Farmers’ Suicides and Response of Public Policy: Evidence, Diagnosis and Alternatives from Punjab

Slow transformation of a developing economy gradually shifts surpluses and substantially reduces the importance of the agricultural sector of the economy. This has been recognized as a healthy characteristic of the capitalist economic development. Crisis of this transformation emerges when the surpluses are rapidly extracted but dependence of workforce remains on agriculture sector. Organization of farm production on the lines of capitalist farming reduces farmers to managers of production and increases continuously unemployment of labour. The state led green revolution in Punjab based on assured market and remunerative prices of agricultural production in the early green revolution period has considerably increased the income of the farmers irrespective of farm size. Stagnation of the green revolution technology, rise in the cost of living, lack of alternative employment opportunities and near freeze in the minimum support prices has generated a crisis of unprecedented scale. Diversification attempts of the farmers for alternative remunerative outcomes have further pushed them in deep crisis because of market failure to provide right kind of prices both of the produce and finance. Increased unemployment, mounting debt burden and lack of success in diversification attempts led the farmers to commit suicides in Punjab. Farmers’ organizations, political movements and state led resistance to the agrarian crisis have not yet met with success. This paper makes an attempt to examine the agrarian crisis of Punjab with fresh perspective to search for an alternative strategy for resolving the crisis.Farmers’ Suicides; Indebtedness; Public Policy; Agrarian Crisis; Agriculture sector; Structural Transformation; Indian Punjab

Functional characterization of a glutamate/aspartate transporter from the mosquito Aedes aegypti

Glutamate elicits a variety of effects in insects, including inhibitory and excitatory signals at both neuromuscular junctions and brain. Insect glutamatergic neurotransmission has been studied in great depth especially from the standpoint of the receptor-mediated effects, but the molecular mechanisms involved in the termination of the numerous glutamatergic signals have only recently begun to receive attention. In vertebrates, glutamatergic signals are terminated by Na^+/K^+-dependent high-affinity excitatory amino acid transporters (EAAT), which have been cloned and characterized extensively. Cloning and characterization of a few insect homologues have followed, but functional information for these homologues is still limited. Here we report a study conducted on a cloned mosquito EAAT homologue isolated from the vector of the dengue virus, Aedes aegypti. The deduced amino acid sequence of the protein, AeaEAAT, exhibits 40–50% identity with mammalian EAATs, and 45–50% identity to other insect EAATs characterized thus far. It transports l-glutamate as well as l- and d-aspartate with high affinity in the micromolar range, and demonstrates a substrate-elicited anion conductance when heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, as found with mammalian homologues. Analysis of the spatial distribution of the protein demonstrates high expression levels in the adult thorax, which is mostly observed in the thoracic ganglia. Together, the work presented here provides a thorough examination of the role played by glutamate transport in Ae. aegypti

Internationalization of Firms: An Analysis of South Korean FDI in India

This is the revised version of the paper which was presented in the 21st SJE-KERI International Symposium on Understanding Economic Growth in India: Implications for India-Korea Cooperation, September 3, 2013, Seoul National University, Seoul.International flows of capital in the form of FDI are being recognized as a means of promoting economic development. Outward FDI from emerging economies enhances the competitiveness of their companies by providing access to strategic assets, technology, skills, natural resources and markets in improving their efficiency. The present paper focuses on motivating factors of outward FDI from a fast growing emerging economy - South Korea - to another emerging economy - India, over the period 2000-01 to 2012-13. FDI flows between such emerging economies challenge the well established theory which operates on the premise that the pattern of international flow of investment is from developed to developing countries. Though both South Korea and India have fairly liberal FDI policy regimes, yet the flow of FDI from Korea to India is a small percentage of its total FDI inflows. South Korean firms have penetrated those sectors in India where other countries were investing relatively less. The prime motivation for investing in India is the large size of market and low wages in the host country. But it seems that only a liberal policy regime might sometimes not be enough to attract FDI, as qualitative aspects, too, play their roles. However, there is still scope for furthering business cooperation between these two countries

