Purpose – A continuous mixed opinion on the relevance of caste-based reservations and caste as a factor of socioeconomic disparity in the recent period demands update of evidence on socioeconomic inequalities among caste groups for effective policy making. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the caste inequalities in terms of socioeconomic opportunities and poverty are still persisting in rural Uttar Pradesh based on village census surveys? Design/methodology/approach – This study used data primarily collected from four village census surveys under the project rural transformation in Uttar Pradesh, 2013. Bivariate analyses, human opportunity index (HOI), multidimensional poverty index (MPI) and inequality decomposition analyses used as methods of analyses. Findings – The authors findings suggest that in spite of more than six decades of welfare policies and major political mobilization movements among lower castes in the state, the huge inequalities in terms of critical socioeconomic indicators such as landholding, higher education and wealth distribution and multi-dimensional poverty across the castes are still persisting in the state. Decomposition results suggest that between group inequalities contribute more to the total inequality in landholding whereas within group inequalities contribute maximum to total inequality in education and wealth status of different castes in rural Uttar Pradesh. However, within inequalities much less in general castes compared to SCs/OBCs. Originality/value – Based on its latest empirical evidence, this study strengthens the argument that caste still matters in socioeconomic achievements of the population in India even after decades of planning and financing of social welfare schemes to uplift the lower castes in India. Thus, provides critical inputs to current debates on the relevance of caste as a determinant of socioeconomic status in India.

This article examines the extent of regional inequality in multidimensional poverty in Nepal using the nationally representative Nepal Demographic Health Survey (2011) data. The authors present a more robust method of multidimensional poverty index (MPI), particularly in terms of the procedure of estimation and aggregation of the indicators as compared with previous studies. The findings suggest that despite the relatively better economic progress and a considerable reduction in education and health poverty, there is a wide inequality across the regions. Far less has been achieved in the case of reducing the standard of living poverty, that is, wealth poverty and inequalities across the regions. The article finds that global MPI tends to inflate poverty estimates in the case of Nepal. It also suggests that development policies and poverty reduction programs in Nepal must aim to reduce multidimensional poverty, of which deprivation in education, health and basic amenities must be an integral component, along with their efforts to improve economic growth and reduce income poverty.

The present article makes an attempt to test the hypothesis whether smaller states have better fiscal efficiency in terms of own tax revenue collections or not. This has been tested by taking the case of three states Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar with their child states Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, respectively. For this purpose tax buoyancy, tax capacity and efforts, and structural break models—Chow test (with known break points) and Quandt likelihood ratio (QLR) test (with unknown break points), to see the impact of value added tax (VAT) on own tax revenue (OTR)—have been estimated. Log-log regression model was adopted for both calculating tax buoyancies and taxable capacity of each parent and child state. However, we did not find any conclusive evidence that child states have better tax buoyancy or tax efforts. On the basis of our observations, we concluded that the size of the state is not a major determinant affecting revenue efficiency of the state. Other supplementary policies like efficient tax administration, developed industrial sector, reduced exemptions and concessions, broad-based and effective tax rates are equally important. JEL Classification: H11, H21, H71, R50

This review article investigates the mechanical and tribological properties of metal matrix composites (MMCs) prepared through friction stir processing technique. MMCs are developed materials with enhanced mechanical properties, exhibits their application in automotive and aerospace industries. The limitations of liquid metallurgical route can be reduced by using Friction Stir Processing (FSP) technique. FSP, a developed methodology technologically advanced by friction stir welding process is reviewed to fabricate the MMCs. In FSP, a hole or groove is made in the alloy. Reinforcement filled in the groove or hole are distributed in the matrix material by the FSP tool. Heat produced between the tool and the surface tends to the grain refinement. Owing to grain refinement, mechanical and wear properties of the composites are enhanced. In this review article, mechanical and wear behavior of the composite developed through FSP method are reviewed, which will help the researchers and industrial societies to fabricate the composite of required enhanced properties.

PurposeThe present research has been conceptualized to make an inter-district analysis in terms of IHDI of Uttar Pradesh. It aims to provide district-wise estimates of HDI and IHDI with the latest available data, which may prove to be a critical policy input to the policy makers that how different districts are performing in terms of education, health and standard of living parameters and help in implementing tailor made policy actions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilizes the Census of India data and unit-level data of National Sample Survey (NSS) for constructing HDI and IHDI. The broad framework for computing IHDI in this study is similar to the approach of UNDP's HDR 2010. To adjust the inequality aspect, the Atkinson inequality aversion parameter has been estimated at indicator level on the basis of NSS unit record data.FindingsThe study reveals that inequality discounted income index is on an average 30 percent lower than unadjusted income index. However, quite high variation exists in case of education and health. The difference ranges from 30 percent to 40 percent in the case of education and from 3 to 36 percent in the health dimension. The surprising fact which study finds that health infrastructure and education infrastructure are poorly correlated with their respective outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsThe study offers a policy suggestion that increasing investment on educational and health infrastructure will not have any significant impact on their respective outcomes unless distributional inequalities are reduced. The study also suggests that rising income inequalities are threat to inclusive growth and sustainable development goals agenda. Thus, it recommends policy makers to take pro-active timely policy measures to reduce income inequalities. The educational achievement should be fixed in terms of average years of schooling and expected years of schooling rather than in terms of literacy rate.Originality/valueThe present research is an original work. This is the first study in the case of Uttar Pradesh which attempted to estimate district-wise IHDI following the internationally accepted UNDP (2010) methodology.