The study examines the trend, pattern, and composition of public health expenditure in India from 2004–05 to 2019–20, both at the national and state levels. The findings indicate that per capita public health expenditure recorded a significant positive growth rate of 15.64 percent during the study period. Simultaneously, key health outcome indicators such as the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) exhibited a consistent decline, reflecting notable improvements in public health. The analysis further reveals a negative correlation between public health expenditure and both IMR and MMR, suggesting that higher levels of public spending are associated with better health outcomes. In terms of composition, revenue expenditure consistently exceeded capital expenditure across both levels, indicating a greater emphasis on operational and maintenance costs relative to infrastructure development. Moreover, the distribution of public health expenditure by level of care displays significant inter-state disparities, pointing to unequal allocation and prioritization of health resources among Indian states. The study highlights the need for increased and well-balanced investment in the public health sector to ensure equitable and sustainable improvements in health outcomes across the country.

Keywords: HFS, IMR, MMR, NHFS, Public health expenditure.
JEL Classification: J13, H51, I15.

This study examines disparities in household amenities across rural and urban Haryana using unit-level data from the National Statistical Office’s Multiple Indicator Survey (78th Round), 2020-21. A multidimensional Household Amenities Index (HAI) is constructed using indicators covering housing, energy, drinking water, sanitation, waste disposal, health access and other facilities. Descriptive analysis and a Tobit regression model has been employed to identify socio-demographic and spatial determinants of household amenity levels. The findings revealed substantial rural-urban and social-group disparities, while education is positively associated with household amenities. District-level variations are also considerable, highlighting the need for targeted and inclusive policies to improve household living conditions in Haryana.

Keywords: Household Amenities, Household Amenities Index (HAI), SDG, Tobit regression, and Haryana.

This paper investigates the macroeconomic determinants of the nominal Taka–US Dollar (BDT/USD) exchange rate in Bangladesh over the period 2010–2024 using multiple linear regression (Ordinary Least Squares). Drawing on annual data for the exchange rate, consumer price inflation, gross foreign exchange reserves, workers’ remittance inflows, the central bank policy (repurchase agreement, or repo) interest rate, and the current account balance as a share of GDP, the study estimates a model in which the exchange rate is regressed on these five explanatory variables. The estimated model explains a large share of the variation in the exchange rate (R² = 0.888; adjusted R² = 0.825) and is jointly significant (F = 14.22, p < 0.001). Remittance inflows and the policy interest rate emerge as statistically significant predictors of Taka depreciation at the 5% level, while inflation, reserves, and the current account balance, though carrying theoretically plausible signs in most cases, are not individually significant once the other variables are controlled for. The results are consistent with a narrative in which structural current-account and financial-account pressures, rather than any single textbook determinant acting alone, drove the sharp depreciation of the Taka after 2022, and in which the central bank’s rapid policy-rate tightening from 2022 onward should be read as a reaction to depreciation and reserve pressure rather than a cause of currency stability. The paper closes with a discussion of data limitations, model diagnostics, and policy implications for exchange rate and reserve management in Bangladesh.

Keywords: Bangladesh, exchange rate, Taka, regression analysis, remittances, foreign exchange reserves, monetary policy, inflation, current account.

This publication has as the objective to ascertain the role of financial technology services on financial inclusion in Bamenda. To attain these objectives, related conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature were explored. Purposive sampling techniques was used to collect data effective from 47 financial institutions adopting financial technology services such as ATM, mobile banking and online banking services in the area. Quantitative research design was adopted. Alpha Cronbach reliability test, VIF multicollinearity test, shapiro-wilk normally test was conducted, and their results necessitate the use of multivariate model verified of heteroscedasticity. The model was globally significant at 1% with adequacy rate of over 72 percent. Financial technology services including Mobile banking services, ATM services and online banking services were significant at 1, 5 and 10% as a in promoting financial inclusiveness among the population of Bamenda. The results suggest that, financial institutions can effectively boost financial inclusion by increasing the number of ATM dispensers at the different parts of the city, effectively implementing mobile devices, equally by educating and encouraging the use of online banking services.