Understanding and preventing femicide using a cultural and ecological approach

Femicide – the killing of a woman or girl, in particular by a man (often an intimate partner), on account of her gender – is not only a complex phenomenon but also a leading cause of premature death among women globally (Corradi et al, 2016; Vives-Cases et al, 2016). To effectively manage or prevent cases of femicide – and other forms of violence against women – it is therefore necessary to comprehend the sociocultural and ecological parameters that may influence it (Vives-Cases et al, 2016). While viewing femicide from a cultural perspective increases its complexity, it is nevertheless essential to consider not only how Western and non-Western cultures influence myriad individual, organizational, communal and societal attitudes regarding male violence against women, but also how these attitudes can in turn determine public policies and the state’s actions in relation to such violence (Flood and Pease, 2009; Gill et al, 2016; Vives-Cases et al, 2016). In taking such a cultural and ecological perspective, this chapter seeks to explore and understand femicide in European countries.peer-reviewe

Emergence of Innovative Manufacturing Firms across Asian Countries

The recent phase of globalization has witnessed increasing influence of Asian countries in the global economy. This is supported by the rise of Asian firms and their increasing presence in economic activities across the globe through innovations in manufacturing. This paper attempts to trace the rise of Asian firms and their innovation capabilities while examining the theory of the growth of the firm and empirical literature. The comparative analysis of innovations across innovative manufacturing firms of seven Asian countries-Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, China and India is based on data collected through Oslo manual approach survey conducted and compiled by UNESCO in 2013. This unique data set covers technological and social innovations which is more comprehensive and expands the scope of the concept of innovations. Important empirical evidence that has emerged from the analysis is that Asian manufacturing firms are having higher level of social innovations than technological innovations. Level of economic development is positively correlated to transition from process to product innovations across firms of both developed and developing countries. The low variations across active innovative firms in product and process innovations imply that technological innovations are stable and rising in Asia. This is supported by high degree of intensity of in-house R&D expenditure. The most important barrier to innovative and non innovative manufacturing firms is the deficiency of internal and external finances except firms of Japan and South Korea. The innovation environmental constraints are more visible across Asian firms where the national innovation system is at nascent phase. The finding based public policy suggestion is that the public policy should accord high priority in investing higher proportion of resources in innovations to relieve the firms from such constraints

Emergence of Innovative Manufacturing Firms across Asian Countries

The recent phase of globalization has witnessed increasing influence of Asian countries in the global economy. This is supported by the rise of Asian firms and their increasing presence in economic activities across the globe through innovations in manufacturing. This paper attempts to trace the rise of Asian firms and their innovation capabilities while examining the theory of the growth of the firm and empirical literature. The comparative analysis of innovations across innovative manufacturing firms of seven Asian countries-Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, China and India is based on data collected through Oslo manual approach survey conducted and compiled by UNESCO in 2013. This unique data set covers technological and social innovations which is more comprehensive and expands the scope of the concept of innovations. Important empirical evidence that has emerged from the analysis is that Asian manufacturing firms are having higher level of social innovations than technological innovations. Level of economic development is positively correlated to transition from process to product innovations across firms of both developed and developing countries. The low variations across active innovative firms in product and process innovations imply that technological innovations are stable and rising in Asia. This is supported by high degree of intensity of in-house R&D expenditure. The most important barrier to innovative and non innovative manufacturing firms is the deficiency of internal and external finances except firms of Japan and South Korea. The innovation environmental constraints are more visible across Asian firms where the national innovation system is at nascent phase. The finding based public policy suggestion is that the public policy should accord high priority in investing higher proportion of resources in innovations to relieve the firms from such constraints

Farmers’ Suicides and Response of Public Policy: Evidence, Diagnosis and Alternatives from Punjab

