Welcome to Guest !
 
       IUP Publications
              (Since 1994)
Home About IUP Journals Books Archives Publication Ethics
     
  Subscriber Services   |   Feedback   |   Subscription Form
 
 
Login:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -
-
   
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
The IUP Journal of Public Finance
Focus

This issue consists of five research papers. Joan Pasqual, Evans Jadotte and Emilio Padilla in the paper, "Efficiency and Equity in the Location of Indivisible Local Public Goods" shows that unlike the typical issue in which optimality requires some amount of local public good is provided in every town/locality, determining the best location for an indivisible local collective good is not straightforward by merely appealing to the Pareto efficiency criterion. The authors show that if we consider two cities, the welfare possibilities frontier associated with the location of a particular good in one city not always dominates or is dominated by its counterpart in the other city. They suggest three alternatives to solve this indeterminacy issuedisregard the equity criterion, shun the Pareto efficiency criterion, or complement the latter with some distributive criterion. In their paper, several approaches to deciding on this issue are evaluated, viz., a social welfare function, Kaldor and Rawls criteria, unanimity, simple majority and despotism.

Tapan Kumar Ghosh and Paramita Dasgupta in the paper, "Finances of Local Self-Governments in West Bengal", examine the existing status of Panchayati Raj (PR) finances in West Bengal with reference to their composition and trends (both receipts and expenditure) and to assess the revenue mobilization effort of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) on both tax and non-tax spheres. The study then tries to suggest measures to improve the financial administration of PRIs. Further, it focuses on some newer sources of revenue, which could possibly be utilized by the PRIs with political will. In their analysis, the authors have mostly dealt with the third-tier of the PRIs, viz., the Gram Panchayats (GPs). It shows that one of the greatest weaknesses of erstwhile PRIs was that they were starved of funds. They had very little resources of their own and they were usually dependent on the government for their funds. If the local bodies are to fulfill the functions expected of them, there is a need for mobilization of substantial resources.

Bheemanagouda and J Madegowda in the paper, "Union Budget, 2009-10: Balanced and Growth-Oriented", examines the highlights of Union Budget for 2009-10 and its implications in the current business environment. Global economic slowdown/meltdown, decline in the GDP growth rate, retrenchment of employees by a few large scale organizations, etc., posed a number of challenges to the government in the form of revival of the economy to achieve at least 9% growth in GDP, broadening and deepening of the policies and programs for inclusive growth, and to improve the effectiveness of the delivery mechanism of the government. Based on the analysis, the authors point out that fiscal consolidation should be the mantra of the government to carry on the reform process to achieve higher economic growth.

Ratna Vadra in the paper, "State of Finances of Uttar Pradesh: Retrospect and Prospect", focuses on the trends of the revenues, expenditures and fiscal indications of Uttar Pradesh during the period 1990-91 to 2008-09. The paper also studies the major fiscal reforms taken by Uttar Pradesh in recent years. More and more states are now turning to fiscal reforms as the only way out of the financial crisis they are facing. Among them, UP is not far behind. Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India, with16% of India's population offers the country the largest market. The state is passing through fiscal crisis as there is a lack of financial prudence. It has taken an initiative to bring about reforms in the coming years.

Berardino Cesi in the paper, "Local Public Education and Childless Voting: The Arising of an `Ends with the Middle' Coalition", shows that the house price capitalization may provide a sufficient alternative mechanism to encourage childless households to support local public education.

-- C S Shylajan,
Consulting Editor

<< Back
Search
 

  www
  IUP

Search
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Click here to upload your Article

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Automated Teller Machines (ATMs): The Changing Face of Banking in India

Bank Management
Information and communication technology has changed the way in which banks provide services to its customers. These days the customers are able to perform their routine banking transactions without even entering the bank premises. ATM is one such development in recent years, which provides remote banking services all over the world, including India. This paper analyzes the development of this self-service banking in India based on the secondary data.

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is playing a very important role in the progress and advancement in almost all walks of life. The deregulated environment has provided an opportunity to restructure the means and methods of delivery of services in many areas, including the banking sector. The ICT has been a focused issue in the past two decades in Indian banking. In fact, ICTs are enabling the banks to change the way in which they are functioning. Improved customer service has become very important for the very survival and growth of banking sector in the reforms era. The technological advancements, deregulations, and intense competition due to the entry of private sector and foreign banks have altered the face of banking from one of mere intermediation to one of provider of quick, efficient and customer-friendly services. With the introduction and adoption of ICT in the banking sector, the customers are fast moving away from the traditional branch banking system to the convenient and comfort of virtual banking. The most important virtual banking services are phone banking, mobile banking, Internet banking and ATM banking. These electronic channels have enhanced the delivery of banking services accurately and efficiently to the customers. The ATMs are an important part of a bank’s alternative channel to reach the customers, to showcase products and services and to create brand awareness. This is reflected in the increase in the number of ATMs all over the world. ATM is one of the most widely used remote banking services all over the world, including India. This paper analyzes the growth of ATMs of different bank groups in India.
International Scenario

If ATMs are largely available over geographically dispersed areas, the benefit from using an ATM will increase as customers will be able to access their bank accounts from any geographic location. This would imply that the value of an ATM network increases with the number of available ATM locations, and the value of a bank network to a customer will be determined in part by the final network size of the banking system. The statistical information on the growth of branches and ATM network in select countries.

Indian Scenario

The financial services industry in India has witnessed a phenomenal growth, diversification and specialization since the initiation of financial sector reforms in 1991. Greater customer orientation is the only way to retain customer loyalty and withstand competition in the liberalized world. In a market-driven strategy of development, customer preference is of paramount importance in any economy. Gone are the days when customers used to come to the doorsteps of banks. Now the banks are required to chase the customers; only those banks which are customercentric and extremely focused on the needs of their clients can succeed in their business today.

more...

 
View Previous Issues
Public Finance