Aims: To study and analyze the major determinants of financial performance of the microfinance institutions in Tamil Nadu. Study Design:  Purposive Random Sampling method was used. Both primary and secondary data was used for the analysis. Place and Duration of Study: In Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district was purposively selected for the study. Survey was conducted for the collection of primary data pertaining to the period of 2021-22 and also secondary data was collected for the period of 2010-2019 from the Microfinance Information Exchange Market. Methodology: The secondary study is based on unbalanced panel data consists of 10 major Microfinance institutions in Tamil Nadu, out of around 25 microfinance institutions. To study the major determinants of financial performance of the 10 microfinance institutions in Tamil Nadu panel regression (fixed and random effect model) technique was employed. In addition, to analyze the general characteristics and constraints the percentage analysis and Garrett ranking technique was employed respectively. Results: The results of the study revealed that financial indicators such as operating self-sufficiency, Return on Assets, and Assets had a positive impact on increasing the performance of MFI. According to the panel regression, Debt-Equity Ratio, Number of Active Borrowers, Percentage of Women Borrowers, Operating Expenses to Asset ratio and Total Equity to total Asset are statistically significant in the model and suggesting the improvement in the Microfinance loan and building of training facilities. Conclusion: This study shows that the majority of the respondents depend on MFIs are females than males, and most of the beneficiaries were in the middle age group of 30-40 years old who preferred to approach the MFI for getting loans. The results specified Operating Self Sufficiency is positively and significantly related compared to Return on assets and Asset value.

Aims: To assess the factors influencing dietary diversity of Pubic Distribution System Beneficiary Households in rural and urban areas. Study Design: Purposive Random Sampling was used. Place and Duration of Study: In Tamil Nadu, the Villupuram district was purposively selected for the study. The survey was conducted for the collection of primary data about the period April to May 2022. Methodology: Based on the food security index of Tamil Nadu State Human Development Report 2017, the Villupuram district was selected for the study which falls under the low food security index. In this district, rural and urban households were randomly selected. The Simpson Dietary Diversity Index was used for the analysis. The Multiple Linear Regression method was used to understand the difference in food habits, quality of diet intake, and the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of the dietary diversity of public distribution system beneficiary households in the study area. Results: The overall result of the Simpson Index of Dietary Diversity (SIDD) score of rural and urban households are 0.78 and 0.85 respectively. The results clearly showed that urban PDS beneficiary households had higher dietary diversity than rural PDS beneficiaries’ households. Monthly income, age, household size, and distance of PDS shops may enhance dietary diversity, thereby improving the nutritional status of households. Conclusion: The dietary diversity of rural PDS beneficiary households differs significantly from urban PDS beneficiary households, owing to a higher intake of nutritious foods in urban PDS beneficiary households for dietary diversity. Price subsidy on the staple food commodities has different effects on the consumption pattern and dietary diversity for low, middle, and higher-income people in Public Distribution System. This study suggests that PDS beneficiary poor people to buy cheaper items rather than high-value commodities such as fruits, milk, meats, and fish compared to high-income groups for dietary diversity.