Access to reliable and affordable electricity continues to be a major factor for businesses as well as for socio-economic well-being. Even though global access to electricity—global electrification—reached an estimated figure of 92% in 2023, challenges persist for the remaining 666 million people who do not have access to electricity (IEA et al., 2025). India’s total installed capacity reached 467 GW in June 2025, with renewable sources accounting for nearly 49% of the total installed capacity, showing both achievements and challenges facing the electricity sector in emerging economies. In light of this, the article analyses the K-means cluster analysis of the B-ready 2025 electricity governance indicators, identifying four different governance archetypes across countries based on joint planning, tariff and service monitoring, quality assurance mechanisms, inspection and liability regimes and sustainability incentives. Although India is not included in the B-ready dataset, benchmarking these governance archetypes gives useful insights that can be used to improve utility governance and electricity regulation.
The article examines how challenges encountered by agri-startups operating in the Himalayas differ from those of non-Himalayan states in India. The study employs a mixed-method approach with purposive sampling to collect primary data from 44 Himalayan startups and 107 non-Himalayan startups using questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews. The questionnaire comprises 27 questions subdivided into six distinct constraint categories: financial, policy, labour, technology, market and branding. It uses behavioural statistics tools like a 5-point Likert scale and a three-stage analytical framework for analysing intra- and cross-regional differences. Correlation analysis examines the bivariate relationship among the constraint classes to identify their challenges and causes, followed by standardisation of the output analyses and variables and variance to ensure irregularities in the scale ranges do not occur. Finally, principal component analysis using the correlation matrix components and retention of components based on the Kaiser criterion is conducted for the equal-weighted composite constraint index. The study establishes an empirical base for curating evidence-based reforms for agri-startups, accounting for geographies.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016, is a game changer in credit markets. It facilitates time-bound recovery, which restores the confidence of the creditor in the system. The previous regime was fraught with a multiplicity of regulatory mechanisms which failed to bring about a unified redressal mechanism. The article is an attempt to assess the code since its implementation, how it helps bring change in the recovery mechanism and timely resolution of cases, and its impact on improving ease of doing business. The study, based on data collected from the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), etc., explains one of the most significant process-oriented institutional reforms in post-liberalisation India. The IBC has substantially improved the insolvency ecosystem as the number of admitted and resolved cases has increased substantially. The strengthening of creditor rights and shifting the insolvency framework from liquidation towards resolution have improved the milieu. The closure-to-admitted ratio has risen significantly over time, while the ratio of resolution to liquidation has steadily increased, indicating greater emphasis on preserving firm value rather than liquidation. The reform has also contributed to India’s improvement in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings, particularly in the ‘Resolving Insolvency’ indicator. The study also finds that the code has failed to meet its objective of a statutory timeline owing to institutional and judicial capacity constraints. Further, high haircuts, modest recovery rates and the creditor-centric orientation of the code have failed to meet the concerns of other stakeholders for justified and equitable outcomes. The success of the code depends on further reforms related to infrastructure and capacity building.
Traditional development metrics like gross domestic product inadequately reflect social well-being and quality of life, increasing the relevance of multidimensional indicators such as ease of living. This study adopted a qualitative approach to examine khadi-based livelihoods as a capability-enhancing pathway for improving rural women’s ease of living. The study was grounded in Amartya Sen’s capability approach, feminist economics and the sustainable livelihood framework. Based on observations, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, thematic analysis was conducted. It revealed that women who were engaged in khadi weaving experienced financial autonomy, work–life balance and enhanced decision-making abilities. Based on the findings, the study developed a conceptual model positioning khadi as a capability-enhancing livelihood and also suggested a policy tool framework, emphasising technological upgradation, the financial inclusion, institutional reforms and market linkages. It concluded that process reforms in the khadi sector can transform traditional livelihoods into inclusive, dignified and sustainable employment systems.
Economic development not only sustains larger entrepreneurs and attracts significant investments for faster long-term economic growth, but also supports small and medium-sized enterprises, which boost economic sustainability, affordability and efficiency of the means of production and provide employment opportunities to people. In this context, sustainable industry development requires strategic investment in infrastructure and progressive socio-economic policies. However, both the state and central governments are undertaking various initiatives to plan multiple industrial strategies, along with a vision of ease of doing business (EoDB) and technology adoption. Aligned with this vision, EoDB plays a significant role in enterprise creation, investment attraction and economic growth. The article aims to explore the outcomes of EoDB implementation in Odisha, focusing on the current situation, ongoing challenges and future prospects. It highlights the crucial role of EoDB in enhancing employment, infrastructure, preventing poverty, promoting development and fostering economic growth within the context of Odisha. The article attempts to provide a descriptive analysis of EoDB performance, anticipated future outcomes and the present scenario, examining how these factors contribute to long-term growth and economic prosperity.
This article examines the role of process reforms in advancing ease of living (EoL) and ease of doing business in urban India. While structural reforms have dominated governance discourse, the operational functioning of administrative systems remains under-analysed. Using secondary data from government indices, policy documents and empirical studies, the article evaluates how administrative simplification, regulatory streamlining, digitisation and coordination mechanisms influence governance outcomes. The findings indicate that although India has achieved measurable improvements through frameworks such as the EoL index and the Business Reform Action Plan, persistent gaps remain in backend integration, administrative capacity and trust-building processes. The study argues that institutionalising process reforms beyond formal compliance and ranking incentives is essential for translating policy intent into improved citizen and entrepreneurial experiences.
