EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH IN INDIAN BANKING

This paper attempts to examine technical efficiency and productivity performance of Indian scheduled commercial banks, for the period 1979-2008. We model a multiple output/multiple input technology production frontier using semiparametric estimation methods. The endogenity of multiple outputs is addressed by semi parametric estimates in part by introducing multivariate kernel estimators for the joint distribution of the multiple outputs and correlated random effects. Output is measured as the rupee value of total loans and total investments at the end of the year. The estimates provide robust inferences of the productivity and efficiency gains due to economic reforms.Banking, Frontier efficiency, Productivity

Stock assessment of the kiddi shrimp ( Parapenaeopsis stylifera) off Cochin, India

Reviewing the recent trends in production an attempt is made to assess the stock of Parapenaeopsis s tylifera off Cochin using length frequency data collected during 1983-87. The trawl fishery shows an increasing trend in catch as well as CPUE, with an average annual production of 1400 tonnes for the period 1979-86

Marine Prawn Production in Low Energy Fishing sector of Indian Coast - present trend and future prospects

During the 1985-89 period, prawn lanclings in low energy fishing sector amounted to an annual average of 82800 tonnes. This forms over 4O%of the total prawn lancliI1gs in the country. Fixed bag nets, seine nets and bottom-set gill nets operated from mechanised as well as non-mechanised country crafts are the major gear employed in this sector contributing to about 77% ,17% and 4% of the lancliI1g respectively. Statewise % contribution by various gear are detailed while bag net catches are predominantly constituted by less valuable species of non-penaeid prawns, the catches of seine nets and gill nets comprise . mainly of penaeidprawns that fetch better economic returns to the fishermen. Gill net catches are the most profitable ones as they are predominantly supported by prawns of the Penaeus group which carry high unit value

Innovative exploitation of deepsea crustaceans along the Kerala coast

Exploratory surveys carried out since 1965 by fishing vessels belonging to different governmental agencies have revealed the occurrence of commercially Important deep sea crustaceans in trawlable concentration along the south-west coast of India

Observations on the prawn fishery off Sakthikulangara in the light of monsoon trawling ban

Sakthikulangara is the most important prawn landing center in Kerala. Study on the prawn fishery exploited by shrimp trawlers for a period of 15 years during 1986-200b at rnis centre indicated a decline in the landings in the first five year period followed by improved fishery between 1991 and 1995. However, decline in catch and catch rate was registered in the next 5 years. Contribution of Sakthikulangara to the Kerala prawn fishery declined from 51% in seventies to 30% in eighties and 24% in nineties. 'Karikkadi' (Parapenaeopsis stylifera) contributed to 68% of the average annual production during 1986 - 2000. Extension of trawling to middle shelf waters and introduction of night trawling transformed the complexion of prawn fishery in the nineties with the addition of nonconventional species such as Trachypenaeus curuirostris, Solenocera choprai and Penaeus canaliculatus. Analysis of data on prawn fishery at Sakthikulangara for a period of 20 years (1981-2000) to study the impact of ban on monsoon trawling has indicated that trawling ban for a short duration of 45 days in the first half of the season is advantageous to the 'Karikkadi' fishery

Is the deep sea prawn fishery of Kerala sustainable?

The enterprising small and medium shrimp trawler operators of Kerala ventured into deep sea fishing for the first time in November 1999 defying the longheld concept that deep sea prawn resources could be harvested only by means of large trawlers. This endeavour proved successful with the realisation of 25,647 t of deep sea prawns in the first fishing season lasting between November '99 and May 2000

HRM Strategies in Structurally Depressed Industries: The Japanese Approach

Several adverse macro-economic trends beginning in the early 1970’s drastically reduced the relative competitiveness of various sectors of the Japanese economy. Firms in Western (industrialized) countries that were faced with a similar loss of comparative advantage dealt with the problem by undertaking strategies of restructuring--primarily, retrenchment and downsizing strategies. However, in sharp contrast to the Western approach, the Japanese response to industrial decline, from a HRM standpoint, was a product of the political, cultural, and social institutions/values of that society. The Japanese government, business sector and the labor unions worked together to ‘maintain’ employment levels (albeit, mainly that of permanent employees) in order to minimize the costs of adjustment for the key stakeholder groups in particular, and for the Japanese society as a whole, in general

The "karikkadi" fishery of Kerala

Parapenaeopsis stylifera, (called 'Karikkadi Chemmeen' ) is the most important species of prawn contributing to the commercial fishery of Kerala coast. An experimental shrimp trawling conducted for a period of two years has shown that during the non-monsoon period (September/October to May) most of the shrimp stocks occupy the coastal waters within the 20 m depth contour. With the commencement of southwest monsoon and the consequent changes in the environmental conditions, the prawns leave the inshore areas in large numbers to the deeper zones. The wide annual fluctuations observed at important centres, the occurrence of juvenile prawns in large quantities noticed quite often in the fishery, call for proper management and conservation measures

Analysis of By-Products of N2-SF6 Gas Mixtures Sparked under Inhomogenous Field Conditions

A vast data on formation of by-products due to arc and spark decomposition of SF6 is available in literature [1–10]. But experimental work relating to N2 - SF6 gas mixtures is limited. In view of increasing application of gas mixtures, it is essential to understand the nature of by-products formed in gas mixtures. Many recent studies have highlighted the advantages of using N2-SF6 gas mixtures as a replacement to SF6 gas for High Voltage application, with a view to reduce emission of SF6 gas into the atmosphere. Majority of these studies are aimed at determining the basic characteristics of N2-SF6 gas mixtures. However, this study attempts to understand the nature and quantum of different species formed in N2-SF6 mixtures in the presence of insulating spacers when sparked under inhomogeneous field conditions