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A PREDICTIVE MODEL TO DETERMINE ELECTION RESULTS IN INDIA
--Sonali Bhattacharya and Shubhasheesh Bhattacharya
Dynamic socio-political scenario in the post-Nehru era motivated several electoral
studies. Kondo (2007) can be credited to have made a review and consolidation of all `electoral
studies' of India. One factor which has been found common to all elections after independence is
the participation of Indian National Congress (INC). There has been no study which
combines the results of the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly elections as determined by
various social, political and economic variables. This paper is an effort to study the swings of vote
in favour of INC in every quarter under both the type of elections from 1977 to 2007 as
determined by various social, political, and economic variables. A multiple regression model has
been used for this study. Election results leading to governance of the state or the country by
one party or a combination of parties, has very important implications.
Hence, the importance of this study.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
IMPROVING SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ENERGY TRANSITION IN NIGERIA
--Richard Ingwe, Felix E. Ojong, Ekwuore M.
Ushie
and Walter A. Mboto
The ongoing increase in oil price compels the search for cost-efficient energy
alternatives. The peaking of petroleum oil currently selling at about $130 per barrel and the dependence
of risky radioactive power stations on inefficient spending of public funds is nearly
ubiquitous wherever conventional energy technology is being applied. Persistent increase in the price
of petroleum (oil) is rattling in most economies including the advanced and developing ones.
In Nigeria, one of the largest oil exporting nations and a frontline Organisation of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member, increase in the pump price of oil has historically led
to serious social, economic and environmental stress. Forecast showing future explosion
of population as well as rapid growth in demand for energy (especially fuel for driving
public urban transportation fleet) suggests that new alternatives to current failures in fuelling
public transportation must be identified and adopted to prevent future catastrophic
consequences (social upheavals and economic disruptions). The need to reduce Nigeria's dependence
on imported fuel is one of the policy goals that should be considered a priority, to avoid
current and future quagmire in the energy and socio-economic development
management programming. This paper explores the problems and prospects of converting public
urban transportation to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) —a fuel type regarded as supportive
of urban air quality improvement.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Women in Urban Local Governance:
Empowerment through Participation
--Prabhat Datta and Payel Sen
This paper examines the question of empowerment of women in urban India through
their participation in urban local bodies against the backdrop of international experience.
The issue has been analysed in the light of the findings of some of the studies conducted in
important states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Kerala. The studies show,
inter alia, that there has been an increase in the number of elected women in unreserved wards
in successive municipal elections. Field experiences also reveal that women have not been
able to participate effectively due to a number of constraints. It has been suggested that
artificial measures like reservation may only ensure quantitative participation of women.
Reservation per se does not guarantee empowerment. Along with a favourable political will, a number
of complementary interventions need to be initiated to overhaul the patriarchal social
structure. This calls for an organised and sustained mass movement to adequately represent
women's interests. The ongoing experiments and experiences suggest that periodic training,
orientation and sensitisation can help women representatives perform their assigned functions in a
better way. In this regard, they are to be supported by institutions like the
Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), women's organisations and above all the political parties
which may politically enlighten the masses especially on the issues like gender sensitisation.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
POVERTY REDUCTION THROUGH
SELF-EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME IN INDIA:
INTERSTATE PERFORMANCE
--Rajeev Ahuja and Indranil De
Promotion of self-employment is one of the ways in which the Government of India has
been trying to alleviate poverty. The modified version of the self-employment scheme
called Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), launched in 1999, aims to promote
micro-enterprise through credit-cum-subsidy. This paper analyses interstate performance
of the scheme. Although the scheme in its holistic form is relatively new, the early
evidences hold some important lessons that can be used to improve the design and implementation
of the scheme. In particular, it is found that: contrary to the popular belief, subsidy does
not seem to explain interstate performance of the scheme; effectiveness of lending institutions
is crucial for the performance of a scheme that promotes micro-enterprise through
credit-cum-subsidy; because the scheme requires matching contribution from the states, its
performance depends also on states' fiscal position as well as the priority they attach to the objective
of poverty alleviation.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Modes of Governance of
Ecosystem Services
--Hrabrin Bachev
In this paper, we incorporate interdisciplinary New Institutional and Transaction
Costs Economics and suggest a framework for analysis of mechanisms of governance of
agro-ecosystem services. Firstly, we present a new approach for analysis and improvement
of governance of agro-ecosystem services. It takes into account the role of specific
institutional environment; behavioural characteristics of individual agents; transactions costs
associated with ecosystem services and their critical factors; and comparative efficiency of
market, private, public and hybrid modes of governance. Secondly, we identify a spectrum of
market and private forms of governance of agro-ecosystem services, and evaluate their
efficiency and potential. Next, we identify needs for public involvement in the governance of
agro-ecosystem services, and assess comparative efficiency of alternative modes of
public interventions. Finally, we analyse structure and efficiency of governance of
agro-ecosystems services in Zapadna Stara Planina (ZSP)—a mountainous region in
North-West Bulgaria. Post-communist transition and European Union (EU) integration has
brought about significant changes in the state and governance of agro-ecosystem services.
Newly evolved market, private and public governance have led to significant improvement of part
of agro-ecosystem services introducing modern eco-standards and public support,
enhancing environmental stewardship, deintensifying production, recovering landscape and
traditional productions, diversifying quality, products, and services. At the same time, novel
governance is associated with some new challenges, such as unsustainable exploitation, lost
biodiversity, land degradation, water and air contamination. What is more, implementation of EU
common policies would have no desired impact on agro-ecosystem services unless special
measures are taken to improve management of public programmes, and extend public support to
major small-scale and subsistence farms.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Values and national interests:
Rhetoric and Reality in america's public diplomacy
--Snehalata Panda
The paper argues that United States (US) post-war strategy to dominate and interfere in
the internal affairs of other countries has continued to be the core of its foreign policy
today. While this is camouflaged with euphemisms like providing leadership for expansion
of humanitarian values, national interest has been the foundation of its foreign policy.
Wars were fought and political settlements were made in accordance with pragmatic principles
of international relations. After the destruction of the World Trade Centre, USA
unilaterally decided to attack Iraq and forge ties with several countries in Asia, Africa and Latin
America in tune with its `global grand strategy'. Strategic objectives define commercial
tie-ups, technology transfer, joint military exercises, space and high-tech cooperation with
India. The moral bases of its values affirmed in public diplomacy are apparently in conflict with
its national interest. However, reiterating these values has become convenient especially
after the economic integration roped in many countries into the American fold.
Concomitantly, reference to its foreign policy has become imperative for almost all countries in the
world including those who were in the former Soviet Union. But in practice, the rules and
norms attached by the US to such integration are interventionist, through soft and hard
power approaches. The Obama Administration will not deviate from the `pragmatic
internationalism' put in place by his predecessor with necessary changes in order to maintain its primacy.
That is the bottom line.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
BOOK REVIEW
Good Governance: A ready reckoner
-- Surendra Munshi,
Biju Paul Abraham,
Soma Chaudhuri,
Reviewed by Subhash B
© 2009 IUP holds the copyright for the review. All Rights Reserved.
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