Digitalisation has emerged as a double-edged reality, offering opportunities while simultaneously generating new forms of risk, as reflected in rising trends of cybercrime against women in Odisha, India. This article examines the vulnerability of women to cybercrime and their awareness of cyber law in the tier-II cities — Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. A mixed-methods design is used, based on 100 surveys and twenty in-depth interviews with respondents to capture patterns and lived experiences. Based on network governance theory and symbolic interactionism, this article examines how socio-cultural norms and institutional structures influence women’s experiences in digital spaces. The research uncovers poor institutional coordination, enforcement and digital unawareness that results in underreporting. The article recommends more robust digital governance, swift institutional reaction and growing awareness, so that women can safely engage in digital spaces.
As India targets energy independence by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070, green hydrogen has emerged as a critical pivot for decarbonising ‘hard-to-abate’ sectors like steel, refining and heavy transport. This article provides a policy and techno-economic analysis of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023) within the global energy landscape. While green hydrogen offers a carbon-neutral alternative to grey hydrogen, its economic viability remains constrained by high production costs (3.9–12.8 USD/kg H 2 ) compared to fossil-fuel-based methods (1.6–6.4 USD/kg H 2 ). The study identifies a significant global ‘implementation gap’, where only a few of the announced hydrogen projects have reached the operational stage due to financing hurdles and supply chain constraints. Domestically, the research highlights critical sustainability challenges, specifically the requirement of approximately 9 litres of demineralised water per kilogram of H 2 , which may exacerbate water scarcity in India’s arid industrial hubs. The article concludes that while the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) initiative and domestic electrolyser manufacturing are vital steps towards cost parity, India must balance its export ambitions with local resource preservation to ensure a truly just energy transition.
This study aims to characterise the financial inclusion gap between rural and urban women in India. Taking a cue from literature that it is demand-side factors which determine the diversity in financial participation among women, such factors are explored using the National Family Health Surveys—a hitherto unutilised source of data for such studies. Subsequently, the gap in financial inclusion between rural and urban women is split into quantifiable and non-quantifiable factors, so as to understand the nature of efforts required to bridge the gaps. The findings indicate that the rural–urban gap in ownership and usage of bank accounts has come down from 12 percentage points in 2015–2016 to almost 3 percentage points in 2019–2021; the gaps occur on account of urban women being better endowed than rural women in terms of wealth and education-related characteristics. Policy implications for stimulating financial inclusion among women to close the rural–urban gap conclude the article.
Digital governance has become a central strategy for improving public service delivery and promoting good governance practices across developing and transitional political systems. The Digital India initiative marked a major transformation in governance. However, the empirical assessment of its effectiveness in politically and strategically sensitive regions remains limited. This study examines whether digital governance functions as a tool of good governance in Jammu and Kashmir. Drawing on primary survey data collected from 1,200 respondents across four districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the study employs descriptive statistics and non-parametric correlation analysis to evaluate citizens’ perceptions of government-to-citizens (G2C) digital services across key governance dimensions. The findings indicate a statistically positive relationship between the adoption of digital governance platforms and perceived improvements in governance outcomes. This article concludes that digital governance has attained considerable public legitimacy in Jammu and Kashmir. However, its sustainability and effectiveness remain contingent upon addressing infrastructural bottlenecks, enhancing digital literacy and ensuring inclusive access across territorial and socio-economic divides. The study contributes to the literature by providing micro-level empirical evidence and highlights digital governance as a viable instrument for strengthening good governance outcomes.
The article examines the transformative role of the Government of Odisha’s Mission Shakti programme in advancing rural women’s empowerment through self-help groups (SHGs) across the selected KBK districts: Kalahandi, Balangir, Koraput and Subarnapur. Anchored in the theoretical frameworks of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and literature on social capital, the research adopts a mixed-methods design that integrates quantitative assessments with qualitative case studies. Empowerment is analysed across social, economic, political and psychological dimensions, supported by both field data and participatory insights from SHG members. A Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) was developed to gauge inter-district variations and the depth of empowerment outcomes. The findings reveal substantial progress in social participation and political representation, while economic and psychological empowerment remain uneven due to constraints such as financial illiteracy, limited market access and entrenched socio-cultural norms. The study concludes that effective empowerment under Mission Shakti necessitates strengthening institutional capacities, promoting inclusive participation and fostering livelihood diversification. Integrating DEI principles within SHG frameworks can further enhance the inclusivity and sustainability of women’s empowerment in rural Odisha.
This case study examines Varanasi Smart City Limited’s (VSCL) transformative role in revitalising Varanasi under India’s Smart Cities Mission, launched in June 2015. Varanasi, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, faces unique challenges like narrow streets and traffic congestion, necessitating a balanced approach to modernisation. With a financial allocation of approximately Rs. 10 billion (Rs. 1,017.69 crore), VSCL aimed to integrate modern urban solutions such as data-driven governance, smart infrastructure and digital amenities, while preserving the city’s ancient cultural heritage, including its historic ghats, temples and spiritual significance. The study documents VSCL’s initiatives, including the Kashi Integrated Command and Control Centre (KICCC), the ArGIS platform for geospatial planning and projects like the Rudraksh International Convention Centre, which exemplify data-centric urban planning. These efforts enhance civic services, tourism and sustainability, fostering community engagement and economic growth. The CEO’s decision-making dilemma centres on prioritising projects that harmonise innovation with heritage. Through visionary leadership and stakeholder collaboration, VSCL demonstrates a model for sustainable urban renaissance in historic cities, offering global insights into blending tradition with technology for inclusive development.
