Shanlax International Journal of Economics

Leisure Expenditure in Mumbai: Income and Household Influence

2026-03-02T12:56:17+00:00

This study looks at the social and economic factors that affect how much money urban families in Mumbai spend on leisure activities in 2025. Leisure spending includes money spent on restaurants, fun activities, and other things that aren’t necessary. This definition comes from data from 777 urban households. We use descriptive statistics to show what the households are like, and then we use an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model to find the most important factors that affect how much people spend on leisure. The results show that adjusted total income, type of job, and larger household size all have a statistically significant and positive effect on how much people spend on leisure. On the other hand, age, gender, and level of education don’t seem to have a big effect. These results indicate that in a major metropolitan area such as Mumbai, discretionary spending is primarily influenced by income levels and household composition rather than demographic factors. The research provides empirical evidence to the body of work on urban consumption behavior and offers valuable insights for policymakers focused on urban planning, welfare design, and enhancements in urban quality of life. This study looks at the social and economic factors that will affect how much people in Mumbai’s cities spend on leisure activities in 2025. It looks at data from 777 households to see how family size, income, and type of job affect how much people spend on eating out, going out, and traveling. They use basic statistical methods and regression analysis. The results show that people with higher incomes, certain jobs, and bigger families spend more on leisure time. Age, gender, and education don’t matter as much. Future studies can look at how spending on leisure activities has changed over time and compare urban and rural areas.

Macroeconomic Effects of Debt Servicing, Foreign Reserves, and Investment on Nepal’s Growth Trajectory

2026-03-02T12:56:17+00:00

This study investigates the impact of macroeconomic variables such as debt servicing, foreign reserves, and gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) on Nepal’s economic growth from the fiscal year 1993/94 to 2023/24. It is based on the Solow-Swan Growth Model, Debt Overhang Hypothesis, and Keynesian investment theory. The ARDL test and ECM as a theoretical background have been used to assess the long- and short-run dynamics. The empirical results show that there is no significant long-run effect of debt servicing on economic growth, which raises concerns about the efficiency of the use of borrowed funds. While foreign reserves help for the short-term stability of the economy, in the long run, they do not show any lasting effect, suggesting an unproductive allocation of funds. GFCF shows a negative long-run impact on GDP, which points to inefficiency, misallocation, or even reduced private investment. Moreover, a positive error correction term throws doubt into the capability of the economy to back at equilibrium without policies because of its instability. Overall, Nepal’s economic issue is not the lack of resources, but their allocation, demanding better governance, strategic use of reserves, and quality investment. However, it has some limitations (such as relying on macroeconomic data, omitting other potential economic growth determinants, and considering political and governance variables are considers, etc.).Therefore, future research should consider institutional variables and capture the political economy dimension of growth in the South Asian economies context to provide valuable insights.

User Issues and Challenges of Telecom Services in Sivagangai District

2026-03-14T12:11:01+00:00

Purpose: This study examines the major issues and challenges faced by telecom service users in Sivagangai District, Tamil Nadu, with particular focus on network reliability, billing transparency, and customer service efficiency. Methodology: The study adopts a descriptive research design using both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from 100 telecom users through a structured questionnaire. Statistical tools such as Factor Analysis were employed to identify key dimensions of user challenges. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity were applied to assess sampling adequacy and correlation strength. Results: The KMO value of 0.588 and significant Bartlett’s test (χ² = 428.376, p < 0.05) confirmed the suitability of factor analysis. The rotated component matrix revealed three major factors: (1) Network-related issues (coverage, call drops, slow internet), (2) Billing and transparency issues (hidden charges, service disruptions), and (3) Customer-related concerns (data privacy, inflexible plans). Network coverage (.917) and data privacy (.915) emerged as the most significant concerns.Conclusion: The findings indicate that technical reliability, transparent billing practices, and customer-centric service improvements are critical for enhancing user satisfaction in rural telecom markets. Strengthening infrastructure, improving service transparency, and offering flexible plans are essential to bridge the rural telecom service gap.