Keywords: Financial Technology service, Financial Inclusion, Bamenda.
JEL: G21, G29.

This study explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed and impacted productivity, innovation diffusions, and labour markets in a diverse set of economic sectors with a specific focus on India. The adoption of AI is reinforcing the structural economic change through its advancement of efficiency and stimulating innovation in the manufacturing, financial, healthcare, agricultural, and governmental spheres. It has been shown empirically that AI will lead to productivity improvements of up to 15 to 40 per cent in labour-intensive industries, significant operational cost savings, and accelerate the product development cycle via increased research efficacy and increased patenting, among other attributes. AI spread reshapes the job structure, replacing daily activities but amplifying the need to hire cognitive and digital skills, and thereby generating heterogeneous labour-market responses including not only job creation by fields of knowledge-intensive services but also an augmented threat of automation of low-skill workforce. The fast pace of AI adoption in India, which is boostered by national programs and industry-specific developments, like precision agriculture and fintech development, can be characterized by significant economic returns. However, the problem persists in the form of the lack of digital infrastructure, unequal distribution of technologies, and skills gaps, which are bound to increase the sizes of regional and socioeconomic inequalities. This study points to the dual nature of AI as a driver of productivity and innovation, and it is also an indication of how the technology can contribute to the growth of emerging economies in a sustainable and inclusive way.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Innovation spillover, Economic transformation, Labour
JEL Classification: O14, O33, O31, J23.

Material and financial deprivation of the poor trap them into the vicious circle of poverty and hinders development. In the recent years, in order to boost the rural economy, self-help approach has been introduced. Before NRLM credit access to assetless rural poor was a challange in India, due to various procedural obstacles especially in the formal institutional sources. The last two and half decades of continuous interventions by the centre and state governments achieved remarkable improvement in forming and nurturing of Self Help Groups in India. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in India are community-based groups, primarily of rural women, that pool savings for microfinance, providing access to credit, fostering economic empowerment, and improving livelihoods, with major government promotion through DAY-NRLM and a vast SHG Bank Linkage Program, forming the world’s largest microfinance initiative for poverty reduction. These groups offer a platform for social solidarity and financial inclusion, enabling women to take on economic activities and improve their overall quality of life. DAY-NRLM is being implemented across the country in a mission mode since 2011 with the aim to bring at least one-woman member from each rural poor household, as per the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data and process of Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP), into the fold of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and to support them to take up economic activities. As on 31st January, 2025 about 10.05 crore Women households have been mobilized into 90.90 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs). These groups do a tremendous lot for rural communities, including improving the quality of life and generating employment through microcredit. Economic empowerment (financial stability) and social empowerment. This article is and outcome of an research study undertaken in three states namely Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Keywords: Empowerment, Mahalir Thittam, Kudumbashree, Bank Linkage.

This study analyses the effect of financial inclusion on structural transformation in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) over the period from 2006 to 2022. Structural transformation is measured using a shift?share–based index capturing the aggregate productivity of the agricultural, industrial, and services sectors. Financial inclusion is assessed through a composite indicator reflecting access to, use of, and availability of financial services. Using Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE), the findings show that financial inclusion does not contribute significantly to the structural transformation in the region. This suggests the absence of an effective transmission mechanism linking financial services to productive sector development or labor reallocation. Control variables reveal that investment positively influences structural transformation, while public expenditure and institutional quality exhibit negative effects. The results highlight the need to redesign financial inclusion strategies by strengthening their connection to productive activities, improving financial literacy, and enhancing the effectiveness of budgetary reforms.

Keywords: Financial inclusion, Structural transformation, WAEMU, Panel Data.
JEL Classification: E58, G21, O47, C23.