Slow transformation of a developing economy gradually shifts surpluses and substantially reduces the importance of the agricultural sector of the economy. This has been recognized as a healthy characteristic of the capitalist economic development. Crisis of this transformation emerges when the surpluses are rapidly extracted but dependence of workforce remains on agriculture sector. Organization of farm production on the lines of capitalist farming reduces farmers to managers of production and increases continuously unemployment of labour. The state led green revolution in Punjab based on assured market and remunerative prices of agricultural production in the early green revolution period has considerably increased the income of the farmers irrespective of farm size. Stagnation of the green revolution technology, rise in the cost of living, lack of alternative employment opportunities and near freeze in the minimum support prices has generated a crisis of unprecedented scale. Diversification attempts of the farmers for alternative remunerative outcomes have further pushed them in deep crisis because of market failure to provide right kind of prices both of the produce and finance. Increased unemployment, mounting debt burden and lack of success in diversification attempts led the farmers to commit suicides in Punjab. Farmers’ organizations, political movements and state led resistance to the agrarian crisis have not yet met with success. This paper makes an attempt to examine the agrarian crisis of Punjab with fresh perspective to search for an alternative strategy for resolving the crisis

Effects of adenine sulphate, glutamine and casein hydrolysate on in vitro shoot multiplication and rooting of Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco)

In vitro shoot regeneration was carried out for Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) through shoot tip explants obtained from in vitro germinated seedling. The medium supplemented with 2.5 mg/L benzylaminopurine (BAP) supported maximum shoot proliferation (2.45 shoots/explant). This rate was further enhanced (7.23 shoots/explant) by adding 25 mg/L glutamine, 50 mg/L adenine sulphate and 100 mg/L casein hydrolysate. From the in vitro proliferated shoots, the shoot apices and nodes were excised and sub-cultured on four different medium namely: SCM-1, SCM-2, SCM-3 and SCM-4 for six consecutive months. Problems like defoliation, chlorosis and loss of vigour in shoots were observed at different stages of subculture. These problems were successfully controlled by SCM-4 having 1.5 mg/L of BAP, 0.5% charcoal, 25 mg/L glutamine, 50 mg/L adenine sulphate and 100 mg/L casein hydrolysate. The SCM-4 also maintained the high proliferation rate throughout the subculturing process. Rooting was best induced on 2 mg/L indole-butyric acid (IBA) in combination with 0.1 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Rooting was significantly enhanced by 100 mg/L casein hydrolysate. The in vitro raised plantlets were acclimatized under culture room conditions in different potting mixture, of which the combination of garden soil, sand and vermiculite mixture in 1:1:2 ratio was found most supportive. After 30 days of acclimatization, plantlets were transferred to soil, where established plants  showed more than 90% survival.Key words: In vitro shoot regeneration, micro-shoots, enhanced shoot multiplication, subculture, acclimatization

Deconcentrating regulation in low- and middle-income country health systems: a proposed ambidextrous solution to problems with professional regulation for doctors and nurses in Kenya and Uganda

Background: Regulation can improve professional practice and patient care but is often weakly implemented and enforced in health systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Taking a de-centred and frontline perspective, we examine national regulatory actors’ and health professionals’ views and experiences of health professional regulation in Kenya and Uganda and discuss how it might be improved in LMICs more generally. Methods: We conducted large-scale research on professional regulation for doctors and nurses (including midwives) in Uganda and Kenya during 2019-2021. We interviewed 29 national regulatory stakeholders and 47 sub-national regulatory actors, doctors, and nurses. We then ran a national survey of Kenyan and Ugandan doctors and nurses, which received 3466 responses. We thematically analysed qualitative data, conducted an exploratory factor analysis of survey data, and validated findings in four focus group discussions. Results: Kenyan and Ugandan regulators were generally perceived as resource-constrained, remote, and out of touch with health professionals. This resulted in weak regulation that did little to prevent malpractice and inadequate professional education and training. However, interviewees were positive about online licencing and regulation where they had relationships with accessible regulators. Building on these positive findings, we propose an ambidextrous approach to improving regulation in LMIC health systems, which we term deconcentrating regulation. This involves developing online licencing and streamlining regulatory administration to make efficiency savings, freeing regulatory resources. These resources should then be used to develop connected subnational regulatory offices, enhance relations between regulators and health professionals, and address problems at local level. Conclusion: Professional regulation for doctors and nurses in Kenya and Uganda is generally perceived as weak. Yet these professionals are more positive about online licencing and regulation where they have relationships with regulators. Building on these positive findings, we propose deconcentrating regulation as a solution to regulatory problems in LMICs. However, we note resource, cultural and political barriers to its effective implementation