West Bengal Economy


Book Description

Contributed articles.




Rural Commercial Capital


Book Description

Agricultural performance is influenced by agricultural commodity markets. However, the importance of these markets has largely been ignored by agricultural policymakers and mainstream economists. This pioneering study, covering both the pre- and the post-liberalization periods, and West Bengal's transformation from a seriously deficit to a surplus state, conceives of the post-harvest sector as a system of markets. It shows how, while West Bengal enjoyed the results of a reformed agrarian system, the market system remained unreformed until recently. The book sheds light on the role and importance of distribution and commodity markets in shaping and spreading the benefits of higher productivity across society. An original analysis of the regulation of markets by institutions of collective action and social identity, as well as by the state, the book discusses a regulatory policy that could be adopted by any government, irrespective of its ideology. Barbara Harriss-White's quarter-century of field work in West Bengal has yielded new insights into the political economy, where ethno-cultural networks and informal finance have led to a polarization of agro-commercial power on the one hand, and a proliferation of livelihoods for small traders in the post-harvest market system on the other. Challenging many of the claims of orthodox political economy, this well researched volume offers a new interpretation of rural development over three decades of communist rule.




The Dutch East India Company and the Economy of Bengal, 1630-1720


Book Description

Om Prakash reveals the central role played by Bengal in the Dutch East India Company's activities in India in the seventeenth and the early eighteenth century and the resulting integration of India into the world economy. Originally published in 1985. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.




The Regional Roots of Developmental Politics in India


Book Description

This look at economic development in India focuses on interactions between the central state and regional elites. India is widely regarded as a "failed" developmental state, seemingly the exception that belies the prediction of a triumphant Asian century.




Agrarian Bengal


Book Description

As well as being an outstanding contribution to Indian economic and social history, this book draws important conclusions about peasant politics in general and about the effects of international economic fluctuations on primary producing countries. Dr Bose develops a general typology of systems of agrarian production in Bengal to show how these responded to different types of pressure from the world economy, and treats in detail the effects of the world Depression on Bengal. Separate chapters are devoted to the themes of agrarian conflict and religious strife in east Bengal, the agrarian dimension of mass nationalism in west Bengal and sharecroppers agitations in the frontier regions. The conclusion attempts a synthesis of the typology of agrarian social structure and the periodisation of peasant politics, placing this in the wider context of agrarian societies and protest in other parts of India and in South-east Asia.




Poverty Amid Plenty in the New India


Book Description

This thoughtful and challenging book affords an alternative vision of India's rise in the world.




Know Your State West Bengal


Book Description

West Bengal is one of the eastern states in India. Bengal is known as Gauda or Vanga an ancient Sanskrit Literature also it’s a land of worshipping God. West Bengal is India’s 6 th largest state in terms of economic size further it has 12 growth Centers for medium and large scale industries. West Bengal is the 2 nd largest tea growing in India. General knowledge of West Bengal is essential for various competitive examinations and especially for the students who are appearing for West Bengal Public Service commission (WBPSC) and other state level examinations The current edition of ‘Know Your State – West Bengal’ gives the detailed study of History, Geography, Economy, Polity, Art & Culture, Center and State government welfare schemes and Current Affairs of West Bengal. A systematic Chapter wise study will mark improvement in the performance of the students, moreover Tables, boxes and figures gives better representation for memorizing the main points. MCQs have been provided at the end of each chapter that helps in understanding and preparing the subject at the exam point-of-view level. This book comes a quick, relevant and easy route for achieving in the examination. TABLE OF CONTENT West Bengal : Basic Information, Ancient History of West Bengal, Medieval History of West Bengal, Modern History and Popular Movements in West Bengal, Geographical Features and Climate of West Bengal, Climate and Soils of West Bengal, Drainage System of West Bengal, Natural Vegetation of West Bengal, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, Agriculture and Irrigation in West Bengal, Animal Husbandry in West Bengal, Industries of West Bengal, Minerals and Energy Resources in West Bengal, Transport System of West Bengal, Communication in West Bengal, Administrative Set-Up of West Bengal, West Bengal Judiciary, Local Self Government in West Bengal, District Profile of West Bengal, Tourism in West Bengal, Music and Dance of West Bengal, Bengali Cinema, Bengali Theatre, Language and Literature of West Bengal, Fairs and Festivals of West Bengal, Education and Health in West Bengal, Castes and Tribes of West Bengal, Sports of West Bengal, Awards and Honours of West Bengal, Great Personalities of West Bengal, Social and Welfare Schemes of West Bengal, Demographic Profile of West Bengal, Current Affairs




Economic Policy in a Liberalising Economy


Book Description

This book follows up on the author’s popular previous volume on Indian development planning and policy, published under the UNU WIDER series in development economics. It first introduces an evaluation of the newly mandated policy body of India, National Institution for Transforming India (also called the NITI Aayog), which replaced the erstwhile Planning Commission. As per the government site, NITI Aayog is the premier policy ‘Think Tank’ of the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. While designing strategic and long term policies and programmes for the Government of India, NITI Aayog also provides relevant technical advice to the Centre and States.The book goes on to critically describe and analyse the think tank’s policies in sectors like population, demographics and poverty; agriculture and industry; and infrastructure. Lastly, the concluding chapter discusses appropriate future policies. The approach is to analyse the policy stance of the present Government in India as stated in recent official documents and to see if it has any relationship with past plans in terms of concepts or program details. In addition to the policy makers, the book is a must have resource for students of development economics, particularly of India, and provides a critical account of policies for emerging economies.




Economy of West Bengal


Book Description

The Present Volume Fulfils A Felt Need For A Comprehensive And Regiorous Analysis Of Various Aspects Of The Economy Of West Bengal, Such As, Agriculture And Rural Progress, Industry, Human Development And Migration. The Book Would Be Of Interest To A Wide Cross-Section Of Readership, Particularly Economists, Planners And Social Researchers.




Bengal Industries and the British Industrial Revolution (1757-1857)


Book Description

This book seeks to enlighten two grey areas of industrial historiography. Although Bengal industries were globally dominant on the eve of the industrial revolution, no detailed literature is available about their later course of development. A series of questions are involved in it. Did those industries decline during the spells of British industrial revolution? If yes, what were their reasons? If not, the general curiosity is: On which merits could those industries survive against the odds of the technological revolution? A thorough discussion on these issues also clears up another area of dispute relating to the occurrence of deindustrialization in Bengal, and the validity of two competing hypotheses on it, viz. i) the mainstream hypothesis of market failures, and ii) the neo-marxian hypothesis of imperialistic state interventions