Based on fieldwork, this paper examines the problems and prospects of the handloom sector in Andhra Pradesh. One major finding is that the growth performance of cooperatives determines the growth of other institutions

Traditional cooperatives have been unsuccessful in linking small farmers to the global market. Can the development of producer companies as new generation cooperatives turn out to be different?

It was interesting to read the article 'Rural Short-term Cooperative Credit Structure' by Mandira Sharma and Rajiv Kumar (March 1, 2008) but unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. The authors would have done well to fist understand some basic concepts like capital, non-performing assets, majority shareholding, etc, before commenting at such length on the Vaidyanathan Committee recommendations and implementation of the government of India's revival package based on it. (Letter)

Bamboo sector in Kerala is labour intensive in nature and its employment potential is very high. Value added production, skilled labour and scientific method of production will ensure profit and employment opportunities in the sector. The livelihood security of the MBDs (Marginalised Bamboo Dependents) can be enhanced and improved through increased accessibility to raw material and market, skill development and adequate sustainable institutional support.

Developing economies, specifically India, are appearing on the world retail industry radar due to the size and potential of their markets. As organised retail presents enormous business opportunities, big names such as Reliance, Birlas and Tatas along with the foreign supermarket chains (in partnership with Indian companies), have been making an entry into this sector.

Credit is one of the important inputs for rural development. The results will largely depend on the effective use of credit, and linkages developed with other requirements for the enterprise. The study on rural credit from various agencies such as commercial banks, regional rural banks, cooperative banks and District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) under poverty alleviation programmes is carried out in two blocks of Hisar district of Haryana. Oct-Dec 2007