A Review on the Impact of COVID-19 on Distinctive Sectors of the Indian Economy

2026-03-30T12:16:13+00:00

The whole world is within the clutches of COVID-19. The dispersal of the infection is so colossal that it compelled the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it widespread. The episode of the infection has unprecedented implications for the worldwide economy. Extreme economic burden and grave results need to be borne by Indian businesses against this background of declining economic situation due to COVID-19. Therefore, this article is aiming to review the several studies of the impact of COVID-19 on distinctive sectors of the Indian economy, such as the primary sector, secondary sector, tertiary sector, informal sector, and socio-economic factor. Considering this is a review article, to examine the impact, the methodology of the rigorous review approach has been carried out by selecting the appropriate published works among several collected articles based on the economic sectors. The result reveals that COVID-19 has an influence on all sectors, with the informal sector being the most severely affected. Therefore, this study will provide significant views of the impact on the economic sectors for the policymakers to make their policies to overcome this intense circumstance, and also with the help of this article, researchers may focus on incorporating global perspectives with the Indian economic policies in their research for better outcomes in the future.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Indian Agriculture: Trends and Opportunities

2026-03-25T12:04:13+00:00

This study investigates the dynamics of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) within the Indian agricultural sector between 2000 and 2024. By comparing domestic inflows with global agricultural FDI trends, the paper identifies emerging opportunities and assesses why policy liberalization has not yet yielded substantial capital absorption in primary farming. Adopting an analytical research design, the study utilizes longitudinal secondary data sourced from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), FAO, and UNCTAD. Statistical techniques, including trend analysis and percentage share evaluation, are employed to examine the structural distribution and growth trajectories of foreign equity. The analysis reveals that cumulative FDI inflows into Indian agricultural services totalled approximately USD 2.61 billion, constituting a marginal fraction of the nation’s total FDI. While a dramatic, non-recurring spike occurred in 2009–10 totalling USD 1.22 billion, subsequent inflows have remained modest, generally fluctuating between USD 50 million and USD 120 million annually. Conversely, the food processing sector demonstrated robust performance with cumulative inflows exceeding USD 10 billion, signalling a clear investor preference for value-added agribusiness and export-oriented activities over primary production. The findings suggest that 100% FDI allowance under the automatic route is currently insufficient to offset deep-seated structural deterrents such as fragmented landholdings, low investment absorption capacity, and significant infrastructure deficits. To align foreign capital with national goals of inclusive growth and rural development, the study concludes that the government must transition from passive liberalization to active investments in cold-chain logistics, regulatory clarity in contract farming, and the development of state-specific agro-climatic strategies. Future research should move beyond descriptive analysis to employ econometric models that measure the specific impacts of these inflows on agricultural productivity and farmers’ net income.

An Analysis of Agricultural Credit Utilization and Repayment Patterns among Farmers in Kanchipuram District

2026-04-15T07:46:33+00:00

Purpose: The objective of this study is to identify the awareness of farmers toward various government-offered loans and to evaluate the impact of these loans on their socio-economic conditions, including income levels, employment opportunities, and saving habits in the Kanchipuram district. The research specifically aims to analyze the various sources of financial assistance, the range of loan amounts applied for versus received, and the repayment capacity of farmers availing credit from financial institutions. Furthermore, the study seeks to understand the family conditions of farmers and provide actionable suggestions to improve the overall effectiveness of agricultural lending. Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive research design and utilized primary data collected via a structured questionnaire method. A convenience sampling method was employed to select a total of 500 respondents from five Administrative blocks within the Kanchipuram district which are Kanchipuram, Walajabad, Sriperumbudur, Uthiramerur, and Kundrathur each 100 samples taken from each blocks. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0, utilizing statistical tools such as percentage analysis, chi-square tests, t-tests, and ANOVA to test various hypotheses regarding landholding size, cropping patterns, and credit utilization. The instrument’s reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.96. Results: The findings indicate that demographic and agricultural factors significantly influence the purpose and utilization of agricultural credit borrowed from banks. While the banking system has made progress in disbursement, many farmers still face challenges due to small landholdings, leading some to depend on moneylenders at higher interest rates. The study reveals that access to institutional credit is vital for productivity; however, repayment behavior is influenced by factors such as the purpose of the loan, crop outcomes, and the socio-economic characteristics of the borrowers. Results also suggest a need for higher awareness among farmers regarding specific banking schemes. Conclusion: The study concludes that while institutional agencies have significantly expanded credit delivery, the success of the agricultural credit system depends heavily on proper utilization and timely repayment. Factors such as crop failure and high production costs remain primary obstacles to repayment. It is suggested that financial institutions, government agencies, and NGOs collaborate to educate farmers on productive loan use and simplify lending terms. Ultimately, enhancing the repayment culture and aligning loan amounts with actual agricultural needs are essential for the sustainable growth of the farming community and the national GDP. Future Research: The study results show that demographic, agriculture and agriculture related factors influence the purpose of utilization of agricultural credit borrowed from banks by the farmers in Kanchipuram district. In addition, financial institutions have to join hands with the government agencies, NGO’s, Rural Development Organizations (RDO’s) to enable the farming community.