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Taking cognizance of a rapidly globalising world, this paper attempts to determine the relationship between the andldquo;growth rate of exportsandrdquo; and the andldquo;growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)andrdquo; by taking empirical evidences from India. The methodology of this paper leans towards a model that encapsulates the endogenous growth theory by incorporating the andldquo;growth rate of labour forceandrdquo; and the andldquo;growth rate of capital stockandrdquo; as the independent variables in addition to the growth rate of exports. As such, this paper attempts to bring in the perspective of factor productivity gains owing to export growth and, consequently, its impact on Indiaandrsquo;s GDP growth. An annual time-series data of 30 years (1992 to 2022) is taken to conduct an in-depth analysis of how export growth has impacted GDP growth after Indiaandrsquo;s New Economic Policy of 1991. Accordingly, a multiple regression model, adjusted to make its time-series components stationary, is used. Rigorous diagnostic tests to rule out the presence of spurious regression, autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity and multicollinearity are then conducted to ensure that the estimates of the model are best linear unbiased estimators (BLUE). Diagnostic tests for model specification error and model stability are also employed. The resulting analysis confirms that export growth has a andldquo;positive significant impactandrdquo; on GDP growth for India and emphasises on the role and impact of factor productivity gains in this aspect. This paper also finds that capital stock growth has not had statistically significant impact on GDP growth at the 5% level of significance. Finally, this paper also highlights the trend of jobless growth in India during the time period, 1992 to 2022.

Rice is a vital staple crop in India, with Punjab being one of its largest producers and making a significant contribution to the countryandrsquo;s food security. In recent years, Punjab has faced several impacts of climate change, such as rising temperatures and fluctuations in rainfall, which affect rice production. In this context, the current study examines the interdependence between climate variables and rice yield in Punjab from 1990 to 2022 by using the Granger causality test and the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model. The estimated VAR results were then employed for future predictions.

Forge smiths, historically regarded as the most crucial and respected group in traditional rural settings, have been indispensable for the sustenance of agriculture and rural industries. Despite their paramount significance, these skilled workers face appalling working conditions characterized by the use of heavy tools and furnaces. Working in environments laden with heat, noise, vibration, and dust, forge smiths are particularly susceptible to various occupational health issues, leading to a higher incidence of sickness-related absenteeism. The study was carried out on a group of 120 individuals employed in the field of forging to determine the occupational hazards and various risk factors. Personal observation and interviews were conducted for workers involved in different activities of forging. ANOVA technique is applied to compare various activities and mean heart rate (during activity). The result was found to be significant at Pandlt;0.01, indicating average Heart rate and EER were significantly higher in case of group II who were engaged in striking operation in bending position i.e. 124.60 beats/min and 11.09 kJ/min, respectively as compared to other activity group workers. The result also revealed that forging workers were exposed to various occupational stressors and are at high risk of various work-related disorder that need to be taken care of through ergonomic intervention and medical treatment. It was concluded that by implementing various improvements, a safer and more conducive work environment for forging industry workers and be create.

Rice is a vital cereal crop that sustains more than half of the global population and remains central to Indiaandrsquo;s food security and rural economy. As the worldandrsquo;s second-largest rice producer, India relies heavily on this crop for livelihoods and agricultural income. This study examines the marketed surplus and marketing efficiency of rice across different farm-size categories in Banda district, Uttar Pradesh. Primary data were collected from 160 rice-growing households through stratified random sampling in two purposively selected blocks, Baberu and Naraini. The findings reveal significant variation in marketed surplus across farm sizes, with large farms marketing 205.57 quintals, medium farms 116.07 quintals, small farms 27.67 quintals, and marginal farms 8.44 quintals. Marginal farmers frequently sold beyond their marketable surplus, indicating financial stress and the need for liquidity. A multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to identify the determinants of marketed surplus across farm categories. Among three identified marketing channels, Channel II (producer andrarr; wholesaler andrarr; retailer andrarr; consumer) accounted for 57.8% of total sales, while Channel III (direct producer andrarr; consumer) exhibited the highest producer price share (96.45%) and marketing efficiency (27.26). The study underscores the importance of promoting shorter marketing chains, farmer cooperatives, and improved access to market information to enhance efficiency and farmer welfare in the rice sector.

Women entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in promoting inclusive economic growth and social empowerment. This study examines the determinants of the growth of women-led enterprises registered under the Startup India scheme. For this purpose, primary data were collected from 126 women entrepreneurs across Punjab and Haryana states. The study used Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling to examine the impact of behavioural and institutional factors on entrepreneurial growth. The results reveal that andlsquo;creative abilityandrsquo; and andlsquo;institutional backingandrsquo; are the most influential determinants of women entrepreneurial growth, followed by andlsquo;technical awarenessandrsquo;, andlsquo;aspiration for progressandrsquo; and andlsquo;risk toleranceandrsquo;. The model explains 65% of the variation in entrepreneurial growth (Randsup2; = 0.649). The findings highlight the importance of strengthening innovation capacity, technical skills, and policy support mechanisms to enhance womenandrsquo;s participation in the startup ecosystem.

Vegetable transplanting is a highly labour- intensive agricultural activity predominantly performed by farm women in India, involving prolonged bending and squatting postures that impose considerable musculoskeletal strain. The present study was conducted in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh to assess musculoskeletal discomfort, grip fatigue, and overall postural stress among 50 farm women (20andndash;55 years) during vegetable transplanting using traditional and mechanized methods. A comparative experimental design was adopted under actual field conditions. Musculoskeletal discomfort was assessed using the body map technique and a five-point pain scale, hand grip strength was measured using a dynamometer, and Overall Discomfort Rating (ODR) was recorded using a 10-point Visual Analogue Scale. Results indicated a high prevalence of severe to very severe pain in the neck (56%), upper back (72%), knees (68%), and thighs (62%) during the traditional method. The mechanized method significantly reduced severe discomfort across body regions (65andndash;87% reduction). Mean grip strength reduction was significantly lower in the mechanized method (3.88 andplusmn; 0.26%) compared to the traditional method (6.40 andplusmn; 1.32%) (p andlt; 0.05), indicating reduced muscular fatigue. The mean ODR decreased from 8.2 andplusmn; 0.74 (heavy discomfort) in the traditional method to 3.4 andplusmn; 0.81 (moderate discomfort) in the mechanized method (p andlt; 0.01). The findings demonstrate that use of a hand-operated vegetable transplanter substantially reduces musculoskeletal strain and drudgery, thereby enhancing occupational health and work efficiency among farm women.