Solutions
1 Introduction
2 Inequality: A Concept in Transition
3 Changing Perception on Sources of Inequality
3.1 Adverse Impact of Inequality
4 The Indian Context
5 Policy Perspectives
6 Inequality and Reforms in International Tax System
7 Beyond Fiscal Policy
References
Growth, Inequality and Labour Force Participation
1 Economic Growth
2 Inequality Issues
3 Labour Market Participation
References
Inclusiveness of Economic Growth in Uttar Pradesh
1 Introduction
2 Technical Framework
2.1 Decomposition of Change in Poverty
2.2 Pro-Poor Growth Index (PPGI)
2.3 Poverty Equivalent Growth Rate (PEGR)
2.4 Data
3 Poverty and Inequality in Uttar Pradesh
4 Growth–Poverty Relationship
5 Conclusion
Appendix
References
Labor, Work, and Employment
Structural Change and Increasing Precarity of Employment in India
1 Introduction
2 Interpreting Informality
3 Structural Transformation of India’s Employment Structure
3.1 The Shift from Agriculture to Industry and Services
3.2 Increase in Regular/Salaried Employment
3.3 Increasing Formal Sector Share in Total Employment and Shift from Informal to Formal Sector
4 Implications of the Stunted Growth in Employment and Declining Labour Force Participation
4.1 Rising Unemployment Rate
5 Precarity and Informality of the Workforce
6 Formal and Informal Employment in the Formal Sector
7 Conclusion
References
Contemporary Capitalism and Employment Challenges: Some Reflections on India
1 Introduction
2 Neoliberalism’s Challenges to the World of Work: Some Pointers
3 Persistent and Deepening Employment Deficits in India
4 Concluding Remarks
Appendix
References
Structural Change and Rural Households in India: An Analysis of the Nature of Transformation in Their Economic Activities
1 Introduction
2 Shift in Economic Activities
3 Shift in Economic Activities by Household Relation Status
4 Male HoH: Does Age Matter? Or Period Matters?
5 Intergenerational Changes in Activity Status
6 Conclusion
Appendix Tables
References
Wage Employment, Informality, and Social Networks in Indian Labor Market
1 Introduction
2 Wage Employment and Informality
2.1 Representation of Various Social Groups in Regular Salaried Jobs
2.2 Informality in Regular Salaried Jobs by Type of Enterprises
3 City-Level Features of Employment and Informality
3.1 Characteristics of Employment
3.2 Coverage of Social Security Benefits
4 Social Networks and Access to Employment
4.1 Determinants of Using Social Network for Job Search
5 Conclusion
References
Entrepreneurial Avenues for Scheduled Tribe Communities in Nonfarm Enterprise Sector: Prospects and Challenges
1 Introduction
2 Review of Issues, Policies and Prior Works
3 Ownership Pattern by Type of Enterprise: Aggregate Analysis
4 Disaggregated Scenario
5 Performance Differences
6 Conclusion
Appendix 1
References
MGNREGS and Rural Labour Market in India
1 I
2 II
2.1 Impacts on Wages
2.2 Increased Bargaining Position
3 III
3.1 Conclusion
References
Subcontracting Linkages in the Informal Manufacturing Sector in Uttar Pradesh
1 Introduction
2 Data and Analytical Framework
3 Subcontracting Intensity in Informal Manufacturing Enterprises
4 The Nature of Operations
5 Subcontracting and Productivity
6 Choice or Survival
7 Major Problems in Subcontracting Linkage
8 Conclusion
References
Skill Inequality Among Social Groups in India: Regional Analysis in Uttar Pradesh
1 Introduction
2 Data and Methodology
3 Status and Growth of Education and Skill in Uttar Pradesh
3.1 Educational Attainments in Uttar Pradesh
3.2 Educational Attainments Across Social Groups
3.3 Status of Technical Education
3.4 Status of Vocational Training
3.5 Status of Vocational Training and Technical Education in the Young Age Group
4 Decomposition of Educational and Skill Inequality in U.P.
4.1 Region-Wise Intra-Social Group Skill Inequality Decomposition and Its Transformation
5 Evidences from the Primary Survey
5.1 Educational and Skill Attainments Across Regions
6 Conclusion
References
Agrarian Question
Structural Transformation and the Agrarian Question in the Indian Economy
1 Introduction
2 Overall Structural Transformation in the Indian Economy
3 The Continuing Predominance of Rurality of Employment
4 Regional Dimension of Structural Transformation and Rurality of Employment
5 The Social Dimension of Structural Transformation
6 Structural Transformation and Agrarian Transition
7 Conclusions
Appendix
References
Failing Agriculture and Frazzled Farmers: The Inside Story of India’s Most Populous States—UP and Maharashtra
1 Introduction
2 Concept and Methods
3 Methodology and Tools
4 Failing Agriculture and Frazzled Farmers: A Macro Perspective
5 The Agricultural Fiasco: Inside Story
6 Determinants of Crisis of Agriculture at Micro-Level
7 Conclusion
References
Labor Mobility
Labour Mobility in Historical Perspective from East U.P, South U.P and North Bihar: Contours of Changes and Continuity
1 Introduction
2 Data
3 Duration; Short Run and Long Run Mobility
4 Destination of Short Run and Long Run Mobility: Changes
5 Availability of Transport and Communication
6 Availability of Communication and Banking
7 Household Endowments of Transportation and Level of Mobility
8 Conclusion
References
Migrating to the Roads in the Cities in Uttar Pradesh: Some Reflections
1 Introduction
2 Methodology, Sample, and Study Zone
3 Causes and Consequences of Migration of Labourers to the City Roads
4 Did Street Labourers Reflect Forced Labour?
5 State Intervention: Acts
6 Conclusions and Recommendations
References
Mobility and Threshold Social Security
1 Introduction
2 Poverty, Vulnerability and Precarity
3 Reimagining Social Security
3.1 Current Edifice of Social Security
3.2 Minimalist Versus Threshold Social Security
3.3 Narrowing the Gap Between Organised and Unorganised Sector
3.4 Other Essential Social Security Measures
3.5 Portability of Entitlements for Migrants
4 Conclusion
References
Mapping of Migrants Based on Caste, Origin, and Destination: An Insight into the Sugarcane Cutter Migrants in Maharashtra
1 Introduction
2 Present Study
3 Profile of Migrants
3.1 Age
3.2 Education
3.3 Social Groups
4 Mapping of Migration
4.1 Caste and District of Origin
4.2 Caste and District of Destination
4.3 Caste and District of Origin: Microanalysis of the Movement of the Migrants
5 Conclusion
Appendix 1: Total Coverage: Distribution of Working Place
Appendix 2: Details of All Factories, Location, Number of Migrants Working and Crushing Capacities
References
Internal Migration and Inclusive Development: Insights from the Field
1 Background
2 Review of Literature
3 Database and Methodology
4 Temporary Migration: Driving Factors
4.1 Pooled Regression—All
4.2 Split Regression—All
4.3 Pooled Regression—Males
4.4 Split Regression—Males
4.5 Summary
5 Impact of Migration on Participating Households
5.1 Human Capital Position
5.2 Participation in Labour Market
5.3 Work Activity Status
5.4 Occupational Distribution
5.5 Housing and Amenities
5.6 Consumption, Poverty and Inequality
5.7 Financial Inclusion
5.8 Summary
6 Migration Process and the Human Angle
7 Conclusion: Not by Any Chance
References
