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Rural Non-farm Sector Employment in the North-Eastern Region of India: Determinants and Implications for Well-being

Author

Listed:
  • Gautam Kumar Das

    (Gautam Kumar Das (corresponding author) is at the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), New Delhi, India. E-mail: kumardasgautam@gmail.com)

  • Nijara Deka

    (Nijara Deka is at National Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi, India. E-mail: ndeka@ncaer.org)

Abstract

The article analyses the causal relationship between rural non-farm employment (RNFE) and the well-being of the people in India’s North-Eastern Region (NER). When India experienced a decline in poverty, specifically during the post-liberalisation period, the reduction of poverty was lower in the NER, with a wide variation at the state level in the region than in the rest of the country. However, the structural shift in occupations and livelihoods in NER has been sharper than in other parts of the country. In this context, this article aims to contribute to an understanding of the issue of occupational diversification in NER. Based on data from three rounds of the National Sample Survey (NSS) Employment and Unemployment Survey and two rounds of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), that is, the PLFS of 2017–2018 and 2019–2020. The 2SLS regression analysis highlights the higher inclination of young persons with technical education, people belonging to large families, and females in rural NER towards seeking livelihoods in the non-farm sector. JEL Codes: P46, M51, I21, E24

Suggested Citation

  • Gautam Kumar Das & Nijara Deka, 2023. "Rural Non-farm Sector Employment in the North-Eastern Region of India: Determinants and Implications for Well-being," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 17(3-4), pages 279-314, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:mareco:v:17:y:2023:i:3-4:p:279-314
    DOI: 10.1177/00252921241229799
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Non-farm; Poverty; Expenditure; North-east; Education; Employment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P46 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty
    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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