About the Book
This volume looks at the challenges faced by the economy and society in Punjab, India. It probes into the economic issues, institutional development and resources imbalance faced by the Punjab economy. It discusses regional research problems and futuristic approaches for a developing economy.
The chapters in this volume:
focus on comprehending economic challenges, agrarian structure and development; markets, R&D and public policy; manufacturing sector; opportunities and possibilities;
examine labour, caste and gender trajectories, exploring the question of freedom and livelihood; human, social and financial resources development; hunger, diet and disease; challenges for development paradigm;
present the macro and micro facets of development processes in the region and offer a way forward for long-run growth, sustainability and inclusiveness amidst the dynamic fast-changing economies across the globe.
Comprehensive and analytical in its approach, this volume will be of interest to young researchers, scholars, practitioners and policymakers working in the fields of Development Economics, Regional Economics, Evolutionary Economics, Sustainable Economics, Agrarian Development, Manufacturing and Labour.
Table of Contents:
1. Understanding Dynamics of Punjab Model of Development: A Regional Perspective- Baldev Singh Shergill and Swati Mehta Part I: Agrarian Structure and Development: Markets, R&D and Income 2. Agrarian Structure, Nonviable Farming and Marketing of Agricultural Produce in India- Sucha Singh Gill 3. Farmers’ Income and Food Security under Contemporary Policy Regime in India: Insights from Punjab-Gurpreet Singh and Rajeev Sharma 4. A Comparative Analysis of Agriculture R&D Expenditure of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh SAUs - Rakesh Sharma 5. Formal vs. informal milk marketing channels in Punjab: A comparative economic analysis of dairy cooperative member vis-à-vis non-member milk producers - Manpreet Kaur and Naresh Singla Part II: Manufacturing Sector: Opportunities and Possibilities 6. Determinants of Industrial Growth: Punjab Vs Other major states of India- Niharika Sharma 7. Non-Farm Enterprises in Rural Punjab: An Exploratory Analysis- Manjit Sharma, Jatinder Singh, Raminder Singh 8. Micro foundations of Cluster development: Evidence from Two Clusters in Punjab- Kamaldeep Kaur, Baldev Singh Shergill and Swati Mehta Part III: Labour, Caste and Gender Trajectories: Question of freedom and livelihood 9. Gender-Caste Overlap and Employment Participation of Women in Rural Punjab- Ashapurna Baruah and Indervir Singh 10. Endangered Freedom to Decent Life amidst Economic Insecurity: Plight of Worker Households in Jalandhar’s Sports Goods Industry-Varinder Jain 11. Poorest of the Poor: A Case Study of Female Domestic Workers in Punjab- Surinder Kumar Singla Part IV: Labour, Caste and Gender Trajectories: Question of freedom and livelihood 12. An Investigation into the Nexus between Economic Growth and Income Inequalities in Punjab: Empirical Evidence from District level Analysis- Pooja Sikka and Deepika Chawla 13. Social Capital, Local Level Groups and Household Participation: The Case of Rural Punjab- Shiv Kumar 14. Determinants of Human capital investment in Indian Punjab: An empirical investigation of elementary education- Angrej Singh Gill, Kamlesh Narwana and Harvinder Singh 15. Punjab’s Fiscal Performance since FRBM Enactment: An Analysis of its Imbalances, Consolidation- Kulwinder Singh, Nirvair Singh and Simran Kaur Part V: Labour, Caste and Gender Trajectories: Question of freedom and livelihood 16. Understanding Hunger in Indian Bread Basket- Harpreet Kaur Narang 17. Diet, Nutrition Deprivation and Health Status: Empirical Evidence from Punjab- Baldev Singh Shergill, Swati Mehta and Jasvir Singh 18. Financial Burden of Cancer Disease in Rural Punjab: A Study of Cancer Patients in Malwa Belt- Sukhwinder Singh and Mohan Lal
About the Author :
Baldev Singh Shergill is Assistant Professor at Guru Kashi Department of Social Sciences, Punjabi University Guru Kashi Campus, Talwandi Sabo, Punjab. He completed his PhD in Economics at Punjabi University, Patiala. Prior to his current position, he taught at the University of Delhi. He has published widely in journals of repute like Economic and Political Weekly, Journal of Development Policy and Practice and International Journal of Economics and Development, amongst others. He is a referee to many journals including Millennial Asia, Agrarian South and other reputed journals.
Swati Mehta is Assistant Professor at the Punjab School of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. She is an Associate Editor, African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. She is a Member, Board of Management, The International Joseph A. Schumpeter Society (ISS) (2022–24). With a PhD from the Department of Economics, Punjabi University, Patiala, She was Visiting Researcher at the Institute of Economic Research, Seoul National University, Seoul, S. Korea with the award of International Scholar Exchange Fellowship (ISEF) of Korea/Chey Foundation for Advanced Study during March–August 2019.
Her area of research includes Economics of Innovation, Innovation Systems Approach, Global Value Chains, Development Economics, and Manufacturing Industries in developing countries. She is a Member of “The Global Network of Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems” (Globelics). She is a founding member of earlier career Innovation Researchers, CRIS, https://www.cris-is.org.
She has published articles in journals such as Asian Journal of Technology Innovation, Seoul Journal of Economics, International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development and Innovation and Development. She is a referee to journals of repute including Economic Modelling, Millennial Asia, Innovation and Development, Asian Journal of Technology Innovation and African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development.
Review :
"The Indian Punjab has been under various types of crises for long, especially economic and agrarian distress. The book gives a very comprehensive regional perspective on Indian Punjab which was much needed. It analyses economic issues of various sectors and the state, and more importantly, social issues like health and nutrition, gender and caste. Without addressing the latter, no meaningful development can be discussed or attempted. I am sure that it will be a great resource for researchers and policy makers interested in holistic and sustainable development of Indian Punjab and similar regional economies in India and the world."
Sukhpal Singh, Professor, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA)
"The remarkable achievements of the regional economy of Punjab at least since the 1970s have evinced continued interest in academia, policy circles and civil society organisations. The subnational economic development journey has been complex, inspirational and also leaves space for introspection as it focused on building both production and institutional capacities at the local levels. There have also been deep concerns over certain unintended consequences especially in the social sectors, labour and also the small scale production spheres. This book, with intensely-researched contributions from serious scholars and observers of the Punjab economy, provides us with the much-needed ringside view of the nuanced changes that the economy and society have undergone. The articles cover all major issues/sectors and are rich with insights for future policy learning and research. This comprehensive volume promises to be an essential reading towards understanding the dynamics of local and regional economic development in Punjab and certainly much beyond."
Keshab Das, Visiting Professor, Institute for Human Development, New Delhi, India
"Through this volume, the editors and contributors have truly epitomised the writings and endeavors of Professor Lakhwinder Singh Gill, a development economist, an expert on the Punjab economy, an educationist and above all, a voice of the farmers. Prof. Gill has throughout his scholarly career, by engaging with the marginalised farmers, experienced their trials and tribulations. Hence, it is his experience which has been organically enriched by his continuous engagement with the stakeholders in the economy of Punjab, that the editors have succinctly portrayed and curated for the benefit of readers. This volume is a must-read for students, researchers, economists and policymakers who are interested in any strand of rural development, food security, agrarian and labor markets."
Reena Marwah, Professor, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi
